3 Players the Carolina Hurricanes Must Trade
By Zach Abdou
Another year, another long off-season for the Carolina Hurricanes. Ranked 29th in the NHL, the Hurricanes are almost guaranteed to miss the playoffs yet again, and hold a high draft pick when June roles around. There is a lot that has gone wrong this year; injuries to key players have tested the team’s depth, inconsistency has burdened the Canes play, and a lack of goal scoring has made it all but impossible for the Hurricanes to win one goal games. At this point, it is apparent that the organization is in need of major changes on the ice. In order to take this team in a completely new direction and start building for the future, there are three players that the Carolina Hurricanes must try and trade before the March 2nd trade deadline.
1. Andrej Sekera
An upcoming unrestricted free agent, there has been plenty of trade rumors surrounding the Canes’ 28 year-old defenseman. After posting career numbers both offensively and defensively last year, Sekera has proved to be a formidable top 4 defenseman on any contending team. I would expect him to be the next Hurricanes player moved in a trade, as many teams have been calling. With his solid play and reasonable contract, Sekera should fetch a decent return. I would guess that the Hurricanes are searching for a 1st or 2nd round draft pick, and a decent prospect. This is the first move of many that Ron Francis needs to make if the Hurricanes want to rebuild their roster.
2. Cam Ward
After many disappointing seasons, Cam Ward has recaptured his 2006 form. In a season of many lows, Cam Ward has been one of the few bright spots for the Carolina Hurricanes. With a 9-12-2 record, .911 save percentage, and 2.44 GAA, Ward has proven that he is still a legit number one goaltender in the NHL. As much as I love Cam’s play, he needs to be traded right now. Ward has a hefty contract at 6.3 million per year through the 2015-2016 season, but his play of late has made the contract seem more realistic. It seems reasonable to think that teams in need of goaltending, such as the Washington Capitals and Edmonton Oilers, would be willing to acquire the 30 year-old goaltender. Cam Ward will never be more valuable than he is right now, so the Canes should move him while they can get a good return. Anton Khudobin is a more than capable backup who can step in and become a decent number one. By the time the Carolina Hurricanes are a potential playoff team, Cam Ward will be too old to trade and his play will not be the same caliber.
3. Eric Staal
Most importantly in my opinion, the Carolina Hurricanes need to trade their captain in order to start a complete rebuild. Eric Staal has been banged up for much of the year and has struggled more offensively. He currently has put up 7 goals and 18 points in 28 games. Personally, I have always thought that Eric Staal is a little overrated. Of course he is a special talent in the NHL, but he is not the best captain for a NHL club. Staal certainly isn’t worth his ridiculous contract that the Canes will have to endure through 2015-2016. While Staal’s contract may be a major obstacle for trading him, the Canes would be smart to shop their star center around. He is still young enough and talented enough to fetch a great return; a return that could include multiple draft picks, prospects, and/or younger, established players. It’s more than likely that the Hurricanes would have to keep some of Staal’s salary, but I’m sure some teams will come calling. It’s always tough to say goodbye to a fan favorite and long-time captain, but the Carolina Hurricanes need change. You have to give a lot to get a lot.
Once the trade freeze lifts, Ron Francis and the Carolina Hurricanes must become busy sellers in the market. Trading these players would give the Canes great returns as well as much needed cap space. After years of denying the inevitable, the Carolina Hurricanes must accept the fact that they do not have a team that can be competitive in the Stanley Cup playoffs. It’s time to rebuild and trade high profile players while they are still in high demand.