The Carolina Hurricanes look set to make yet another major move in the trade market for the third consecutive season. Two years ago, Carolina acquired Pittsburgh Penguins winger Jake Guentzel ahead of the trade deadline. While the former Stanley Cup champion excelled in Raleigh and was open to re-signing with the team, he ultimately joined the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2024 offseason.
The Canes then shocked the hockey world by trading for former Colorado Avalanche superstar Mikko Rantanen in January. This move, however, fared far worse than the Guentzel deal. Rantanen did not quite fit in with Rod Brind’Amour’s team, and the Canes quickly traded the winger to the Dallas Stars after just 13 games.
Despite making the two massive moves, the Canes have not quite been able to get over the hump in the playoffs. With Guentzel, Carolina was beaten in the second round by the New York Rangers. Last season, the team was eliminated by the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference final.
Carolina Hurricanes GM Not Afraid to Take Another Swing
GettyHurricanes targeted Kirill Kaprizov before he signed a contract extension with the Wild.
Although the aforementioned trades did not pan out, Canes GM Eric Tulsky has claimed that he is prepared to make another gamble. “We’re always looking to get better,” Tulsky told The Athletic’s Michael Russo. “We’re going to look at everything that comes up, whether something gets labeled as big-game hunting or sort of more routine moves. That’s a matter of how the media and fans want to see it.”
“But we’re just looking for anything we can find that’ll make our team better. I think every team wants to bring stars if they can. Stars are hard to come by. If we see an opportunity to get a player, a star almost always makes your team better and so it’s always going to be something we’re talking about.”
Tulsky also seems willing to make a move early in the 2025-26 season. Russo has claimed that Carolina previously called the Minnesota Wild regarding Kirill Kaprizov. The superstar winger’s future in Minnesota was up in the air and the Canes expressed interest in a potential trade with the Wild. Kaprizov, however, ultimately agreed to a $136 million extension with his current club.
Carolina has Cap Space, Draw as a Cup Contender
With Kaprizov off of the board, the Canes will have to look elsewhere for reinforcements. One particular position that Carolina needs strengthening is at center. Team star Sebastian Aho and captain Jordan Staal are locks at the position. Brind’Amour has also tested out Logan Stankoven at center to start the season. Although he has played fairly well in the role, he has managed to win just 45% of his faceoffs.
One player who could become available is Nazem Kadri. The veteran Calgary Flames center is likely heading to the trade block this season due to the team’s disappointing trajectory. Hockey insider Darren Dreger has even claimed that the Canes have likely already reached out to the Flames regarding Kadri. The center currently has seven points in 10 games so far this season.
According to CapWages.com, the Canes currently have over $8 million in cap space to play with. This particular number is the highest among the perceived Stanley Cup contenders. Despite already having a top team, Carolina has positioned themselves well to further improve as they look for their first championship since 2006.
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