What will the Hurricanes do at NHL trade deadline amid injuries, other teams’ moves?
Things can change rapidly in the NHL in the final days and moments before the league’s trade deadline.
That includes priorities.
A team might believe adding a defenseman is its biggest need, then have a forward go down to injury just before the deadline. Suddenly, that can become a bigger need.
There’s also the matter of what other teams are doing to bolster their Stanley Cup chances. In recent days, the Florida Panthers added center Claude Giroux and defenseman Ben Chiarot, and the Tampa Bay Lightning have traded for forward Brandon Hagel.
That opened some eyes. That, too, can create some edginess.
Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said Thursday in Toronto that he has kept abreast of the comings and goings in the Eastern Conference and Cup hopefuls leading up to Monday’s deadline.
“A lot of teams are making moves now and I think it will start heating up more and more,” he said. “But I don’t see us doing much stuff, so I’m not too concerned.”
Then, the Lightning picked up Hagel on Friday. Tampa Bay paid a steep price — two first-round draft picks, two players — but got the player they wanted, a forward who could fit into the Lightning’s top six. Tampa Bay has won the last two Cups and is after a third.
Hagel, who had 21 goals in 55 games for the Chicago Blackhawks, was set to join the Lightning lineup Saturday and should play against the Canes on Tuesday at PNC Arena.
On Saturday, the Panthers added Giroux, working out a deal with the Philadelphia Flyers while the Boston Bruins dealt for defenseman Hampus Lindholm of Anaheim and was working on a contract extension.
The New York Rangers, who face the Canes on Sunday, acquired forward Frank Vatrano from Florida this week and have plenty of cap space to make more moves, maybe a splash.
“We know it’s that time of the year and teams are going to try and do different things,” Brind’Amour said Friday before the Canes played the Washington Capitals. “We made our moves in the summer and I feel like that’s kind of it. If we end up doing something, it’ll make us better, but I don’t anticipate too much.”
The Canes’ moves in the 2021 offseason included adding veterans such as forward Derek Stepan and defensemen Ian Cole and Brendan Smith. They’re the kind of players, with their experience, that Stanley Cup contenders covet at the deadline to add to their lineups.
Despite losing their last three games, the Canes are 41-14-6. They were five points ahead in the Metropolitan Division after Friday’s games and their 4-3 shootout loss to Washington, and not in a panic position.
Does that mean the Canes wouldn’t be interested in, say, Andrew Copp of the Winnipeg Jets or Dominik Kubalik of the Chicago Blackhawks or Rickard Rakell of Anaheim if a deal for a forward was sensible? Or someone like that?
President and general manager Don Waddell has said the physical demands of the playoffs create the need for extra defensemen and the Canes shy away from pending unrestricted free agents. But Waddell has not ruled out anything. His phone lines remain open.
There also is a new wrinkle. Canes forward Jordan Martinook was injured Thursday at Toronto. Brind’Amour said Friday he did not know the extent of the injury or how long Martinook might be out.
Seth Jarvis drew back into the lineup and the rookie forward scored twice. While he brings speed and skill to the lineup, the Canes would miss the intangibles that Martinook, an alternate captain, provides if he’s sidelined for an extended period with a lower-body injury.
The Canes have about $1.8 million in cap space according to CapFriendly.com and could add to that if Martinook is placed on Long Term Injured Reserve. But they must be cap compliant if Martinook is able to return.
Waddell has made some stealth moves before at the deadline. In 2020, the Canes acquired center Vincent Trocheck from the Panthers for four players, a surprise to many.
General managers have been known to be creative, even if salary cap problems exist. There could be some more madness in March come Monday.
This story was originally published March 19, 2022 at 3:00 PM.
