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Salary Cap Deep Dive: Carolina Hurricanes

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Navigating the salary cap is one of the more important tasks for any GM. Teams that can avert total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful. Those that don’t see struggles and front office changes.

PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation heading into the 2019-20 season. This will focus more on those players who are integral parts of the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL. All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.

Carolina Hurricanes

Current Cap Hit: $79,004,791 (under the $81.5MM Upper Limit)

Entry-Level Contracts

F Andrei Svechnikov (two years, $925K)
F Martin Necas (three years, $863K)
D Jake Bean (two years, $863K)
F Warren Foegele (one year, $747K)

Potential Bonuses:

Svechnikov: $2.65MM
Necas: $538K
Bean: $500K
Foegele: $20K

With a system full of top prospects, the Hurricanes got an impressive rookie season from Svechnikov, drafted with the second-overall pick in 2018, last season and now will have a top-six option for another two years at an entry-level cost. At 18 years old, he tallied 20 goals and 37 points and should be in line for more playing time and bigger numbers this season as a 19-year-old and could eventually become the franchise winger the team needs long-term. The Hurricanes also have high hopes for Necas to step in and take big role next season at the center position. The 2017 first-rounder had an impressive season for the Calder Cup Champion Charlotte Checkers of the AHL and could provide Carolina with some cheap talent.

Bean, the team’s first-rounder in 2016, has only made two appearances for Carolina, but could get a chance to take a much bigger role after a strong season with Charlotte, which saw his skills take that next step. The 23-year-old Foegele began to show off his offensive skill over the course of the season in Carolina. He scored 10 goals and 15 points during the regular season, but was even more impressive in the playoffs with five goals and nine points in just 15 games. If he can take his game up a notch, the Hurricanes could have an even more impressive offense next season.

One Year Remaining, Non-Entry-Level

D Justin Faulk ($4.83MM, UFA)
F Erik Haula ($2.75MM, UFA)
D Trevor van Riemsdyk ($2.3MM, UFA)
D Gustav Forsling ($874K, RFA)
D Haydn Fleury ($850K, RFA)
F Brian Gibbons ($725K, UFA)
F Clark Bishop ($700K, RFA)
F Lucas Wallmark ($675K, RFA)

There were rumors that suggested that talks between Carolina and Faulk were no where close on a potential extension and others that said negotiations were promising, however, Faulk could be a legitimate trade candidate if the team can’t eventually work out an extension. The 27-year-old Faulk had a solid season both defensively as he was finally in the positive on his plus/minus for the first time in his career, while also adding 11 goals and 35 points. However, with a number of young defensemen who are waiting for a chance to get an opportunity in Carolina, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Carolina unload him at the trade deadline.

Haula is an interesting acquisition. The 28-year-old was coming off a 29-goal season in Vegas’ inaugural season, but then suffered a gruesome knee injury and never returned. In the end, he played just 15 games, although he was close to returning late in the season with many believing that he would have been available had the Golden Knights had gotten deeper into the playoffs. If he can prove to be healthy, Haula might prove to be one of the best acquisitions of the year. Whether the Hurricanes will re-sign him will obviously depend on how he fares next season.

The team might be ready to move on from van Riemsdyk, who has served as a bottom pairing defenseman, but probably makes too much at $2.3MM to keep around long term, especially since Fleury hasn’t really had a true chance to prove himself and could be a better option at his price.

Two Years Remaining

D Dougie Hamilton ($5.75MM, UFA)
G James Reimer ($3.4MM, UFA)
F Ryan Dzingel ($3.38MM, UFA)
G Petr Mrazek ($3.13MM, UFA)
F Brock McGinn ($2.1MM, UFA)
F Jordan Martinook ($2MM, UFA)
G Alex Nedeljkovic ($738K, RFA)

The team has a number of interesting contracts with two years left, including their entire goaltending situation. The team has Mrazek, who put together a stellar season after years of inconsistency, and new backup Reimer as the new tandem with their top prospect in Nedeljkovic close to ready to step into the lineup. All three will likely stay this season as Nedeljkovic is waiver exempt and likely will just stay in the AHL. However, if he can prove in training camp that he’s ready for the back-up role, few would be surprised if the team found a way to unload Reimer, who had a terrible season last year in Florida.

Despite hearing constant rumors that Carolina was shopping Hamilton around this offseason, it looks like the Hurricanes will have the veteran defenseman for another season. He put up solid numbers, scoring 18 goals an 39 points and is solid defensively, but he could eventually be a trade candidate, perhaps as early as the trade deadline if the team struggles and can’t reproduce the same success it had a season ago. The team also hopes that they can get Dzingel to provide the same type of offense he was producing in Ottawa, rather than his struggles in Columbus. However, he should provide solid value at his pricetag and fit in nicely as a middle-six option.

Three Years Remaining

F Nino Niederreiter ($5.25MM, UFA)

It might have been the trade of the year when the Hurricanes acquired Niederreiter from Minnesota for Victor Rask. While Rask struggled in Minnesota, Niederreiter’s season took off when he arrived, scoring 14 goals and 30 points in 36 games and he slotted in nicely on the first line. If he can produce anything close to that, the team has a steal of a deal for the next three years. If his production drops back to what it was in Minnesota earlier in the year (nine goals and 23 points in 46 games) then the team has a contract that could be a burden for some time.

Four Or More Years Remaining

F Sebastian Aho ($8.45MM through 2023-24)
F Jordan Staal ($6MM through 2022-23)
F Teuvo Teravainen ($5.4MM through 2023-24)
D Jaccob Slavin ($5.3MM through 2024-25)
D Brett Pesce ($4.03MM through 2023-24)

The Montreal Canadiens did Carolina a favor when they shocked the NHL by signing Aho to an offer sheet that didn’t look difficult to match. While five years likely isn’t ideal, the Hurricanes still now have their top franchise player signed until 2024 and can figure out its plans after that, but now are one of the few teams that have locked up their franchise restricted free agent already, with the rest still waiting to sign a contract. That should provide Aho, who had another breakout season with 30 goals and 83 points, with plenty of time to be ready for training camp and see if he can take his game to another level once again.

His linemate in Teravainen is another key piece of Carolina’s future who keeps producing better and better numbers. The 24-year-old produced 21 goals and a career-high 76 points and is locked up for another five years as well, giving Aho a solid winger to work with. The team, however, may not be as thrilled with the four years it still has in Staal, who produced one of his worst seasons although injuries did play apart. The 30-year-old still has four years at $6MM from a 10-year, $60MM deal he signed back in 2012. After posting just 11 goals and 28 points in 50 games, the team hopes he can bounce back.

One thing the Hurricanes did was locking up its young defenders. The team has seen Slavin develop into a top-line defenseman in the last year and to have him locked up at just $5.3MM for six more years will likely be one of the team’s biggest bargain for a long time. He has been averaging more than 22 minutes per game for three of his four seasons in the league. Pesce has also seen his game increase and is also a steal with the rising cost of young defensemen lately. Pesce saw his minutes break 20 minutes for a second straight season, while his offense increased by 10 points.

Buyouts

F Patrick Marleau ($6.25MM in 2019-20)
F Alexander Semin ($2.33MM through 2020-21)

Retained Salary Transactions

None

Salary Cap Recapture

None

Still To Sign

F Justin Williams (UFA)
F Saku Maenalanen (RFA)
D Roland McKeown (RFA)

One question that is still up for grabs is whether Williams will return to the team. The 37-year-old winger has been told he can take as much time as he wants to determine whether he wants to return to hockey. He’s made it clear it’s either Carolina or retirement, but after putting up a solid campaign last year of 23 goals and 53 points, it’s hard to believe that the veteran leader is ready to hang it up if he still is capable of producing as a top-six forward. While he may eventually have to slide down to the third line, the veteran was critical to the team’s deep playoff run and Carolina hopes he will come back.

While McKeown might have a hard time finding playing time in Carolina’s stacked defense, the team will need to get Maenalanen signed at some point. The 6-foot-4 bottom-six winger stepped into the lineup late in the season and was a solid contributor, posting four goals and eight points in 34 games, while skating for just 9:26 of ATOI. He provided some physical play and if he can steal a spot on the fourth line, could be valuable.

Best Value: Slavin
Worst Value: Staal

Looking Ahead

The Carolina Hurricanes have done an impressive job of drafting well, developing their talent and adding veteran talent at reasonable prices. With most of their core already locked up long-term and plenty of talent still on entry-level contracts, the Hurricanes should be able to keep their team competitive for years and keep getting better as the team continues to develop.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Haydn Fleury, Gustav Forsling Re-Sign With Carolina Hurricanes

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The Carolina Hurricanes have reached an agreement with Haydn Fleury, signing the young defenseman to a one-year contract. Fleury will earn $850K in 2019-20. GM Don Waddell released a short statement:

Haydn has taken strides during each of his three professional seasons in our organization. We’ve been encouraged by his development and our hope is that he becomes a fixture in our lineup.

Fleury, 23, may finally get an opportunity to see some more ice time in Carolina, after spending much of last season shuffling between the NHL and AHL. Selected seventh overall in 2014, Fleury played just 20 games for the Hurricanes last season and averaged just 12:32 in those contests. With Noah Hanifin and Calvin de Haan traded to the Calgary Flames and Chicago Blackhawks respectively though, there may finally be an opening on the left side of the team’s top-four.

There’s no doubt that Jaccob Slavin will take on the bulk of the minutes on that side, and there is always the possibility that one of the team’s talented right-handed options moves over. Still, this may be Fleury’s best chance to really establish himself as a core piece of the Carolina blue line as they attempt to get back to the playoffs and compete for the Stanley Cup. Gustav Forsling came over from the Blackhawks in the de Haan trade, and Jake Bean is pushing hard to be considered an NHL option, but Fleury should have the inside track at training camp thanks to his familiarity with the team.

It’s important to note that Fleury did suit up nine times in the Hurricanes’ recent playoff run and then returned to the Charlotte Checkers to help them win a Calder Cup. The young defenseman has all the tools to be an effective NHL player and now just needs the opportunity. For the low cost of $850K, both sides are hoping he can take that next step. He will be a restricted free agent still next summer.

Forsling meanwhile has also signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Hurricanes at his qualifying offer salary of $874,125 in the NHL. The 23-year old has actually now played 122 games in the NHL, all with the Blackhawks over the last three seasons. He has 27 points during those games and showed himself to be at very least a bottom-pairing option in the NHL moving forward. Whether he gets those minutes right away in Carolina is still to be seen, but he gives the team another young player to build their blue line around.

Snapshots: Datsyuk, Faulk, Karlsson, Sutter

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Despite some initial speculation early this off-season, it seems an NHL comeback for Pavel Datsyuk is unlikely. Speaking to Helene St. James of The Detroit Free Press, agent Dan Milstein stated that Datsyuk’s probable landing spot remains his home town of Yekaterinburg with the KHL’s Avtomobilist. A free agent after wrapping up a very successful three-year stint with SKA St. Petersburg, Datsyuk made it known that he was leaving SKA and was hoping to land somewhere more familiar to he and his family. The 40-year-old center’s NHL rights are currently owned by the Arizona Coyotes, but they expire on July 1st with the start of the new league year. As such, there was some thought that he could return to the Detroit Red Wings, where he spent all 14 years of his NHL career. Datsyuk would be joining a team now run by fellow Red Wings legend Steve Yzerman and even in his advanced age, Datsyuk would have had the chance to return to a key role for Detroit. Although he recently visited the city and reportedly spoke to Yzerman and company, Milstein maintains that Datsyuk is more likely to settle into a cushy role in Yekaterinburg. “We are meeting in the coming days to discuss options and future plans,” Milstein said, but it seems that the decision is already close to being made. “It’s very likely Pavel will live up to his promise of playing for his hometown team in Russia.”

  • In an article offering up some trade suggestions over the waning days of the NHL postseason for those teams no longer in the running, USA Today’s Kevin Allen notes that teams may not want to waste their time trying to pry a defenseman out of Carolina. The Hurricanes succeeded this season largely because of their strength on the back end and GM Don Waddell appears more concerned with maintaining that depth rather than leveraging it. Allen reports that the team is engaged in extension talks with long-time stalwart Justin Faulk, whose current contract expires after next season. Allen adds that the team is not interested in dealing Faulk or any of their top-four defensemen at this time, which certainly includes Dougie Hamilton, Jaccob Slavin, and Brett Pesce, but may also include their big free agent addition from last summer, Calvin de Haan. The one defenseman who might have been dangled as trade bait is Trevor van Riemsdyk who, like Faulk, has only one year remaining on his contract. However, a long-term injury that will see van Riemsdyk on the sidelines to begin the season will probably put a damper on any trade talks. van Riemsdyk’s early-season absence will also allow youngsters Haydn Fleury and Jake Bean to see some NHL ice time, keeping all blue line parties content through another season at least.
  • Offer sheets remain a rare occurrence in the NHL – the last came in 2013 – but that doesn’t stop talk from spreading every off-season that one of the top restricted free agents could finally land such an offer. One prominent RFA whose name has not been associated with an offer sheet thus far, perhaps should be, writes David Schoen of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Schoen believes that center William Karlsson is a prime candidate for an offer sheet this summer. The Vegas Golden Knights are already buried in payroll and the off-season has yet to begin. CapFriendly estimates that they are already over the projected $83MM ceiling for next season, yet still have Karlsson, Nikita Gusev, Malcolm Subban, and others to re-sign. The Knights will be forced to move out salary regardless, but a substantial offer sheet signed by Karlsson may be too much for Vegas to match. Specifically, Schoen names the Carolina Hurricanes, Ottawa Senators, Minnesota Wild, and Detroit Red Wings as potential suitors, citing cap space and need for all four teams.
  • While it is not a done deal, the Los Angeles Kings don’t appear worried about losing one of their key free agents. Fox Sports’ Jon Rosen reports that the Kings are close to extending Brett Sutter, the captain of the AHL’s Ontario Reign. Sutter, 32, is a respected veteran who Rosen states is a “great conduit between the coaching staff and dressing room.” An experienced and productive minor league forward, Sutter is the type of dedicated player that all organizations like to have around and it seems he will be back with L.A. for at least one more year.

Snapshots: NHL Olympic Participation, Pesce, Fleury, Brossoit

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The IIHF held its annual press conference shortly before the semifinals of the 2019 World Championships and the most interesting question asked of IIHF President Rene Fasel was about NHL participation at the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing, China. Fasel said that much of that will depend on the NHL’s upcoming CBA negotiations, which is expected to expire in 2021-22 season, although either the NHL or the NHLPA can choose to opt out in September of this year.

“I had a short discussion with [NHLPA Executive Director] Don Fehr yesterday,” said Fasel. “It is important for the game of ice hockey, 100 per cent. We should show our product at the highest level. I’m happy that 119 NHL players are here (at the World Championships). And they don’t come for the money, they come to represent their countries and end the season in a good atmosphere.”

Fasel said that he would like to get confirmation of NHL participation as soon as possible, but has not set a deadline.

  • Now that the Carolina Hurricanes season is over, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman on his 31 Thoughts column reports that one player who was unhappy and wanted a trade was defenseman Brett Pesce. The 24-year-old blueliner was unhappy earlier in the season when he was seventh on the team in ice-time, playing 1:31 minutes less than his 2017-18 totals. However, his ice time increased after New Year’s Day as he averaged 21:20, which was third on the team only behind Jaccob Slavin and Justin Faulk. His playoff numbers were even higher, which has appeased Pesce and should end any trade talk. Friedman adds that the team will most likely trade defenseman Haydn Fleury instead this summer as he is no longer waiver-eligible and the team would almost guaranteed lose him if he couldn’t win a roster spot.
  • The Winnipeg Jets locked up their backup goaltender, restricted free agent Laurent Brossoit, to a one-year, $1.225MM contract earlier today. After struggling in an earlier stint in his career in Edmonton, the goaltender said that signing with the Jets was a priority due to his friendship with fellow goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. “There’s only one other guy that you can relate to on a full level,” Brossoit said (via Jets’ TV host Jamie Thomas). “For it to be with a friend, same age, similar interests and we get along very well. Just makes a season that much more enjoyable.”

Trevor Van Riemsdyk Undergoes Surgery, Out Four To Six Months

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UPDATE: Carolina has confirmed the prognosis that van Riemsdyk did undergo surgery on his damaged shoulder on Thursday. However, the team lists his timeline for recovery as four to six months, meaning these is some doubt about whether van Riemsdyk will be healthy for the start of the 2019-20 season.

 

While the Hurricanes are hopeful that they will get goalie Petr Mrazek and winger Micheal Ferland back for their upcoming third-round series, they won’t be seeing defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk anytime soon. TSN’s Frank Seravalli reports (Twitter link) that the blue liner has undergone shoulder surgery and will miss the next four months.

The injury was sustained during the first shift of the second game of their series against the Islanders and while the full nature of it wasn’t known at the time, head coach Rod Brind’Amour expected that he’d be without van Riemsdyk for a while. It now turns out that they won’t have him available until next season.

The 27-year-old had been a regular on Carolina’s third pairing throughout the regular season and the early going of the playoffs.  Haydn Fleury had taken van Riemsdyk’s spot in the lineup after the injury although the team could also turn to rookie Jake Bean, who has been going back and forth between the NHL and AHL in recent days. With a week before the Conference Final gets underway, they’ll have plenty of time to make a decision.

AHL Notes: Redmond, Vellucci, Lukosevicius

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The AHL regular season has come to an end, with the Calder Cup playoffs getting underway on Thursday, and the league has begun to announce their end-of-the-year awards. The first player to be honored is long-time pro Zach Redmond. The AHL has announced that Redmond is this season’s recipient of the Eddie Shore Award as the best defenseman in the league. The 30-year-old, who has played on an AHL contract this season with the Rochester Americans, recorded 21 goals and 50 points in just 58 games. While Redmond finished third in overall scoring among defensemen, he was first in goal scoring and led qualifying defenders in points-per-game by a wide margin. A veteran of 133 NHL games to go along with 314 AHL games, Redmond is a respected leader at the minor league level, but has also shown to be a high-end producer with back-to-back seasons of 40+ points. One has to think that there is a good chance that Redmond receives a two-way offer from an NHL club this summer after proving his ability to be a valuable AHL depth asset.

  • Another AHL award winner is Charlotte Checkers head coach Mike Vellucci. Vellucci, who also doubles as an assistant general manager for the Carolina Hurricanes, was named the Louis A.R. Pieri Memorial Award recipient as the top coach in the league. Vellucci led the Checkers to their best regular season in team history with 110 points and the top seed in the Eastern Conference. In fact, their 51-17-7 record was a top-ten all-time mark in AHL history. Most importantly, in just two years on the job Vellucci has graduated a number of player to the Hurricanes who have become impact players, including Lucas Wallmark, Warren Foegele, and Haydn Fleury, with the likes of Martin Necas, Jake Bean, Aleksi Saarela, and Janne Kuokkanen likely to push for spots next season. The long-time head coach and GM of the OHL’s Plymouth Whalers, who has now found success at the pro level, it seems likely only a matter of time before Vellucci earns a larger role either behind the bench or in the front office of an NHL team.
  • The Grand Rapids Griffins, affiliate of the Detroit Red Wings, have made a nice addition right before the start of the postseason. The Griffins announced that they have added University of Denver forward Jarid Lukosevicius on a tryout basis for the remainder of the season. On top of that, Lukosevicius has signed a two-year AHL contract beginning next season. The 24-year-old winger just wrapped up his fourth and final collegiate season with the Pioneers and his third in a row with double-digit goals and assists and a plus rating. The all-around contributor lacks size or high-end skill, but makes up for it with an impressive motor and great hockey IQ. Lukosevicius projects to be a capable pro who may even develop into a bottom-six option for the Red Wings down the road.

Minor Transactions: 04/01/19

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Welcome to April and the end of the NHL regular season. There are just a handful of games remaining before the 2018-19 playoffs begin and teams have started locking up their first round opponents. Still, for teams battling on the edge of postseason contention the next week may be just as important as any other. Today eyes will be drawn to the Colorado Avalanche and St. Louis Blues’ game, which very well could decide the final wild card spot in the Western Conference. The Avalanche currently hold the spot with a one-point lead over Arizona, but have this game in hand on them. As teams prepare for action, we’ll keep track of all the minor moves.

  • The Carolina Hurricanes are just one point ahead of the Montreal Canadiens in the East and have recalled Haydn Fleury under emergency conditions to help them stay there. The team was defeated last night and need to get back on track tomorrow night when they travel to Toronto, but will be without Calvin de Haan who is heading back to Carolina after suffering an upper-body injury.
  • With Louis Domingue banged up the Tampa Bay Lightning have recalled Eddie Pasquale from the minor leagues. The team obviously wants their backup goaltender healthy, but all eyes are on Victor Hedman as he deals with an upper-body injury. Pasquale has played in one game for the Lightning this year but has a solid .916 save percentage through 43 appearances for the Syracuse Crunch.
  • The Calgary Flames are set to rest several regulars after clinching a playoff spot, and Juuso Valimaki has been recalled to take their place. Mikael Backlund, Matthew Tkachuk, Mark Giordano, T.J. Brodie, Travis Hamonic and Noah Hanifin will all be out of the lineup.
  • The Detroit Red Wings have recalled Joe Hicketts from the minor league under emergency conditions, and CapFriendly believes they have moved Mike Green to long-term injured reserve in order to fit him in. Hicketts’ recall follows an injury to Danny DeKeyser, who looks like he may miss the last few games of the season.
  • The Nashville Predators have recalled forward Miikka Salomaki from the minor leagues, bringing him back from a conditioning stint. Salomaki hasn’t played an NHL game since early January but could be an option for the team down the stretch and into the playoffs.
  • With Nico Sturm set to join the Minnesota Wild immediately, Matt Read has been sent back down to the AHL. The team is expected to put Sturm into the lineup as soon as possible, though since he hasn’t yet practiced with the team it is not clear when exactly that will be. Read meanwhile will be on call for the next opportunity as he has been all season.
  • The Anaheim Ducks have returned Sam Carrick back to San Diego of the AHL.  He had been recalled on Saturday and suited up that night, logging just over 12 minutes against Edmonton while picking up an assist.

Minor Transactions: 03/06/19

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Just four games on the schedule this evening but one mammoth matchup in Las Vegas. The Golden Knights will welcome the Pacific-leading Calgary Flames for a game that is surely to be a war on the ice. Calgary has lost their last two and is having trouble in net again while the Golden Knights are on a four-game winning streak. As teams prepare for tonight’s action we’ll be right here keeping track of all the minor moves.

  • Just before their game last night the Minnesota Wild returned Matt Read to the AHL, already the fourth transactions he’s been involved in since the beginning of March. The veteran forward has played just six games for the team this season and has a single goal. UPDATE: Amazingly, Read has already been recalled by the Wild under emergency conditions.
  • The Carolina Hurricanes have returned Haydn Fleury to the minor leagues as well after Calvin de Haan had recovered enough to get back in the lineup. Fleury hasn’t been able to crack the NHL lineup on a regular basis this season, playing just 14 games after suiting up in 67 contests last season. The constant recalls have also limited his time in the minor leagues, as Fleury has only totaled 36 games across both levels.
  • Guillaume Brisebois has been recalled by the Vancouver Canucks after Ben Hutton suffered an injury and is unavailable. Brisebois has played two games for the Canucks this season, instead spending most of the year with the Utica Comets where he has 11 points in 49 games.

Deadline Primer: Carolina Hurricanes

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With the trade deadline just days away, we continue our look at the situation for each team over the coming weeks.  Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs?  As we continue with the Metropolitan Division, here is a look at the Carolina Hurricanes.

In less than 100 hours, the 2019 NHL Trade Deadline will come and go. While there are many deals still to be made, most teams have at least decided if they are buying, selling, or sitting out at the deadline. Perhaps the one team still waiting to make that call are the Carolina Hurricanes, and for good reason.

Tuesday night was a rough result for the Hurricanes. The team fell to the non-playoff New York Rangers, while the Pittsburgh Penguins and Montreal Canadiens both picked up wins. Carolina now trails both of those teams by three points, while the Columbus Blue Jackets occupy the final wild card spot with a one-point lead and a game in hand on the Hurricanes. Despite their strong play of late, Carolina looks like the first team out in the Eastern Conference right now. Of course, that can change before the deadline. The ‘Canes have a winnable match-up tonight against the Florida Panthers, followed by a tougher test against the Dallas Stars on Saturday. How they perform, as well as the results for the Blue Jackets, Penguins, and Canadiens, before Monday will inform their deadline decision.

Carolina holds the NHL’s longest playoff drought of nine years and desperately would like to make the playoffs. At the same time, they are a young team who could really use the return on any trade assets if the postseason doesn’t look realistic. It’s a difficult choice to make, but where they sit in the playoff race after the next few days could cause them to lean one way or another or, perhaps the most likely outcome, no way at all.

Record

31-23-6, fifth in the Metropolitan Division

Deadline Status

TBD

Deadline Cap Space

$76.26MM in full-season cap hit, 1/3 used salary cap retention slots, 43/50 contracts per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2019: CAR 1st, BUF 2nd, CAR 2nd, CAR 3rd, CAR 4th, CAR 5th, CAR 6th, CGY 6th, BOS 7th
2020: CAR 1st, CAR 2nd, BUF 3rd, CAR 3rd, CAR 4th, CAR 5th, BUF 6th, CAR 6th, CAR 7th

Trade Chips

With their status at the deadline still so uncertain, chances are the Hurricanes will be involved in both the buyers’ and sellers’ markets, but could very well choose to do nothing at all. For discussion’s sake though, let’s say the Hurricanes decide to sell. Of the two options, selling is more probable as there are no pieces that Carolina could move that would automatically end their push for the postseason. The one player who would certainly be on the move is impending UFA power forward Micheal Ferland. Ferland, acquired from the Calgary Flames in the off-season, has been excellent in Carolina and is in fact on pace for a career high in points. However, Ferland seems destined to test the free agent market and the recent acquisition of Nino Niederreiter has made his departure manageable. Carolina would miss Ferland’s contributions down the stretch this season, but are prepared for life without him and would likely land a nice return if they chose to trade him. Several contenders are in search of grit and offense at this time of the year and Ferland checks both boxes.

Ferland is the only impending UFA skater thought to have any value on the trade market. Captain Justin Williams is not available and Greg McKegg has been a serviceable player that is more valuable to the ’Canes as a depth option than any low-end return might be. However, goaltenders are a different story. Both Curtis McElhinney and Petr Mrazek are impending free agents and both have performed well this season, especially McElhinney. With Scott Darling still under contract next year, young Alex Nedeljkovic in consideration, and a strong goalie free agent class, it’s unclear if McElhinney or Mrazek will be back in Raleigh next season. With that in mind, the Hurricanes may be willing to part with one or the other at the deadline if the right offer presents itself. It goes without saying that if the team could move Darling, they would.

Elsewhere in the lineup, there continues to be speculation that the Hurricanes would like to deal from a position of strength on defense. With Dougie Hamilton, Justin Faulk, Brett Pesce, and Trevor van Riemsdyk on the roster, Carolina is flush with talented right-shot defenders. Chances are one will be dealt at some point soon. However, it will be in a hockey trade, with the ‘Canes getting a top-nine forward back in return. Such trades are uncommon at the deadline, so don’t hold out hope that the team will be make such a move before the off-season.

What if the Hurricanes are buyers? Then the list of trade chips is a slightly more extensive. Charlotte Checkers defensemen Haydn Fleury and Roland McKeown continue to wait patiently for roles in Carolina that may never come and the time may have arrived for the Hurricanes to move them in the right deal. The same could be said for another pair of impending RFA’s, forwards Andrew Poturalski and Saku Maenalanen, both of whom have been productive in the minors but underutilized at the top level. This is just the tip of the iceberg of what is an impressive pipeline for the Hurricanes, but as they’re not expected to be major buyers, top names like Martin Necas, Janne Kuokkanen, Jake Bean, and Adam Fox are likely untouchable. Carolina has plenty of draft picks to peddle as well, rather than moving their top prospects

Five Players To Watch For: F Micheal Ferland, G Curtis McElhinney, D Haydn Fleury, D Roland McKeown, F Saku Maenalanen

Team Needs

1) Top-Six Forward: It’s no secret that the Hurricanes desire a top-six forward. The team was in on William Nylander for months before he re-signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs (they could revisit that option this summer) and eventually swung a deal with the Minnesota Wild for Nino Niederreiter. However, scoring is still an issue. This season, only the Dallas Stars and New York Islanders have scored fewer goals per game than Carolina among teams in playoff position. The offense is stagnant at times and has been carried by Sebastian Aho and Teuvo Teravainen all year. Looking ahead, the likely loss of Micheal Ferland could further diminish scoring next season. Although the pipeline is loaded with capable forward in Carolina, the team needs a long-term top-six addition. It remains to be seen if such a player is available at the deadline this year. Expect the ’Canes to kick the tires on Jonathan Huberdeau and Mike Hoffman, as well as the likes of Jason Zucker or Adam Henrique.

2) Value Forwards: If Carolina decides to buy in to playoff run this year, but the prices are too high on a long-term forward acquisition, the team would be better off trying to wait out the market to add some bargains than give up considerable future pieces for top rentals. For example, the idea of an Eric Staal return is great, but not an affordable option for Carolina. Instead, players like Richard Panik, Sven Andrighetto, or Alex Chiasson would come at a much lesser cost and would be less risky acquisitions in light of Carolina’s current playoff position, but would help fill some gaps in the lineup and create some more offense. The Hurricanes may very well stand pat at the deadline, but making even just a minor addition up front could go a long way.

Minor Transactions: 02/01/19

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Finally a full slate of games is on deck for the NHL tonight, with eight matches taking place mostly in Eastern Conference cities. The Dallas Stars are the only Western team to host a matchup as they welcome the Minnesota Wild in for a game that will determine who sits in third place in the Central Division tomorrow morning. The Stars and Wild have both teetered on the edge of the playoffs this season, but will try to start a pursuit of Nashville and Winnipeg tonight.

  • The Carolina Hurricanes have sent Haydn Fleury back down, continuing his yo-yo season between the NHL and AHL. The young defenseman is still waiting for a full-time opportunity on the Carolina blue line, one that might come if the team decides to move one of their veteran names at the deadline.
  • Henri Jokiharju was sent down this week by the Chicago Blackhawks, and now we know who he was making room for. The team has activated Gustav Forsling off injured reserve. Forsling hasn’t played a game for the Blackhawks in almost a month as he was dealing with an upper-body injury.

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