The Carolina Hurricanes have hit a bit of a lull after an early-season surge in 2025-26. Carolina’s loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday was their third loss over their last four games. And they are hoping to avoid having these losses snowball.
It’s certainly still early in the year, but talks around potential trades are already kicking into gear. One player who could be of interest to other teams is Andrei Svechnikov. The former No. 2 pick is only 25 years old, so it feels far-fetched that he’d be traded. But he has just one goal through nine games, and went eight games without a goal this year.
Either way, Svechnikov would only be dealt if it were to bring back a potentially significant piece. One NHL writer floated an interesting idea that could net Carolina a future Hall of Famer who may still have something left in the tank.
The Hockey News writer Adam Proteau examined potential landing spots for Nashville Predators star Steven Stamkos. And he floated the idea of Nashville sending Stamkos and more for the Hurricanes’ 25-year-old winger.
“Like Stamkos, Svechnikov is also off to a slow start this season, with only one goal and one point in nine games, and he only averaged 50 points in the last two seasons. While Svechnikov is only 25, his $7.75-million salary is a near-perfect match for Stamkos’ salary,” Proteau wrote.
“He would help Nashville try to rebound from some mediocre years, while Stamkos could be more productive for Carolina immediately. The Hurricanes still have Sebastian Aho, Nikolaj Ehlers, Seth Jarvis, Logan Stankoven and Jackson Blake signed for the long term, anyway.”
Predators’ Steven Stamkos Could Use Fresh Start
Steph Chambers/Getty ImagesSteven Stamkos has not found a ton of success with the Nashville Predators.
Stamkos spent 16 years with the Tampa Bay Lightning before joining Nashville before the 2024-25 season. He joined the Predators coming off a season in which he scored 40 goals and 81 points in 79 games. However, he has not found that sort of success in Nashville.
He had a fine season in 2024-25, but it was disappointing by his standards. He scored 27 goals and 53 points for the Predators last year. Nashville finished near the bottom of the league, missing the playoffs quite comfortably.
Stamkos believed he was ready to contribute once again before this season. However, he hasn’t made much of an impact. Like Svechnikov, he has just one goal this year. He also has an assist for two points in 11 games.
The future Hall of Famer may be in need of a change of pace. With Nashville struggling once again, a trade away from the Predators may be on the cards for Stamkos.
Hurricanes’ Andrei Svechnikov Unlikely To Be Traded
While the Predators could certainly trade Stamkos, a deal involving Svechnikov appears unlikely. Carolina is one of the better teams in the NHL. And Svechnikov’s track record points to him figuring things out.
Even if the struggles continue, there are limitations in what Carolina can do. They elected not to trade Svechnikov before July 1. As a result, the 25-year-old now has a 10-team no-trade clause, giving him some control over his future.
Beyond that, there is no reason for Carolina to move Svechnikov. His struggles are definitely concerning, but it would still take a lot to move him. It’s a price other teams may not be willing to match, even if they had the ability to do so.
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