The Carolina Hurricanes were one of the busier teams when NHL Free Agency opened on July 1. They quickly signed the best defenseman on the market in former Washington Capital and Boston Bruin Dmitry Orlov, and followed it up by inking sandpaper forward Michael Bunting. Brendan Lemieux was added on a one-year pact earlier this week to shore up the bottom-six.

Besides those signings, the Hurricanes were able to bring back both of their goalies from last season in Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta, which is a huge win for the club. The Andersen-Raanta tandem is one of the best goaltending duos in the National Hockey League, and complements one of the sport's best defensive cores heading into 2023-24.

They also got their captain Jordan Staal locked up on a team-friendly, four-year deal, which also represents a huge win for the Eastern Conference behemoths. With the Hurricanes firmly entrenched in Stanley Cup contention territory, let's break down their newest faces and how they will fit in in Raleigh next season.

Michael Bunting, three-year deal

The Canes made a splash on July 1, signing former Toronto Maple Leafs forward Michael Bunting to a three year, $13.5 million contract. Bunting can certainly score goals, after potting 23 with his old team in each of the past two seasons. But more importantly, he brings an edge as an agitator to the forward corps, something that the Hurricanes were lacking in their Eastern Conference Final sweep at the hands of the Florida Panthers in the postseason.

The scrappy, high-energy left winger finished with 63 points in 2021-22 and added 49 in 2022-23; he's not the most formidable point producer, but his feisty style will be a huge boost to Carolina's team over the next three years. The 27-year-old will also provide a welcome edge in the postseason for his new team, as long as he adds a little more discipline into his game.

Dmitry Orlov, two-year deal

Dmitry Orlov was undoubtedly the best defenseman available on the free agent market after being traded from the Capitals to the Bruins at the NHL Trade Deadline. It was widely speculated that the smooth-skating Stanley Cup champion wouldn't be re-upping in Boston, and he instead chose to head to the Metropolitan Division on a two-year, $15.5 million deal.

Orlov put together a career year in 2022-23, scoring 7 goals and 36 points in just 66 games. He's a top-pairing type of a defenseman that could slot in excellently with Brent Burns on the top pair in Raleigh next season. With the salary cap set to significantly rise over the next two years, he'll get another opportunity to cash in with a longer-term deal after spending the next two seasons in Carolina.

The 31-year-old is a physical blueliner who plays a great shutdown game but can also contribute offensively, and he adds to one of the league's best, if not the premier D-core in the National Hockey League. Adding Orlov to the back end could help the Hurricanes get one step closer to winning their first Stanley Cup since 2006, and they didn't have to break the bank for his services.

Hurricanes re-sign captain Jordan Staal, both goaltenders

Adding Michael Bunting and Dmitry Orlov is a huge win for a Carolina Hurricanes team that is firmly in win-now mode. But GM Don Waddell also made some shrewd moves regarding players who have already called Raleigh home for the last few seasons. Re-upping both Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta on short-term deals is a huge W for the club. They bring the veteran presence that a team chasing a Stanley Cup can utilize, and when healthy, they represent one of the best tandems in the league.

Jordan Staal has been the heart and soul of the forward corps for the organization since he was traded from the Pittsburgh Penguins back in 2012, and Waddell completed some tidy business by signing the captain to a four-year, $11.6 million pact in June. A former Stanley Cup champion with the Pens, Staal has been a responsible two-way player for his entire career, and the 34-year-old can still provide some timely offense for his club.

Final Grade: A-

It's hard to argue that the Carolina Hurricanes aren't the team to beat in the Eastern Conference heading into next season. Being swept by the Panthers in the ECF shocked everyone last season, but that was without star Andrei Svechnikov, who went down with a devastating ACL injury in the regular season but is on track to return to training camp later this year.

With Svech back in the fold in 2023-24, along with Dmitry Orlov on the back end and Michael Bunting adding some sandpaper to the top-six, this is a scary team that should, at the least, compete to win the Metro Division next season.

The Hurricanes have great forwards, arguably the best D-core in the league and a strong goaltending tandem with playoff experience. If the rumors are true and Waddell can find a way to bring Erik Karlsson into the fold, they immediately become one of the favorites to win the Stanley Cup in 2024.