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Carolina Hurricanes Officially Terminate Ron Francis’ Contract

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The Carolina Hurricanes announced today that they have officially terminated the contract of President of Hockey Operations Ron Francis, who had previously been moved out of his role as General Manager. Joe Nieuwendyk, pro scout and advisor for the team, has also resigned.

Francis had recently been asked to work from home according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, a clear sign that the team no longer wanted his presence associated with the team. It’s an unfortunate end for someone who was a Hurricanes legend when he played, but has failed to bring any playoff success to the team during his tenure in the front office.

The Hurricanes haven’t made the postseason since 2008-09, and finished with no more than 87 points in each of the seven seasons since Francis was hired as Director of Hockey Operations.

Despite those struggles, many would point to the relatively young roster and full prospect pipeline as positives for the Hurricanes and Francis, though at some point that needs to translate into on-ice success. New owner Thomas Dundon is currently conducting a search for the team’s next GM, and will now be able to tempt them with the second-overall pick in the upcoming draft.

Francis is now free to find another role somewhere around the league, and if he wants them there will likely be several opportunities. Likewise, Nieuwendyk still commands plenty of respect in the hockey world and could land on his feet somewhere despite the struggles he had when GM of the Dallas Stars.

Currently Don Waddell is operating the Hurricanes as interim GM, and just last night there was a report that no one was close to taking the job. Several high profile candidates have removed their names from consideration, and it’s clear that Dundon will not rush into a decision. Meanwhile, the team is also looking for a head coach after Bill Peters exercised his out clause recently to take a job with the Calgary Flames.

Carolina is one of the most interesting teams to watch this summer, as there are plenty of decisions to be made on the future of the team and how to get back to the playoffs. With Jeff Skinner just a year away from free agency and several high profile restricted free agents looking for new deals, the team could look drastically different in relatively short order.

More On The Carolina Hurricanes Front Office

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Yesterday, when the Carolina Hurricanes’ new owner Thomas Dundon decided to move Ron Francis out of his role as GM and into that of President of Hockey Operations, many were confused at what exactly that meant. In the press release, the team announced that they would start a search for a new GM who would report directly to Dundon, leading some to believe that the owner would have final say in basically every aspect of the organization, including hockey transactions.

Today, Dundon sat down with two of hockey’s most respected insiders to explain. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic (subscription required) and Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet both released interviews with Dundon, that essentially say the same thing. The new owner doesn’t want to have to make every decision, but felt he and Francis had different styles and ways of going about things. Dundon is quoted in Friedman’s piece:

I want to use Ron’s experience and knowledge with a different style and structure. He is a valuable resource. But our styles couldn’t be any different. It is no more complicated than that.

On Sportsnet today, Doug McLean explained that Francis has one more year on his current contract, but was still puzzled by the timing and explanation the Hurricanes gave. In Dundon’s explanations, it seems more like Francis will take over in a more advisory role, much different than the responsibilities usually given to President of Hockey Operations. A new GM, as Dundon explains to LeBrun, will need to fit into the way he does things and be focused on “relationships with other teams and agents and really challenging everything we do and really focusing on the player side” instead of worrying about all aspects of the organization.

It’s an interesting move from an owner just a few months before an important offseason. If the Hurricanes miss the playoffs once again, they’ll extend their league-leading drought to nine seasons and need to make some bold moves to correct it. With a ton of restricted free agents including Elias Lindholm and Noah Hanifin, and extension candidates in Jeff Skinner and Teuvo Teravainen, the team has huge decisions to make on whether to keep the core in tact or shake it up looking for more success. A new GM will have to make those decisions quickly, especially if Dundon waits until after the season to hire someone.

Also on The Athletic today was a look from James Mirtle (subscription required) at the huge number of GMs that could be out of a job in a month or two. If the Hurricanes are eyeing one of the experienced names as their next leader, or at least want to explore that option, Francis (or Dundon himself) may still have to lead the team through the draft process in June. Dundon certainly hasn’t been slow to act so far, but hiring the next GM of the Hurricanes is no small task.

Ron Francis Out As Hurricanes General Manager

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New Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon is ready to change things up. The team has announced that Ron Francis, the General Manager and a legendary player for the franchise, will transition to a new role as President of Hockey Operations. A search will begin for a new GM, who will report directly to Dundon.

While the move may sound like a promotion, in reality it is not. Dundon more or less made that clear, saying “There are a lot of good people working in the organization, but I feel that a change in direction is needed when it comes to hockey personnel decisions.” He adds that “Ron is a smart and talented hockey man. I am glad that he will continue to be a part of the team, serving in this new role”, but Dundon apparently wants his own hire to be in charge of roster operations.

Francis served as GM of the Hurricanes for four seasons and has built a solid team, including one of the deepest defensive units in the NHL, but Carolina is on the outside of the playoff picture yet again and have a good chance of extending a league-worst postseason drought to nine years. While Francis has hardly been a bad GM, he hasn’t done enough – he didn’t make a single player-for-player trade in his tenure – and some of his mistakes (read: Scott Darling) have drawn much ire on the local and national scale. The new hire will face the daunting task of both fixing the goaltending situation and somehow acquiring the star forward that Carolina desperately needs. The GM decision could also lead to questions about the job security of head coach Bill Peters. In terms of evaluating talent, the Hurricanes have been known to be one of the leading front offices in terms of analytics, but it is unknown right now whether or not Dundon will continue to steer the team in that direction with his next hire.

Much is still up in the air, but it’s clear that things are changing in Raleigh. For a franchise that has lacked success in the standings and at the box office for too long, that could be a good thing. The Hurricanes will now be one of the more intriguing teams to watch in the approaching off-season.

Brendan Smith, Marcus Kruger, Josh Jooris Clear Waivers

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Friday: All three players have cleared, and can now be assigned to their respective AHL affiliates.

Thursday: The New York Rangers are not having the season they expected. Today, according to Larry Brooks of the New York Post, they have placed Brendan Smith on waivers less than a year after re-signing the defenseman to a four-year $17.4MM contract. He’s joined by Marcus Kruger and Josh Jooris of the Carolina Hurricanes according to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic.

The Rangers recalled Neal Pionk earlier in the day and needed to make a corresponding move, but many expected it to be Marc Staal headed for injured reserve with his continued neck troubles. Instead, the team has decided to make Smith available to the rest of the league in an attempt to rid themselves of his contract. New York have allowed 35 goals in their last eight games and seen Henrik Lundqvist chased from the net three times, seemingly unable to complete simple defensive rotations at times. While Smith is still a capable NHL player, his extension is quickly looking like a mistake.

Kruger and Jooris are the first victims of a Carolina team that has said recently that they can’t keep running the same group out every night. Head coach Bill Peters and GM Ron Francis believe this team is good enough to compete right now, but still find themselves struggling near the bottom of the Metropolitan Division. Kruger, acquired in the offseason from the Vegas Golden Knights after he was part of the Chicago Blackhawks’ expansion package, comes with a $3.1MM cap hit for this year and next. Jooris is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent again this summer.

The Rangers and Hurricanes will both save the prorated version of $1.025MM in cap space by sending Smith and Kruger to the minors (along with the entirety of Jorris’ $775K hit) if they should clear, but this seems more about giving other players a chance. Both teams are fed up with how their seasons have gone, and are starting to bring in new blood to try and turn things around down the stretch. While the Rangers prepare to sell at the deadline, Carolina still seems undecided over which path they will follow.

Jeff Skinner Latest To Enter Trade Deadline Rumor Mill

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The Carolina Hurricanes made a strong statement today when they waived Marcus Kruger and Josh Jooris, unwilling to continue their current level of mediocrity. That comes just after Frank Seravalli of TSN included forward Jeff Skinner on the latest edition of his Trade Bait board, stating that the Hurricanes could listen on the 25-year old sniper.

Skinner is no stranger to TSN’s Trade Bait board, having first appeared two seasons ago. But this time there seems to be a growing friction between him and Peters that is likely destined to come to a head – whether in the next two weeks or the summer.

While it’s not overly surprising that Skinner would find himself among the rumor mill, the idea that there is a friction between player and coach is certainly one to monitor over the coming weeks. If there is something irreparable between the two, trading Skinner before he enters the final season of his contract would offer an increased value. The three-time 30-goal scorer is poised to be part of the incredible class of unrestricted agents in the summer of 2019, alongside other names like Tyler Seguin, Artemi Panarin, Blake Wheeler and many, many others.

The Hurricanes currently sit a single point out of a wildcard position in the Eastern Conference, but have lost their last three games and are just 4-5-1 in their last ten. Skinner meanwhile has just two points (one at even strength) in those ten games, and carries a -6 rating. His overall production on the season sits at 15 goals and 31 points, but hasn’t come close to matching the 37-goal output from a year ago.

Still, the Carolina forward would have plenty of suitors if he were to be willing to waive his no-movement clause. Teams from all over the league would love to add a dynamic offensive presence like him, and his $5.73MM cap hit is far from prohibitive. With less than three weeks before the trade deadline, we won’t have to wait long to find out.

Carolina Hurricanes “Won’t Lose Players We Want For Five Percent More Money”

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For years, the Carolina Hurricanes have been one of the league’s lowest spenders. This season, they rank 30th in the league in terms of payroll, only ahead of the penny-pinching Arizona Coyotes. With the recent sale to Dallas billionaire Thomas Dundon, many Hurricanes fans would hope that would change, at least partially.

In his latest 31 Thoughts column for Sportsnet, Elliotte Friedman shares some of the conversation he had with Dundon about payroll going forward. One thing sticks out, and that’s the new owner’s insistence that they won’t be outbid for current players they want to keep.

Put it this way—we won’t lose players we want for five per cent more money. Now, if someone does something irrational? Losing the players we want will never be because of the money—it will be because someone does something irrational that makes us question the value. I believe we can run the business in a way that will make it work.

That is music to the ears of many Carolina fans, who are starting to see the fruits of a Ron Francis-led rebuild in the standings, with the team just two points out of a playoff spot (despite technically being in last place in the Metropolitan). The team has locked up many of their homegrown assets, and made trades to acquire various pieces at a discount when other teams are in trouble.

Now backed by a more involved owner, who also spoke about increasing investment in analytics and scouting, the team may be able to turn some heads on the free agent market or when it comes to retaining some of their own players. Jeff Skinner, for instance, is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2019 and is in for an enormous contract if he continues to play well. The 25-year old has 29 points on the season, and is coming off a 37-goal campaign that was generally overlooked by many fans around the league.

Carolina’s Sebastian Aho Out Indefinitely

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Sebastian Aho’s recent streak of good luck has come to an end. The Carolina Hurricanes star forward had posted 14 points in his past 10 games entering the team’s match-up against the Calgary Flames yesterday, but was unable to notch another point or even finish another game after taking a big hit from Flames captain Mark Giordano. While the hit was high –  and drew a match penalty – head coach Bill Peters indicated after the game that Aho may have suffered a knee injury in addition to his head injury.

While it remains unclear which injury is to blame (most likely  a combination of both), ’Canes beat writer Chip Alexander reports this evening that those initial post-game concerns were warranted. Carolina has revealed that Aho is out indefinitely with a concussion and lower-body injury. Alexander does add that the lower-body injury, suspected to be a knee injury, did not require Aho to undergo surgery, which could help him return to action sooner rather than later.

While the Hurricanes are fortunate enough to have activated veteran forwards Lee Stempniak and Marcus Kruger off of injured reserve last week, their presence alone won’t be enough to make up for the loss of Aho. The 20-year-old winger leads the team with both 16 goals and 37 points and has been especially effective of late as Carolina looks to stick around the playoff picture in the ultra-competitive Metropolitan Division. What may help to offset the Aho injury is the fact that the ’Canes have just begun their bye week, potentially lessening the impact of Aho’s absence if he returns within a relatively short amount of time. Only time will tell how long the team will be without Aho, but the longer “indefinitely” lasts and he remains sidelined, the less and less likely it is that Carolina makes the playoffs this season.

What Your Team Is Thankful For: Carolina Hurricanes

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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

The Best Fits For Matt Duchene

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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.

Carolina Lacking Roster Flexibility In 2017-18

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With the start of the 2017-18 season just a month away, teams are starting to entertain some options to fill out their rosters. PTO season is in full swing, several teams have made recent free agent signings with more surely to come, and even trade whispers have picked up someone. One team not expected to join the late off-season excitement are the Carolina Hurricanes. With a cap hit of $57.8MM, more than $17MM below the salary cap, the Hurricanes have more than enough space to work with. In fact, Carolina has the third lowest payroll in the league. The ’Canes have plenty of cap flexibility, but what they lack is roster flexibility.

The NHL imposes limits on each and every roster. Of course, the active roster is held to just 23 players, but the issue facing the Hurricanes is instead the 50-contract limit. Each squad is only allowed to have 50 players at a time signed to one-way and two-way NHL contracts; it’s a mark that few teams approach. Yet, Carolina is already committed to a league-high 49 players for next season. The team has added Scott Darling, Justin Williams, Marcus Kruger, Trevor van Riemsdyk, Josh Jooris, and Brenden Kichton to the mix this summer, without losing any notable names. With those new additions, the Hurricanes hope to build upon their surprising success in 2016-17 and use their impressive depth and youthful energy to reach the postseason this season. With those aspirations, GM Ron Francis and company will surely want to leave some space for a possible trade acquisition if the team is in position for a playoff run. While trades, especially in-season, more often than not include players going both ways, all other teams are held to the same limits as Carolina and won’t be willing to take on a handful of contracts just to accommodate the ’Canes roster restraints. The team has to be careful not to back themselves into a corner.

For that reason, Carolina will likely march toward the season without making any further moves. That won’t stop the rumors of their interest in Colorado’s Matt Duchene to stop, particularly with Duchene pushing for a resolution in prior to puck drop, but it seems more likely that the Hurricanes stand pat in the coming weeks. With little flexibility as is, adding another player by any means could put Carolina in a hard-to-manage roster spot that could be even harder to get out of.

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