RALEIGH, N.C. — Rod Brind’Amour is “hopeful” that the additions of forward Nikolaj Ehlers and defenseman K’Andre Miller will improve the Carolina Hurricanes after the team reached the Eastern Conference Final last season.

Carolina acquired Miller from the New York Rangers on July 1 and signed the 25-year-old to an eight-year, $60 million contract ($7.5 million average annual value). The Hurricanes signed Ehlers, an unrestricted free agent who had played his entire 10-season career with the Winnipeg Jets, to a six-year, $51 million contract ($8.5 million AAV) on July 3.

“You’re hopeful it makes you better,” the Hurricanes coach said on Monday. “The additions were the best we could do. It’s already a great group that we have. The group does a great job of bringing in the new people and making them feel at home so that they can play their best.”

Ehlers had 63 points (24 goals, 39 assists) in 69 games with the Jets last season and seven points (five goals, two assists) in eight Stanley Cup Playoff games. As a result, he is expected to boost the offensive production of the Hurricanes, who finished ninth in the NHL at 3.24 goals per game but only had two players finish with at least 50 points: Sebastian Aho (74 points) and Seth Jarvis (67 points). Martin Necas had 55 points in 49 games before he was traded to the Colorado Avalanche on Jan. 24.

“Ehlers is a piece of that,” Brind’Amour said. “Can he play with some of our top guys and make them better? We know we have to get a little better at the skilled areas like the power play. We lost Necas, who is good at 5-on-4 and overtime. For me, it’s talent, and that’s what Ehlers has. How it all fits, we will see when we get there.”

Carolina acquired Miller (6-foot-5, 210 pounds) for a second-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, a conditional first-round pick in the 2026 or 2027 NHL Draft and defenseman Scott Morrow. Miller fills a need on the blue line after the loss of free agents Brent Burns, who signed with the Colorado Avalanche (one year, $1 million) on Wednesday, and Dmitry Orlov, who signed with the San Jose Sharks (two years, $13 million; $6.5 million AAV) on Thursday.

“We needed a top-end ‘D,’” Brind’Amour said. “I give the organization credit. Who was the top guy out there? I feel like it was [Miller].

“We know from watching that he’s big, he’s strong, he can skate. He’s got a great shot and all the instincts are there. It’s a good package. For some reason it hasn’t worked for the [Rangers] or he wouldn’t be available. Whatever we think the potential is with him, we’ve got to get it out of him.”

Carolina’s defensemen will get an additional boost from 23-year-old Russian Alexander Nikishin, who made his NHL debut in the Stanley Cup Playoffs after he had 46 points (17 goals, 29 assists) in 61 games for SKA St. Petersburg in the Kontinental Hockey League.

“I feel like he’s just touching the surface,” Brind’Amour said. “You’ve got to be in the environment for a couple years before we really see this guy blossom. I don’t want to expect big things right away. It’s going to take a little time.”

The Hurricanes made another long-term commitment on July 1 when they signed 22-year-old forward Logan Stankoven to an eight-year, $48 million contract ($6 million AAV). He had 38 points (14 goals, 24 assists) in 78 games last season, including nine points (five goals, four assists) in 19 games for Carolina after he was acquired in the trade that sent Mikko Rantanen to the Dallas Stars on March 7. Stankoven had eight points (five goals, three assists) in 15 playoff games.

“Betting on people, that’s what we’re doing,” Brind’Amour said. “I don’t know if he’s going to score a lot of goals. I don’t know what his ceiling is. Whether he scores another goal or not, that’s the kind of kid you want in your lineup. He’s just a great kid. We’re going to be happy he’s on our team.”

The Hurricanes (47-30-5) finished second in the Metropolitan Division last season and lost to the Florida Panthers in five games in the Eastern Conference Final.

Carolina has qualified for the playoffs in each of Brind’Amour’s seven seasons and advanced to the conference final three times in that span (also in 2019 and 2023).

“We just want to have a chance,” Brind’Amour said. “That’s the whole key. I feel like we do, and we have every year. We haven’t quite got over the hump, but it’s better to have a chance than no chance.”