Carolina Hurricanes: The Panic Button

RALEIGH, NC - DECEMBER 2: Jeff Skinner #53 of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrates after scoring a goal during an NHL game against the Florida Panthers on December 2, 2017 at PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Gregg Forwerck/NHLI via Getty Images)
RALEIGH, NC - DECEMBER 2: Jeff Skinner #53 of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrates after scoring a goal during an NHL game against the Florida Panthers on December 2, 2017 at PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Gregg Forwerck/NHLI via Getty Images)
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TORONTO,ON – DECEMBER 19: Justin Faulk #27 of the Carolina Hurricanes gets set for a puck drop against the Toronto Maple Leafs during an NHL game at the Air Canada Centre on December 19, 2017 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Hurricanes 8-1. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO,ON – DECEMBER 19: Justin Faulk #27 of the Carolina Hurricanes gets set for a puck drop against the Toronto Maple Leafs during an NHL game at the Air Canada Centre on December 19, 2017 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Hurricanes 8-1. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)

Part 3: Don’t push the panic button

“Your statements are ridiculous. Do you think management is just waddling around without any plan whatsoever?”

“Yup.”

“Look here.”

Red shirt guy pulls out a tablet and shows his opponent in debate the roster of the Carolina Hurricanes. They just stare at the screen for a while, until the angrier of the two breaks.

“What’s your point?”

“We have two sustainable talented forwards in Teravainen and Skinner. But look at our defense. It’s over-powered. Slavin, Pesce, Hanifin, hopefully Faulk eventually; these are all top-two defensemen on your average team. Do you know what will happen inevitably, at some point?

“I don’t like this.”

“We are going to trade one or two of them. We are going to trade them to a team desperately in need of defensemen. In exchange, we are going to get the star forward or goaltender that we need. We are going to improve our all-around depth and become a contender.”

“How is that supposed to work?”

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