What do the Hurricanes want — or need — as the NHL trade deadline approaches?
The NHL trade winds are stirring as the April 12 trade deadline approaches, but head coach Rod Brind’Amour offered up an opinion this week: “I like our team right now. I don’t know why we would be looking at too much.”
Canes General Manager Don Waddell said Wednesday that he’s always actively looking for ways to improve the team but that salary-cap considerations must be considered, with the NHL cap to remain flat next year.
“We have a little cap space but not a lot of cap space,” Waddell said.
Waddell said once goaltender Petr Mrazek is healthy and playing, the Canes would carry all three goalies — James Reimer and Alex Nedeljkovic are the other two — on the roster, which also will eat some cap space.
One name that popped up recently in connection with Carolina was former Canes captain Eric Staal, now with the Buffalo Sabres. Jordan and Eric Staal once envisioned leading the Canes back into Stanley Cup contention after Jordan Staal was traded to Carolina from Pittsburgh in June 2012.
That didn’t happen.
Brind’Amour was asked about an Eric Staal return in roundabout fashion on a Zoom media call this week. Staal’s name was not mentioned, and the NHL frowns on comments made about players under contract to other teams, but Brind’Amour handled it well enough.
“That’s a question that’s probably for further up the chain than me, but I think we know he’s an awesome person,” Brind’Amour said of Staal, his former teammate who succeeded him as captain.
Injuries have been tough on the Canes this season, with Mrazek missing a chunk of time due to thumb surgery, and prime setup man Teuvo Teravainen.
Mrazek, who shut out the Wings 3-0 in the season opener, played four games before dislocating a thumb and needing surgery. Teravainen has had issues with COVID-19 and then a concussion, missing 15 games.
More recently., center Vincent Trocheck has been sidelined with an upper-body injury. Best guess: sore ribs after taking a cross-check March 9 against Nashville. He has been out the past three games and Waddell said his status is “week to week.”
If the injuries continue — forward Warren Foegele left Tuesday’s game with an upper-body issue — that could change the trade equation and there could be moves.
The Canes could look to add a veteran forward at the right price. The goaltending situation might have to be addressed.
But the Canes are 20-7-1, and have 41 points midway through the season. If they can match that in the second half, and start having more fans allowed in PNC Arena, and make the playoffs again ... who knows what comes next?
