Looking ahead for the Hurricanes: Time to pay Sebastian Aho

As each NHL team is eliminated from the playoffs, we'll take a look at why its quest for the Stanley Cup fell short in 2018-19, along with three keys to its offseason, impact prospects for 2019-20 and a way-too-early prediction for what next season will hold.

What went wrong

A lot went right for the Carolina Hurricanes in 2018-19, and a lot went even better than planned. As general manager Don Waddell told ESPN in April: "We'd all probably be telling a fib if we said we thought we'd be here at this point. Certainly we thought we'd be a playoff-bound team. We felt good about the changes we made to the roster. But to end up with 99 points is probably more than we thought. The biggest thing is gaining respect back with the community. That's a big step we've taken this year. We'd always say, 'Next year is going to be the year, next year ...'"

The Hurricanes not only made the playoffs, snapping the NHL's longest postseason drought, but they knocked off the defending Stanley Cup champions in the first round, then swept the league's best defensive team in the second.

But once they got to the Eastern Conference finals, the Boston Bruins -- who have the league's hottest goaltender this postseason and saw all four lines producing -- proved to be too much. Carolina had a hard time rediscovering the game that got it to this point, and it was clear that physical and mental exhaustion had set in. The Hurricanes unraveled in the first two games. When the series shifted to Carolina, the Canes threw the kitchen sink at the Bruins in the first period of Game 3. They had 33 scoring chances in the first period alone. But Tuukka Rask was a wall, the Bruins mustered enough offense, and Carolina was defeated. That was too much to recover from.

Let's go back to some bigger-picture positives, because again, this season was not a failure by any means.

The Canes have identified a coach of the future in Rod Brind'Amour, who connected with his players and put together a terrific product on the ice. They established an identity. And as Waddell alluded to, they built back trust in the community. Thanks to the playoff run, by the first round the Canes were already at $2.5 million in new business for season tickets for 2019-20 after being at $400,000 at the same time a year previously. That's a total win.

Keys to the offseason

Cement the goaltending. The Canes lucked out with surprisingly good goaltending in 2018-19. When Scott Darling faltered, and eventually took a leave of absence from the team, the Canes relied on Petr Mrazek (who signed a one-year, $1.5 million deal in free agency and was due to be the Canes' primary backup this season) and Curtis McElhinney (picked up on waivers from Toronto). Mrazek and McElhinney turned in at least 19 wins each, boasting save percentages above .912 with goals-against averages under 2.60.

They both become unrestricted free agents this summer. Considering how steady and affordable both players are, the Canes could consider bringing both back.

Pay Sebastian Aho (and Justin Williams, too). The big contract looming for the Hurricanes is for top center Sebastian Aho, who had a terrific breakout season. His entry-level contract expires this summer and he is due big money, which the Canes should not hesitate to spend. Yes, this franchise has been a budget-conscious one, but giving Aho a deal that looks similar to what William Nylander received in Toronto (with an average annual value around $7 million) should be a no-brainer. That would make Aho the highest-paid Carolina player.

Meanwhile, captain Justin Williams, 37, becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer. Given his impact on and off the ice (he is the emotional heartbeat of the team), if Williams wants to stay, the Hurricanes should not hesitate to give him a short deal.

Move a defenseman. The Hurricanes have had a surplus of capable defensemen for some time, and it's long been believed they would move one to land an asset they need: better forward depth. A trade never materialized at the deadline this season, even though Justin Faulk and Dougie Hamilton were both rumored to be subjects of interest elsewhere.

The Canes should finally get something done around the draft. They have the blue-line depth to lose someone, even if it's a top-four defenseman, and the market is there: Plenty of teams around the league are seeking NHL-ready D-men.

Impact prospects for 2019-20

Martin Necas, C, age 20: The Hurricanes have practiced patience with Necas. It is looking more and more as though it's going to pay off in a much bigger way next season. The team could not give the talented center the role he would need to have success this season at the NHL level. Instead, it let him be part of one of the best AHL teams all season, and Necas was a driving force for Charlotte. He didn't have a great World Juniors, and there were times when he struggled this season, but the talent and hockey sense he possesses make him an elite prospect. There's more room for him to play next season, and the Canes have a better feel for what he can bring after a 52-point season in his first full pro campaign in North America.

Jake Bean, D, age 20: The issue for the Hurricanes is that they're too deep on defense. What a spectacular problem to have. I had been down on Bean coming into this season, but as I watched a few Charlotte games, I saw a lot more of the player he was projected to be after being selected 13th overall in 2016. Bean is not dynamic, but he has enough skill to make plays, and really strong offensive awareness. He can get shots through to the net, makes plays at the offensive blue line and distributes the puck very well. His poise and hockey sense are advancing at the professional level, which is a great development. Now the question becomes: How do the Canes make room for him? He might have to be patient.

Aleksi Saarela, C/W, age 22: After two strong seasons in the AHL, you'd have to expect the time is now for Saarela to make the big club. There is bound to be some turnover up front, and the team is going to need to add to its offensive attack. After 30 goals in just his second pro season in North America, Saarela is poised to bring that output to the next level. He can play with pace and has a good on-ice work ethic. He appeared in one playoff game with the Canes as an injury replacement, so they know he's as close as anyone on their AHL roster. There should be a spot for him to seize next season.

Realistic expectation for 2019-20

There's no reason the Canes shouldn't fight for a playoff spot again next season. They'll bring back mostly the same cast of young, exciting players, and with another full season of Brind'Amour, they should be able to build on where they left off in 2018-19.