The moment everyone was waiting for has finally come and the timing was perfect. Sebastian Aho and the Carolina Hurricanes have agreed on an eight-year contract extension with a $9.8 million average annual value (AAV), keeping him with the team for the long haul. With that out of the way, Aho can now focus on the upcoming season and the team’s quest for the Stanley Cup. The deal is more than deserved, as he has cemented himself as an elite player in the league.
Aho Surging in the Storm
Aho is an exceptional talent, which is why the Hurricanes selected him in the second round of the stacked 2015 NHL Draft. There was a lot to love about his game, and that has been evident since he became a full-time NHLer.
He is the perfect top-line center, who can handle the workload and plays a 200-foot game. He is able to elevate his play at both ends of the ice, which is tremendous. He is also an elite playmaker with a great scoring touch. He is strong on the forecheck, which suits the team’s style perfectly.
Aho is coming off another strong season that helped solidify his new deal. He finished first on the team in goals (36) and second in points (67). He generated offense in bunches, leading the team with 33 expected goals. What makes him unique is his high hockey IQ and his awareness to find the open player. He finished the season with 31 assists – 24 of those were primary.
Related: Hurricanes Sign Sebastian Aho to 8-Year Contract Extension
Aho was also one of the best players at 5v5 on the team. The puck always seemed to be on his stick, as his Corsi For (CF) was among the best on the Hurricanes with 1,157 shot attempts. He also got shots through traffic with a 58.41 Fenwick%.
Aho is not the biggest player, so no one expects bone-crushing body checks or diving to block shots. What he lacks in size, he makes up for with his awareness and vision – led all Hurricanes forwards with 63 takeaways.
He has also had success in the faceoff circle, finishing the season with a 51.4% winning percentage. As a result, he thrives on the penalty kill; he finished the 2022-23 season with three short-handed goals and four points. Since joining the league in 2015, he ranks fourth in short-handed goals in the league with 16.
Aho’s Successful Career
Consistency has been key for Aho, who has surpassed the 20-goal mark in every season of his career. He is coming off back-to-back 30-goal seasons, which shows his improvement over time.
Since he entered the league, Aho has scored more goals than some premiere talent:
He has been a consistent point producer, reaching below the 50-point mark just once in his career. He has hit the 80-point mark twice, which includes a career-high of 83 set in the 2018-19 season. He has 218 goals and 250 assists, in his career and is also the franchise leader in playoff goals (23) and points (58).
Hurricanes’ Future
Signing Aho to an eight-year extension points to a positive future in Carolina. He will solidify the top-line center position and be at the center of the team’s core group for years to come. He is the driving force for the team and sets the tone for his teammates.
Aho joins power forward Andrei Svechnikov as the two building blocks up front. A large chunk of the core is on expiring deals after the 2023-24 season, so locking him long-term up will give management a nucleus to build around. Critical decisions will need to be made for the forward group, especially next summer. For now, everyone can celebrate this extension, which is great for both Aho and the organization.