The Carolina Hurricanes have agreed to terms with restricted free agent defenseman Aleksi Heimosalmi on a one-year, two-way contract for the 2026-27 season. The deal carries an $850,000 cap hit at the NHL level and pays him $85,000 if he’s assigned to the AHL’s Chicago Wolves. It’s a classic prove-it deal for a 23-year-old who’s shown flashes but hasn’t cracked the big club yet.
Heimosalmi spent the 2025-26 season in the AHL with Chicago, where he put up four goals and 13 assists for 17 points in 52 games. He added a goal and an assist in seven playoff contests as the Wolves went all the way to the Calder Cup Final. Not bad for a guy still adjusting to North American ice.
The Finnish blueliner originally came over for the 2024-25 season and posted five goals and nine assists in 56 games. Over his first two AHL seasons, he’s racked up 31 points in 108 regular season games. Nothing flashy, but steady progress for a second-round pick.
From Liiga to the AHL
Carolina grabbed Heimosalmi out of Pori, Finland with the 44th overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft. Before crossing the Atlantic, he played three seasons for Assat in Finland’s top league, Liiga. From 2021 to 2024, he appeared in 139 games and collected 34 points, with his offensive numbers climbing each year. He finished with 16 points in 47 games during his final season over there.
Heimosalmi’s also got some international hardware. He helped Finland take silver at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championships with a goal and six assists in seven games. The next year he served as an alternate captain and picked up two helpers in five games. And back at the 2021 IIHF Under-18 World Championship, he was named Best Defenseman after tying for the tournament lead among blueliners with eight points.
The Hurricanes have a knack for developing European defensemen. Heimosalmi’s still young and on an entry-level deal that expires after this season, so there’s incentive on both sides to make something happen. If he keeps trending up, he could push for an NHL look soon. If not, he’s at least building value as a depth piece.
For now, it’s another low-risk bet by a front office that doesn’t shy away from letting prospects marinate in the minors. Heimosalmi will likely start the season in Chicago again, but a strong camp could change that.
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