Hurricanes sign Noel Gunler to one-year deal

On Wednesday, the Carolina Hurricanes signed forward Noel Gunler to a one-year, two-way contract. The deal carries an NHL AAV of $813,750, with a minor-league salary of $80,000, through the 2025-26 season.

His NHL salary is down from his entry-level contract, which had an AAV of $875,000. Gunler will be a restricted free agent at the end of the coming season.

Gunler was originally taken by the Hurricanes in the second round, 41st overall, of the 2020 NHL Draft. After building his stock up in his native Sweden with teams like Luleå HF and Brynäs IF, Gunler found immediate team success in North America with Carolina’s American Hockey League affiliate, the Chicago Wolves.

In joining the Wolves near the end of the 2021-22 season, the Luleå native was part of the team that won the Calder Cup for the third time in franchise history. Gunler posted a goal and an assist in 10 games during that playoff run.

After a rough 2022-23 season, where he appeared in just 31 games, Gunler was loaned to Liiga squad Kärpät in Finland for the 2023-24 campaign, as the Hurricanes were without their own AHL team. There, he scored five goals and three assists for eight points in 24 games.

This past year, with Carolina affiliated with the Wolves once again, he returned to Chicago and had his best season in the AHL thus far. In 58 games, the 23-year-old scored 13 goals and 13 assists for 26 points. He failed to register a point in the team’s two postseason contests.

In 100 AHL appearances, Gunler has scored 24 goals and 25 assists for 49 points. He has yet to play in an NHL game.