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Jaccob Slavin

Tampa Bay May Still Be Looking For More Defense

July 29, 2018 at 1:58 pm CDT | by Holger Stolzenberg 1 Comment

With the current high demands from Ottawa in a possible Erik Karlsson trade making it less and less likely that anything will happen, the Tampa Bay Lightning must choose whether they should be content with their defense or need to find another fit.

On paper, the team seems more solid than most as the team boasts Victor Hedman, Ryan McDonagh to go with promising Mikhail Sergachev and a host of solid blueline depth, including Anton Stralman, Dan Girardi, Braydon Coburn, Jake Dotchin and Slater Koekkoek. Yet when looking a step further, their elite defensemen are all left-handed. Hedman, McDonaugh and Sergachev are all left-handed, leaving Stralman, Dotchin and Girardi on the right, which isn’t nearly as solid. While Sergachev has proven he can play on the right side, that isn’t ideal for the Lightning, which was another reason why the team was intent on adding the right-handed Karlsson.

In a mailbag segment, The Athletic’s Joe Smith (subscription required) suggests the team needs to continue looking for a right-handed defenseman to even out both sides, suggesting the team should monitor the Jacob Trouba situation in Winnipeg since the stud defenseman refuses to sign a long-term deal with the Jets. Trouba, who received a one-year, $5.5MM deal from an arbitrator last week will have to go through the same process next year as he will be a restricted free agent again. If the two sides can’t reach long-term agreement then, he will be an unrestricted free agent in 2020-21 and might force his way out of Winnipeg.

Another option, Smith writes, would be prying Justin Faulk away from the Carolina Hurricanes. The right-shot defenseman has two years remaining on his contract at $4.83MM AAV, but with the acquisition of Dougie Hamilton and Calvin de Haan and the plethora of young defensive talent on the roster, including Jaccob Slavin, Brett Pesce, Haydn Fleury and Jake Bean, the team is expected to move Faulk for more help in other areas.

One final option and perhaps the cheapest would be to trade for Vancouver Canucks’ Chris Tanev. The 28-year-old stay-at-home defender has been solid for the Canucks, but is being overpaid at $4.45MM for the next two seasons. The right-handed defenseman would be a reliable presence.

Regardless, the team needs to shake up their defense. Coburn and Girardi, who have played bigger roles in the past, are better off as third-pairing defenders, while Sergachev played the best hockey of his career during the playoffs, suggesting he’s likely going to move into the top-four. Dotchin and Koekkoek are also both likely going to fight for time in the top-six, so something needs to change.

 

Carolina Hurricanes| Tampa Bay Lightning| Vancouver Canucks| Winnipeg Jets Anton Stralman| Braydon Coburn| Brett Pesce| Calvin de Haan| Chris Tanev| Dan Girardi| Dougie Hamilton| Erik Karlsson| Haydn Fleury| Jaccob Slavin| Jacob Trouba| Jake Dotchin| Justin Faulk| Mikhail Sergachev| Ryan McDonagh| Slater Koekkoek| Victor Hedman

1 comment

Carolina Hurricanes Sign Calvin De Haan

July 3, 2018 at 8:59 pm CDT | by Zach Leach 5 Comments

The Carolina Hurricanes, known for their depth and talent on defense, continue to surprisingly add top blue line names to the roster this off-season. After previously trading for right-handed scoring threat Dougie Hamilton, the team has reportedly agreed to a deal with arguably the top defender on the free agent market, left-landed shutdown defenseman Calvin de Haan. The Raleigh News & Observer’s Luck DeCock first reported that the team has signed de Haan to a four-year, $18.2MM contract – a $4.55MM AAV. The team confirmed the deal soon after.

De Haan, 27, was No. 9 on PHR’s Top 50 Free Agents List. Although he missed the majority of last season due to injury, de Haan has shown a high-end defensive ability in his pro career. The 12th overall pick in 2009 by the New York Islanders, de Haan has proven to be one of the best shot blockers in the NHL and an extremely reliable presence on the back end. Yet has has also improved his offensive production with each year, including a career-best scoring rate prior to his injury last season. While many may have balked at a $4.55MM value for de Haan in a vacuum, he is clearly superior to nearly every other defenseman in this free agent market.

Carolina is a surprise landing spot for the defensive standout though. De Haan’s arrival in Raleigh will only add to a formidable corps of rearguards that includes Hamilton, Justin Faulk, Jaccob Slavin, Brett Pesce, Trevor van Riemsdyk (an RFA), young pros Haydn Fleury and Roland McKeown, and elite prospects Jake Bean, Luke Martin, and Adam Fox. De Haan’s signing very well could be a sign of more changes coming in Carolina under new ownership and new GM Don Waddell. 

Carolina Hurricanes| Injury| New York Islanders| Newsstand| Prospects| RFA Brett Pesce| Calvin de Haan| Dougie Hamilton| Haydn Fleury| Jaccob Slavin| Justin Faulk| Roland McKeown| Trevor Van Riemsdyk

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Poll: Who Should Be The Carolina Hurricanes Captain?

May 10, 2018 at 2:31 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 4 Comments

Yesterday when the Carolina Hurricanes announced Rod Brind’Amour as the team’s next head coach, one of the first questions he answered was if the team would continue to employ two “co-captains” in 2018-19. The Hurricanes allowed Jordan Staal and Justin Faulk to share the duties this season, while Jeff Skinner was named an alternate.

Brind’Amour made it clear that there will be just one, and that he already has an idea who will be his team’s captain, but will talk to the leadership group before making that decision public. He should have a pretty good idea of the dynamic inside the dressing room, after serving as an assistant coach for the last seven seasons.

Staal and Faulk remain the obvious candidates, but it’s not a guarantee that Brind’Amour will give it to one of them. Justin Williams is the elder statesman on the club and was brought in for his steady performance and experience in the playoffs. Williams has won three Stanley Cups in his career, including Carolina’s only championship in 2006.

Jaccob Slavin though only 24 years old, logged the most ice time on the team each of the past two years and is signed longer than anyone else on the team. He’ll start into his seven-year extension next year, and is a steadying presence on the blue line.

Skinner himself is an option, though there are rumors of a potential exit from Carolina this summer if a trade can be found. The 25-year old sniper is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2019, and has garnered plenty of interest from around the league.

Who should be named captain for the team? Is there a chance that the eventual captain isn’t even on the roster yet? Cast your vote below and make sure to leave your thoughts in the comments.

[Mobile users click here to vote!]

Carolina Hurricanes Jaccob Slavin| Jeff Skinner| Jordan Staal| Justin Faulk| Justin Williams

4 comments

Pacific Notes: Thornton, Edmonton Defense, Nugent-Hopkins

April 14, 2018 at 9:36 am CDT | by Holger Stolzenberg 2 Comments

After a double-overtime thriller in which the Vegas Golden Knights took a 2-0 lead in their first-round series with the Los Angeles Kings, the San Jose Sharks will attempt to take a 2-0 lead of their own tonight against the Anaheim Ducks. The Sharks, who picked up a 3-0 victory Thursday on the road, got a surprise during pre-game warmups when injured veteran center Joe Thornton participated in the pre-game skate before Thursday’s game. According to Paul Gackle of the Mercury News, Thornton is close to returning to the team, but isn’t yet ready.

Thornton, who went down in January with a torn MCL injury, has been rehabbing for the past 11 weeks, but has said that unlike last year when he returned from a knee injury after just two weeks for the playoff run, he intends to make sure he isn’t a distraction to the team before returning. However, the more wins that the Sharks can pick up in the meantime can buy time until Thornton believes he is fully healthy and ready to return to the lineup.

  • Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal writes that the Edmonton Oilers are desperate to repair their defense and wants to trade for a top-line defenseman. While he suggests the team could offer up its lottery pick in a deal to get Arizona’s Oliver Ekman-Larsson or work out some type of deal to get Colorado’s Tyson Barrie, neither is realistic. The team’s best chance at solving their defensive issues is right-handed shot Justin Faulk from the Carolina Hurricanes. The 26-year-old is falling down the Hurricanes’ depth charts with the emergence of younger defensemen like Jaccob Slavin and Brett Pesce. Faulk would also fix their logjam of left-handed defenseman as several defenseman such as Andrej Sekera and Kris Russell are left-handed, but playing on the right side. The problem is that Carolina wants a forward back. So who are they going to send?
  • Matheson, in the same article, adds that the Oilers have no intention of trading Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who might be their best trade chip. The center was rumored to be a trade candidate with his high salary ($6MM AAV) over the next three years. However, the team believes he might be the perfect linemate for Connor McDavid as a wing, which would move youngster Ryan Strome to the third-line center position. Nugent-Hopkins is coming off a season where he tied his career-high in goals with 24 (and he missed 20 games this season).

Anaheim Ducks| Carolina Hurricanes| Edmonton Oilers| Los Angeles Kings| San Jose Sharks| Vegas Golden Knights Andrej Sekera| Brett Pesce| Connor McDavid| Jaccob Slavin| Joe Thornton| Justin Faulk| Kris Russell| Oliver Ekman-Larsson| Ryan Nugent-Hopkins| Ryan Strome| Tyson Barrie

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Hurricanes’ Brett Pesce, Victor Rask Done For The Year

March 21, 2018 at 5:03 pm CDT | by Zach Leach 1 Comment

The Carolina Hurricanes still have a shot at making the playoffs. Well, Sports Club Stats gives them a 0.2% chance of  making it anyway. However, those already-minuscule odds are now almost certainly gone. The team announced this afternoon that two key players, defenseman Brett Pesce and center Victor Rask, have been shut down for the season due to shoulder injuries.

Without Pesce and Rask, any semblance of hope that Carolina fans had of ending their league-worst postseason drought this year has evaporated. Pesce, 23, is part of the Hurricanes’ dominant top pair alongside Jaccob Slavin and one of the main reasons why the team allows the fewest shots against in the NHL. Rask, 25, has 31 points and an even rating (anything non-negative is an outlier among ’Canes players this season) and leaves a team that is already shallow down the middle with even fewer options.

In response to this announcement, the team has recalled young defenseman Roland McKeown from the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers. McKeown may be relied on to play a top-six role for the remainder of the year and, if he is successful, could further the narrative that the time has come for the Hurricanes to trade one of their top blue liners. It is likely the first of many call-up’s down the stretch to test out young players in game action ahead of the off-season. Expect the likes of Aleksi Saarela, Janne Kuokkanen, Julien Gauthier, Warren Foegele, and Alex Nedeljkovic to be among the names given a promotion in the coming weeks.

AHL| Carolina Hurricanes Alex Nedeljkovic| Brett Pesce| Jaccob Slavin

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Eastern Notes: Hurricanes, Nash, McDonagh, Van Riemsdyk

February 11, 2018 at 3:48 pm CDT | by Holger Stolzenberg 10 Comments

The Carolina Hurricanes are by no means out of the playoff hunt. Afterall, they have won two in a row and currently are clinging to the second and final wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference. However, the team might end up being sellers at the trade deadline as the young team have quite a few trade chips that could help this team down the road, according to The Athletic’s Eric Duhatschek (subscription required).

The scribe writes that the Hurricanes have quite a bit of depth on the blueline and it should get deeper soon. The team already has captain Justin Faulk leading the defense and although he’s not having as good of a campaign as a year ago, he might make for a good trade chip especially as the defensive salary cap will rise for the team next season. Carolina already have Jaccob Slavin and Brett Pesce under contract and both their extensions will kick in next year at a combined $9.325MM. Defenseman Noah Hanifin will be a restricted free agent next year and should get a solid raise. The team has rookie Haydn Fleury back next year and likely will have 2016 first-rounder Jake Bean coming in. This might be the right time to make a move for a scoring forward.

Duhatschek also notes that the team, who recently waived Marcus Kruger and Josh Jooris, could also look to move another pair of veterans at the deadline including Derek Ryan and Lee Stempniak. Ryan is an excellent face-off specialist and would make a solid bottom-six center and is an excellent story, while Stempniak, is starting to find his groove after missing much of the season. Ryan has 11 goals and 26 points this season, while Stempniak has played in just 14 games, but has one goal and five assists so far.

  • The New York Post’s Larry Brooks writes that New York Rangers winger Rick Nash has set his 12-team trade approved list and the veteran revealed that he chose teams based on their chances to win the Stanley Cup this season. “I included the teams that I think have the best chance of winning the Stanley Cup and are also places I think would be good for my family,” the 33-year-old father of two young children said. “And, yes, that does include teams in Canada. I’m not excluding that as a possibility.” Nash says he would consider changing the list if a certain team not on the list shows interest in him. Brooks adds that several teams have shown interest including the Dallas Stars, Nashville Predators, San Jose Sharks, St. Louis Blues, Boston Bruins, Winnipeg Jets, Tampa Bay Lightning and possibly the Toronto Maple Leafs.
  • Brooks also notes that the Tampa Bay Lightning have quite a bit of interest in adding defenseman Ryan McDonagh at the trade deadline. They believe that with Victor Hedman and McDonagh at the blueline, the chances Tampa Bay could win a Stanley Cup would increase heavily. However, the scribe notes that the Rangers should demand 19-year-old defensive rookie Mikhail Sergachev as the asking price for the veteran defenseman.
  • The Toronto Maple Leafs have gotten some interest in veteran forward James van Riemsdyk recently, Sportsnet’s Mike Johnston said during Saturday’s Headlines’ segment on Hockey Night in Canada. Johnston said two teams were told they have no plans to trade van Riemsdyk before the deadline. The 28-year-old goal scorer, who has 22 goals so far this year, will be an unrestricted free agent this year, but according to Johnston, has not received any contract extension offers yet. Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos added on the segment that the main reason is because van Riemsdyk refuses to take a hometown discount.

Boston Bruins| Carolina Hurricanes| Dallas Stars| Minnesota Wild| Nashville Predators| New York Rangers| San Jose Sharks| St. Louis Blues| Tampa Bay Lightning| Toronto Maple Leafs| Winnipeg Jets Brett Pesce| Derek Ryan| Jaccob Slavin| James van Riemsdyk| Josh Jooris| Justin Faulk| Lee Stempniak| Marcus Kruger| Mikhail Sergachev| Noah Hanifin| Rick Nash| Ryan McDonagh| Victor Hedman

10 comments

What Your Team Is Thankful For: Carolina Hurricanes

November 21, 2017 at 1:50 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 3 Comments

As the holiday season approaches, PHR will look at what teams are thankful for as the season nears the quarter point of completion. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. We take a look at what’s gone well in the first month and what could improve as the season rolls on.

What are the Carolina Hurricanes most thankful for?

Chicago cap issues.

In 2016, the Hurricanes happily took Bryan Bickell’s $4MM cap hit off the books of the Chicago Blackhawks after the latter were knocked out of the playoffs in the first round. Chicago had once again added at the deadline, but were unable to repeat as Stanley Cup Champions. Now, with Toews and Kane signed to identical eight-year, $84MM contracts the team had to shed money once again from somewhere on the roster.

Bickell was the easy target as the next cap victim, despite his playoff heroism a few years earlier. In order to get Carolina to bite though, the Blackhawks had to include Teuvo Teravainen in the deal. Teravainen, the 18th-overall pick in 2012 was coming off his first full season in the NHL and a solid-if-unspectacular 35 points. The young forward was heading into the last year of his entry-level deal and would eventually need a raise of his own.

After one season in Carolina, Teravainen has turned into a key member of their offense and a point-per-game player through the early going. With 19 points this season he leads a young and upward-trending hockey club, doing their best to compete in the Metropolitan. He looks certain to set career-highs in nearly every offensive category, and will be an important piece going forward for the Hurricanes.

Who are the Hurricanes most thankful for?

Jaccob SlavinJaccob Slavin and Brett Pesce.

The Hurricanes aren’t Stanley Cup contenders just yet. There’s no telling how soon it could happen, but it almost certainly will if their current trajectory continues. So much of that success will be based around their incredibly deep defense corps, and how well Slavin and Pesce have progressed.

Selected in the third and fourth rounds, the two young defenders have become legitimate top pairing options for the Hurricanes at the tender age of 23. The fact that Carolina can play them for more than a third of the game (23:53 and 21:38 respectively) could make them players at the deadline. With a pipeline of young defenders in Noah Hanifin, Haydn Fleury, Jake Bean, and Roland McKeown, and a pair of not-so-old veterans in Justin Faulk (25) and Trevor van Riemsdyk (26) the team could be the biggest supplier of defense at the trade deadline should they so choose.

That choice is made a lot easier when you have a pair of horses already on the roster at such a young age. Slavin and Pesce are anything but household names, but they darn well should be.

What would the Hurricanes be even more thankful for?

Above-average goaltending.

Scott Darling was brought in this summer to be the answer in net for the Hurricanes, and immediately given a four-year contract. He was coming off an incredible season as the backup to Corey Crawford, and carried a .923 save percentage in three years with Chicago. That number has dropped significantly this season, and Darling has struggled to provide Carolina with anything but the same uninspiring goaltending they’ve had the last several seasons.

It’s not exactly that Darling has played badly, just that he hasn’t been able to take the team to the next level. Cam Ward has played quite well in a backup role, but is well past his starting prime in the NHL. If Darling could get a bit closer to the level he showed in Chicago, the Hurricanes would be a dangerous playoff team. Otherwise, it’ll be much of the same middle-ground for the club.

What should be on the Hurricanes’ Holiday Wish List?

An offensive, powerplay-minded forward.

The Hurricanes have a glut of young talent, but lack some punch offensively and on the powerplay. Their man-advantage numbers rank 27th in the league, and a dynamic forward could do a lot to help that. While a center would likely fit better into their current roster they could also make room for a winger if that’s all that was available.

Victor Rask has been a real disappointment this season offensively, and though he could obviously help by getting back to his former self the team could do well with a real star up front. Evander Kane, James van Riemsdyk and James Neal would all be interesting rentals for the Hurricanes, if they decide to sacrifice some future assets for a shot at the postseason this year. While they all seem like long-shots at this point, a few more months of hanging around in the Metro could inspire GM Ron Francis to do something splashy.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Carolina Hurricanes Brett Pesce| Jaccob Slavin| Ron Francis

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The Best Fits For Matt Duchene

September 10, 2017 at 10:28 am CDT | by Zach Leach 1 Comment

Despite the tumultuous off-season for Matt Duchene and the Colorado Avalanche, GM Joe Sakic fully expects him to show up to training camp. At least, that’s what he told BSN Denver’s Adrian Dater. “He’s under contract and I expect him to be here” Sakic said, “Not everybody always comes to camp early. It’s not for me to (say), but I assume on the 14th, he’ll be here.” Sakic is referring to Duchene being one of only two Avs players under contract not to participate in captain’s practice last week. Holdouts may be rare in the NHL, but Duchene’s words and actions this summer have painted a pretty clear picture of a player who would like to leave Colorado.

If Duchene has reached his wit’s end with the trade rumors that have persisted since late 2016 and truly has no intention of suiting up for the Avalanche again, Sakic has just a few days left to trade him before this begins to enter holdout territory. The perceived problem all along is that Sakic has not dropped the asking price that has long been considered a young top-four defenseman, a first round pick, and one or two more young roster players or prospects. Not only do few (read: any) NHL teams have a young top-four blue liner to spare, but it’s hard to imagine anyone giving up such a package for Duchene, who has just two seasons remaining on his contract and is coming off a down 2016-17 season. Duchene had scored 55 or more points in five of his seven NHL seasons entering last year – and easily would have made it six had the the 2012-13 lockout-shorten seasoned been extended – yet, he ended up with only 41 points and an egregious -34 rating last season; a low point for both he and the Avalanche franchise.

Logic would seem to indicate that, holdout or not, Sakic has to continue listening to offers for Duchene and needs to lower an unreasonable asking price. TSN recently released their list  of the top nine NHL trade candidates this season, with Duchene obviously at the top. They list the Columbus Blue Jackets, New York Islanders, Montreal Canadiens, Boston Bruins, Nashville Predators, and Pittsburgh Penguins as the mostly likely destinations for Duchene. The Carolina Hurricanes and San Jose Sharks have also been in the rumor mix this summer.

Right away, a few of those options can have their odds discounted. Having just traded away Travis Hamonic and traded for Jordan Eberle, the New York Islanders and their estimated $3MM in cap space likely lack the capacity and the desire to pony up for Duchene at this point. The Isles are still deep on defense, but with Thomas Hickey and Dennis Seidenberg approaching free agency next year, trading yet another young defenseman like Calvin de Haan, Adam Pelech or Ryan Pulock could put the team in hole. Without one of those three, it is hard to see New York making a suitable offer. The defending two-time Cup champs are in a similar situation. While many Pens fans would love to see the embarrassment of riches of Duchene as the third line center behind Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh too lacks the cap space, currently about $3.25MM, and the pieces to get the job done. That is, unless Sakic is keen on Olli Maatta or the Penguins offer up Brian Dumoulin, Justin Schultz, or an overwhelming offer of picks and prospects including Derrick Pouliot and enough salary to offset Duchene. It’s a series of unlikely scenarios. Additionally, the Montreal Canadiens lack anything remotely close to a young top four defenseman. Duchene would be a great fit for the Habs, but they simply don’t have the pieces.

The Hurricanes and Bruins certainly have the pieces to acquire Duchene, but it seems unlikely that either will be the team to finally do it. Boston was in talks with Colorado last year, but balked at the ask of a package including Charlie McAvoy or Brandon Carlo and wouldn’t be willing to move Torey Krug either. If the price drops, the B’s have talented young defenders like Jakob Zboril, Jeremy Lauzon, Ryan Lindgren, and 2017 first rounder Uhro Vaakanainen waiting in the wings, but even if that was enough, the Bruins’ quiet off-season has indicated that they would like to move forward with their own young players this season. Carolina, on the other hand, is a Duchene-caliber player away from being a true contender and would love to add someone with his ability. However, GM Ron Francis has made it clear that he does not want to trade any of his defensemen. That hasn’t stopped TSN for listing “a Carolina defenseman” as one of their top trade candidates, but as of now there is no reason to think any of Justin Faulk, Jaccob Slavin, Brett Pesce, or Noah Hanifin are going anywhere. Like Boston, Carolina still has solid pieces if the price drops, such as Haydn Fleury and Jake Bean, but another thought has been whispered this summer that may take Carolina out of the Duchene race altogether. Since acquiring Trevor van Riemsdyk from the Vegas Golden Knights back in June, a player who by all accounts they didn’t really need, many have speculated that Carolina is looking to make a run at 2018 premiere free agent James van Riemsdyk, to bring in the scoring power forward that they desperately desire.

The Blue Jackets and Sharks would be ideal landing spots for Duchene, but both teams would need to get creative with their offers. Both squads have a need for a scoring forward, the cap space to take him on and plenty of talented defensemen, but what they would be willing up on the blue line is not exactly what Colorado desires. There is no way that Columbus includes Zach Werenski or Seth Jones in a deal, but could be open to trading David Savard or Ryan Murray. However, each have a caveat. Savard, while a solid top-four talent, has had durability issues and difficulty with consistent production over the past couple of years. While he would be a great addition to any defense, that may not be what Sakic is looking to get back. Murray, while injury prone, is a highly-skilled young rearguard, but, amazingly, the 24-year-old will be an unrestricted free agent next summer. Any deal involving Murray would first have to include a long-term extension with the league’s worst team. Columbus’ best chance of getting Duchene likely involves a package with top defensive prospect Gabriel Carlsson and a young roster player like Josh Anderson or Oliver Bjorkstrand. San Jose also has a few untouchables on defense, namely superstars Brent Burns and Marc-Edouard Vlasic. Colorado also wouldn’t be interested in veterans Paul Martin and Justin Braun. That leaves Brenden Dillon and Dylan DeMelo as the top options. While both have shown top-four potential, they have largely played shutdown roles in their young careers and bring little offensive upside. Like Savard, one would think that Sakic has a little more in mind for the Duchene return than stay-at-home defenders like Dillon and DeMelo. If the Sharks package versatile puck-moving D-prospect Jeremy Roy with either though, then talks could really get started. A package that starts like that and ends with a first-round pick and one of San Jose’s many young forwards could be enough to seal the deal.

Yet, the top candidate to bring in Duchene is likely the reigning Western Conference champs. No, the Predators are not moving any of Roman Josi, P.K. Subban, Ryan Ellis, or Mattias Ekholm, but the trick up their sleeve is top prospect Dante Fabbro. A junior teammate of Colorado top prospect Tyson Jost, Fabbro is considered one of the best prospects in hockey and should step into a top four role immediately when he leaves Boston University, much like Charlie McAvoy, who Sakic already targeted in Boston. Fabbro is not just a top-four defenseman, but a potential future #1 or at least a great option to pair with Cale Makar down the road. Sakic would be hard-pressed to find more upside up for grabs than Fabbro, but the Predators are set long-term on the blue line and desperately need to recoup the scoring lost in the Expansion Draft with the selection of James Neal. Fabbro, plus a young forward like Colton Sissons, Frederick Gaudreau, or Pontus Aberg, plus a first rounder and another pick or prospect, and Duchene could surely be on his way to Nashville.

Only time will tell where Duchene ends up, but the best case scenario for all parties is for that destination to not be Denver, Colorado for much longer. Sakic must and will eventually lower his asking price and someone will meet those demands. Could it be Nashville, Columbus, or San Jose? Definitely. Could it be Boston or Carolina? The Islanders or the Penguins? Possibly. Someone totally off the board? Of course. For such a talked-about topic, there is still so much uncertainty surrounding the situation. The next step will be to see if Duchene shows up to camp on Thursday. That decision could have a resounding effect on the trade process.

Boston Bruins| Carolina Hurricanes| Colorado Avalanche| Columbus Blue Jackets| David Poile| Don Sweeney| Doug Wilson| Expansion| Free Agency| Garth Snow| Joe Sakic| Montreal Canadiens| Nashville Predators| New York Islanders| Pittsburgh Penguins| Prospects| San Jose Sharks Adam Pelech| Brandon Carlo| Brent Burns| Brett Pesce| Brian Dumoulin| Cale Makar| Calvin de Haan| Charlie McAvoy| Colton Sissons| Dennis Seidenberg| Derrick Pouliot| Dylan DeMelo| Evgeni Malkin| Frederick Gaudreau| Gabriel Carlsson| Jaccob Slavin| James Neal| James van Riemsdyk| Jordan Eberle| Josh Anderson| Justin Braun| Justin Faulk| Justin Schultz| Marc-Edouard Vlasic| Matt Duchene| Mattias Ekholm| Noah Hanifin| Oliver Bjorkstrand| Olli Maatta| P.K. Subban| Ron Francis

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Hurricanes Waiting Before Dealing Defensive Depth

August 13, 2017 at 11:42 am CDT | by Holger Stolzenberg 2 Comments

After four years of being at or near the bottom of the Eastern Conference, the Carolina Hurricanes are working hard to ensure that they team begins to make a turnaround. Their offseason spoke to that as they went out and acquired goaltender Scott Darling, signed former Hurricane Justin Williams to a two-year deal and traded for center Marcus Kruger and defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk.

What the team is lacking however, is a top center that could help anchor their first or second line. The Hockey News’ Lyle Richardson writes the team should consider moving some of their young defensive depth to accommodate this need. While general manager Ron Francis has done an excellent job stockpiling talent, the team suddenly has quite a bit of it on defense and might be able to pull off a deal for a quality center, perhaps even being a good trading partner for the Colorado Avalanche’s Matt Duchene.

The team already has three defensemen locked up long term. Justin Faulk had an excellent season last year and still has three years left on his deal at $4.83MM per season. The 25-year-old blueliner is coming off a 17-goal season. The team also inked two of their young defenders within the last month to long-term deals in Jaccob Slavin and Brett Pesce. Slavin finished the year with five goals and 29 assists, while Pesce tallied two goals and 18 assists, both in their second year in the league. Former fifth-overall pick in 2015 Noah Hanifin is also looking good and was picked as a third-year breakout candidate by PHR’s Gavin Lee. In his second year in the league as well, Hanifin had four goals and 25 assists. Throw in 26-year olds Klas Dahlbeck and van Riemsdyk as well as 2016 first-round pick Jake Bean and the team’s defense is deep.

One holdup may be that Francis may want to see how each of these young defenders develop before trading them off. Any of them could have a breakout season in the next year or two. So while a deal may not be imminent, the Hurricanes do have the assets to pull off a major deal.

 

 

Carolina Hurricanes Brett Pesce| Jaccob Slavin| Justin Faulk| Klas Dahlbeck| Matt Duchene| Noah Hanifin| Ron Francis| Trevor Van Riemsdyk

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Reactions To Jaccob Slavin’s Seven-Year Extension

July 12, 2017 at 5:09 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

If you want to get a look into how poorly the Carolina Hurricanes rank in terms of national exposure, read some of the reactions from fans around the league after Jaccob Slavin signed a seven-year, $37.1MM extension with the team this morning. The question of “who?” popped up quite a few times despite Slavin’s growing reputation as one of the top young defensemen in the league. Playing in relative obscurity, he’s developed into a true top-pairing player who is now being paid ahead of similarly aged players like Morgan Rielly and Hampus Lindholm.

Writers and analysts were less confused by the deal, immediately marking it as a potential steal for the Hurricanes going forward. If Slavin’s development continues at the same rate he’ll be criminally underpaid by the time he hits the free agent years he gave away today. Here are some reactions from around the league.

  • Gord Miller of TSN calls Slavin one of the best young players in the game, noting that he’s still one of the least talked about. E.J. Hradek of the NHL Network agrees, saying he’s a “core D man” and that it’ll likely turn out to be a bargain contract.
  • Mike Kelly points out Slavin’s excellent first pass ability, saying that he’s among the league leaders in terms of successfully sending it out of his own end. Slavin’s ability to exit the zone with possession, either on his own stick or a teammate’s is one of the best parts of his game.
  • Greg Wyshynski of Puck Daddy calls him a “diamond in the rough” and agrees with Fansided’s Cardiac Canes blog reaction to the deal, comparing him to Aaron Ekblad without the reputation.
  • Chip Alexander of the News & Observer passes along a quote from GM Ron Francis, who called his own defensive group “one of the best young defense corps in the game, if not the best” and saying Slavin still has “tremendous upside.” If he still has more to give, he’ll certainly be a bargain for the Hurricanes in a few seasons.
  • Finally, Ken Campbell of the Hockey News puts it all together into a simple idea: Slavin is a steal. He finishes his piece with the same idea many are thinking about with regards to the Hurricanes roster going forward. Francis is giving the fan base every excuse to believe that their team can get back to the winning ways they saw more than ten years ago, when a surprisingly good team took home the Stanley Cup in 2006. As Campbell puts it “Nothing will bring the fans back in Carolina like winning will and the way GM Ron Francis is operating these days, the Hurricanes are giving themselves every chance to do just that.”

Carolina Hurricanes Jaccob Slavin

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