Now that the trade market for defensemen has been set after the blockbuster trade landing defending Norris Trophy winner, Erik Karlsson, with the Pittsburgh Penguins, one of the most oft-rumored names on the market headed into next season is Brett Pesce of the Carolina Hurricanes. Already carrying a rather deep defensive core, the Hurricanes added to it even more, bringing in Dmitry Orlov, Anthony DeAngelo, and Caleb Jones via free agency this summer.
For the 2023-24 NHL season, Pesce will be starting his ninth in Carolina, becoming one of the mainstays on their blue line during the team’s rise to stardom in recent years. However, with players such as Teuvo Teravainen, Martin Necas, and more than half their defensemen needing contracts beyond this season, the Hurricanes dollar may be better spent somewhere else.
In June, Cory Lavalette of The Athletic theorized that Pesce’s next contract would be in the eight-year, $52MM ($6.5MM) range, which seems fair factoring in comparable players and Pesce’s age. This is not a massive increase on Pesce’s current $4.025MM AAV, but with an extension already kicking in for Sebastian Aho next summer, Carolina will need all the wiggle room they can to keep their other talent.
In analyzing the market for Pesce, it would be wise to start with the two teams that reportedly missed out on Karlsson. Both the Toronto Maple Leafs and Seattle Kraken had an interest in Karlsson, and both could use some longer-term answers to the right side of their blue lines. Toronto currently has John Klingberg and T.J. Brodie at the top of their hierarchy on the right side and should consider Pesce to be an improvement to both of those players. Similarly, in Seattle, Pesce would be a solid long-term answer on the right side once Justin Schultz’s contract comes to an end next summer.
Even if it is not in the Hurricanes’ best interest to hold onto Pesce long-term, it seems to be the most appropriate option to hold onto him for the entirety of next season, given the team’s popularity as a Stanley Cup favorite. Much like how the New Jersey Devils handled the pending unrestricted free agency of Damon Severson, the team may be better spent employing Pesce for the upcoming season and recouping some value for him via a sign-and-trade before July 1, 2024.
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The Chicago Blackhawks
Edmonton could use him. Fitting him in would be a different story though
It’s likely that the Canadian teams are on Pesce’s no-trade list.
I’m pretty sure hed waive to go to a cup contender for 1 season. No guarantee he resigns though
Arizona trades future considerations for Pesce, and then trades him back to Carolina at the deadline with 70% salary retained.
How are the Maple Leafs going to acquire Pesce? Even with two guys going on LTIR, they are over the salary cap. They have to get under the cap before they even consider adding anybody. The Hurricanes aren’t just going to take dead salary weight off the Leafs in a trade for Pesce. The Canes are barely under the cap as it is. I really don’t see anyone acquiring Pesce right now. It just doesn’t work cap wise for most teams at this point.
They could acquire Pesce if he’s part of a package coming back for Nylander.
Probably be a 3 team trade
Not sure how Toronto fits Pesce in long term even if they trade Nylander in the deal. Re-signing Pesce isn’t going to cost you what it will to re-sign Nylander, but it still is going to be a sizable number. The other question is whether or not Pesce would want to sign long term there. He’s an American and there has been a trend the past few seasons of American born players wanting to play in the states & not in Canada (Gaudreau, M. Tkachuk, Hanifan, DeBrincat, etc). Would Pesce feel the same way?
They have been off and on the entire offseason the canes want WillyStyyles badly and the Maple Leafs have to wait until they are willing to pay it. Pesce,Necas, their top prospect and a first. That’s the price and it’s non negotiable. Another way would be Lafferty, Jarnkrok and Timmins give a third party mid round pick to take half the cap hit which would put them in a position of cap compliance.
Steep price for the canes if it’s only for one season of willy. I would take the pesce/necas trade if the canes were offering that.
You also have to take into account Brodie would probably have to be moved to fit Pesce. Maybe Brodie goes to a 3rd party with a sweetener, that’s why I think it’s a tough trade with a lot of moving parts, and that could be why it’s taking so long to get a trade done.
Wow. Canes will be farther ahead to keep the talent and let Pesce go in free agency.
That won’t be happening. Canes are not that desperate. Plus Toronto doesn’t have the cap space for that, do they?
They wouldn’t be offering Pesce and Necas. That’s crazy talk.
I agree 100%. Maybe offer Druery.
If brodie were moved as well they would be able to fit pesce and necas but I just really don’t see that trade fitting the canes.
Actually it’s about even Cap hit, I thought necas was a higher cap hit. Still don’t see it happening
Toss Matthews in and you have a deal.
Why is the media in such a rush for the Carolina Hurricanes to trade Brett Pesce? The Canes have 2 other free agents to be, Brady Skjei and Teuvo Tiereiveinan (sp?). Of the 3, Pesce has been a Cane since they drafted him, and along with Jaccob Slavin, have grown up with this team. Both Skjei and Turbo make more money, so if it is cap relief the team seeks, Pesce seems like the best value of the 3.
Why trade him? I don’t disagree that with contract extensions due to Necas and Jarvis, 2 of the aforementioned 3 may have to be moved, but for my money, Pesce is a keeper.
Reports from as far back as June indicate the Hurricanes were deadset on trading him if they couldn’t agree to an extension.
If Carolina wants to make a run at the Cup, they’re better off keeping Pesce even with his pendinf UFA status. He’s there second best defensive defenseman behind Slavin & they’re going to need that to win the Cup. DeANgelo & Jones aren’t good enough defensively to help you win a Cup
Pesce has been a great player for the Canes but there is NO WAY he’s worth $5.5 to $6 million a year on a long term deal. The Canes are masters with salary cap management and that’s exactly why he hasn’t been extended. Pesce is 29 years old in November and he’s had 2 major surgeries on his right shoulder. He’d be 30 years old in the first year of that deal. It’s a deal that would age terribly and prevent the Canes from spending that money on younger players.
6 years at$6M per for a top pairing guy who takes care of his own zone first but can provide some offence from the backend. You clearly don’t know.much about this guy
But he’s not a top pairing guy. He’s actually taken a step back defensively as he’s gotten more offensively. He’s not a $6 million defenseman. Hope we can get a scorer for him.
So you come to the conclusion that he has taken a step back defensively because he added offence?? I’m going to need something with a little more depth and weight because 110 blocked shots, 62 takeaways to only 24 giveaways.and +11. All while checking the opposing teams top line and logging 22 minutes per game. Ya he would be great at an AAV of $6M. A great two way top pairing guy nuff said.
In a perfect world yes.. however the Canes have great depth on D. What they don’t have is a 40+50 goal scorer with 90-100 points in his contract year. They would rather give Nylander $10+M than $6+M to Pesce because they don’t have a player like him and are in bad need of offense.
Coughlan, DeAngelo, And Jones are huge liabilities!!!! Keep Pesce if at all possible!!!!!!!
Carolina needs more goals
Peace
Carolina needs goals. Canucks have too many wingers
Boeser for Pesce
Would Pesce sign an extension with Vancouver? I say that is unlikely
It would be very Canucks to sign a non elite player to a massive contract as Tyler Myers reaches UFA Status
Carolina would NEVER take on that train wreck.
No they all ready made the mistake with him they won’t do it a second time.. but I hear you it would be very Canuck like
I think this would be a viable and good trade. Boeser fits better than Nylander with the Canes. Pesce would help canucks D. I’d rather see Cale Fleury with the kraken. Also would like to see Nylander with them, but I think Jaden Schwartz’s presence and contract cast a pretty unlikely shadow on that happening.
Except I don’t see Pesce signing an extension with the Canucks. Makes little sense for Vancouver to trade Boesser for one season of Pesce. If Pesce would sign, then it makes sense, but I don’t see Pesce doing that.
Tough trade for the leafs, would be tough to be able to resign pesce also. Have to move brodie to fit him in the lineup. Only way I see it working is a 3 team trade.
I’m going with Carolina just because they should hold on to him.
Anaheim has the $$$$ but they need forwards.
Nashville, they’ll make some moves to flip Fabbro
Nashville will have nearly $12M in dead cap next year and will have over a 1/2 of their roster to fill! No room for Pesce.
Even with that dead cap money, the Preds will still have a ton of cap space next season. They have $59,704,199 committed to the cap for the 2024-25 season. If the Cap goes up $5 million next season, that will be $88.5 million. The Preds could easily add Pesce & still have plenty of space to fill out their roster
The Ducks! Ryan Strome for Pesce. Just because no one else would think of it. LOL
Ducks did the 2nd best thing and got Ilya Lyubushkin instead! LOL!!
Dallas stars
Like to see Pesce/Drury/pick trade with Calgary for Elias Lindholm. With Hanifin probably on the way out and all but Weegar and Andersson needing new contracts next year, Calgary might like Pesce. Lindholm would work nicely as 2nd line center with Svetch and Necas.
Lindholm may end up staying in Calgary. They were negotiating an extension last week with a reported 8 years at big money. That’s a lot of money for a second line center. Pesce is a UFA at the end of the season & it is doubtful he is going to sign an extension with Calgary. The Flames have been very open about not losing players for nothing. Why would they trade for Pesce if there is no extension with that policy? It just isn’t going to happen
It’d be silly to trade Pesce when Brent Burns is 38 years old and they only have three defensemen under contract for 2024-25
Burns will be here at least 2 more years. They’ll re-sign Chatfield and Skjei (or trade Skjei and re-sign Pesce). And Nikishin and Morrow are in the pipeline. Not worried at all about trading Pesce or Skjei for more goals.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Blues need help on D.
They also need help getting rid of D. LOL!
Barys Astana!