With the All-Star break now behind us, the trade deadline looms large and is less than a month away. Where does each team stand, and what moves should they be looking to make? We continue our look around the league with the Carolina Hurricanes.
After narrowly losing in the second round of the playoffs to the Rangers last season, the Hurricanes made a pair of key veteran additions over the summer to look to cement themselves as a contender. One of those players (Max Pacioretty) is now out for the season but that actually opens up some different opportunities for them to consider from a salary cap perspective with the veteran’s $7MM AAV now on LTIR.
Heading into action tonight, Carolina sits first in the Metropolitan Division and second in the Eastern Conference. Accordingly, it’s not a matter of if they make a move but rather when they make it.
Record
34-9-8, 1st in the Metropolitan
Deadline Status
Buyer
Deadline Cap Space
$10.16MM in LTIR relief, 1/3 retention slots used, 45/50 contracts used, per CapFriendly.
Upcoming Draft Picks
2023: CAR 1st, CAR 2nd, CAR/PHI 3rd*, CAR 4th, CAR 5th, VAN 5th, CAR 6th, CHI 6th, CAR 7th
2024: CAR 1st, CAR 2nd, PHI 2nd, CAR 3rd, CAR 4th, CAR 5th, CAR 6th, CAR 7th
*-Carolina will keep the lower pick between the two
Trade Chips
While they’ll be a buyer, that isn’t to say that Carolina can’t sell as well. With Frederik Andersen returning to the lineup just before the All-Star break and Pyotr Kochetkov back in the minors, it’s possible that they could look to move Antti Raanta and take advantage of what could be a light goalie trade market. The pending unrestricted free agent has a very manageable cap hit of $2MM and has a nice 2.46 GAA in 19 games this season, almost identical to his output from 2021-22. Such a move would come with some risk given Andersen’s injury history but if they’re able to get a decent asset for the veteran netminder, it might make it easier to part with one of their other trade chips.
One other roster player that seems like a reasonable candidate to move is Dylan Coghlan. The defenseman was the sweetener that Vegas attached for them to take on Pacioretty’s contract and after playing in 59 games with the Golden Knights the year before, it felt like he’d be a useful depth piece. However, the 24-year-old has only played in 16 games and has been a healthy scratch the rest of the way. A pending restricted free agent, Coghlan’s $762.5K cap hit is easy for just about any team to absorb and chances are that some selling squads might want to take a look at him for the stretch run.
From there, they’ll turn to their futures pool of picks and prospects. On the latter front, Jack Drury is likely to be of some interest. The center has gotten his feet wet with Carolina this season, suiting up in 21 games and while he hasn’t produced much (just two assists), he’s only a year removed from putting up 52 points with AHL Chicago. There’s some offensive upside to work with potentially. 2019 first-round pick Ryan Suzuki has yet to see NHL action and is in the midst of another injury-shortened season, playing in just 20 games with the Wolves so far. Noel Gunler slid a bit further than expected in the 2021 draft, lasting into the second round. His first full season in North America has gone well and his stock should be fairly high as a result.
Defensively, Scott Morrow will get some attention. The 21-year-old is having another strong season at UMass and is getting relatively close to being NHL-ready. That type of profile is always enticing to sellers. Dominick Fensore is certainly an undersized blueliner (5’7) but he has had some success at Boston University. He’s in his senior year and isn’t a lock to get a contract from Carolina. If another team wants him, Fensore could be a secondary part of a swap. Joey Keane’s rights might also be of small interest; after a decent showing on his entry-level deal, he somewhat surprisingly opted to play in the KHL this season where he has done relatively well.
Other Potential Trade Chips: F Dominik Bokk, F Patrik Puistola, F Justin Robidas
Team Needs
1) Top-Six Forward: While Pacioretty’s injury opens up some LTIR room, it also opened up a sizable hole in their top six to try to fill. Carolina generally hasn’t favored going the rental route so it shouldn’t come as much surprise that Pierre LeBrun linked them to San Jose’s Timo Meier in TSN’s latest Insider Trading segment (video link). That forward could also be a center with Martin Necas being more of a winger and the trio of Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Jordan Staal, and Paul Stastny not really being suited for top-six duty.
2) Playable Defensive Depth: It seems evident that there isn’t much faith in Coghlan when the team is fully healthy. Finding a defender (or even two) that they’d be more comfortable using when injuries arise or to spell Calvin de Haan or Jalen Chatfield would be worthwhile.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Would Larkin fulfill the 2nd line center role? You might also get Pagaeu, but NYI probably won’t let you have him till summer.
Trading Raanta?
No way.
3 goalies for the playoffs is just fine. Kochetkov gets more time in the AHL, and can back up or play if one of the other two go down.
Best to give up a few prospects and/or picks to address either scoring or a center, but the goalie roster is just fine as it is.
Agree 100%. Anderson is about as injury prone as any goalie in the league, and in fact his absence was a primary reason the team exited the playoffs last season earlier than expected.
Don’t see any major moves happening. Maybe a return of Max Domi?????
When Pastrnak “accidentally” teed off on Raanta and took him out of action, it became clear that 3 goalies for the post-season affords a safety factor.
Rants absorbs a LOT of abuse in the crease.
Timo Meier is someone I hop the Canes are exploring. Of course, only with simultaneous discussion of an extension, and that will take permission from the Sharks.
Sure, there’s value in holding on to their goalies, but if they wanted to get REALLY radical … what could they get for *Kochetkov*? Fine young goalie, signed to a cap hit anyone could afford, in a market where goaltending is scarce and cap space is scarcer. I bet they could get some team to seriously, seriously overpay. Edmonton or Calgary, say?
Talk of trading Koochie is just a waste of your time.
Well, since none of us are NHL front office management, commenting here at all is a waste of ALL of our time. If that’s how you want to swing.
LMAO
If I’m smart enough to know that Carolina should have avoided both Pacioretty and Kase because of there extensive injury history then why didn’t Waddell? Did he really think that if the Canes acquire these 2 players they will suddenly snap out of there often injured playing history?
Why did Waddell(whom has been one of, if not one of the the most savoy, intelligent gm’s in the last 5 years) get a proven veteran leader, goal finishing player that the team desperately needs FOR FREE. Instead of spending assets, Actually he got a sweetener to boot. NO RISK, ALL REWARD. You’d have turned that down? Yeah you’re real smart, what a ignorant comment, beyond ignorant. Even SDPN comments how The Don fleeces anyone and everyone. In recent memory Your comment is the dumbest I’ve seen on the internet regarding hockey