Oct 13, 2015; Raleigh, NC, USA; Carolina Hurricanes forward Kris Versteeg (32) looks on against the Florida Panthers at PNC Arena. The Florida Panthers defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 4-1. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports

Carolina Hurricanes forward Kris Versteeg‘s future is in question, but he has made it clear that he wants it to be with the Canes.

The Carolina Hurricanes have eight players scheduled to hit the open market on July 1, 2016. Big names like Eric Staal and Cam Ward are among those names, but so is breakout difference maker Kris Versteeg.

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Versteeg, 29, has busted onto the scene in Carolina and made a massive impact on the club. Through his first 50 games with the Canes, the two-time Stanley Cup champion has netted 10 goals and has 31 total points while playing in a top-six role and being a key piece on the man advantage.

He has been the ultimate glue guy for the Hurricanes. He has proved he can play and gel with almost any forward on the club, and that creates a lot of options for head coach Bill Peters and his staff.

Despite his success, Versteeg’s future is very much in the air given his expiring contract. Will he be moved at the deadline, or will he be kept around for a playoff push and maybe even be extended at some point? The veteran forward made his preference clear prior to Tuesday’s game against the Blackhawks.

“If it happens (a trade) I would not be shocked,” Versteeg said to reporters. “At the same time, I’ve really enjoyed my time in Carolina and I’d really like to be part of this young team and help them win.

“That obviously is up to management. If they want me and feel I can contribute to the team and have helped them enough, I definitely would like to be here. But in the end it’s a business and you find out when the time comes.”

We’ve heard about the state of the Hurricanes locker room all season. It is a place that everyone enjoys to be in, and with the young core of exciting and highly talented players in there, it shouldn’t be a surprise that Versteeg is excited about the club’s future. He wants to be a part of it, and the Carolina Hurricanes should do all they can to make sure that happens.

His current cap hit with the Canes is $2.2 million, but $2.2 million is also being retained by the Florida Panthers, the team which he signed a 4-year, $17.6 million contract with before the 2013 season. Versteeg was dealt to the Blackhawks from the Panthers back on November 14, 2013, and the Cats retained 50% of his salary. That is still in effect after he was traded to the Hurricanes back in September of 2015.

If the Hurricanes do extend Versteeg, expect that value of the deal to be in the $3 million – $4 million range per season. He is tied for 78th in the NHL in points, ahead of the likes of James Neal, Filip Forsberg, T.J. Oshie, and teammate Eric Staal amongst many other notable names.

The Carolina Hurricanes will hit the ice again on February 3 against the Calgary Flames.