Carolina Hurricanes: Should they trade their UFAs?

The Carolina Hurricanes are enjoying their best regular season since 2006, sitting on 62 points after 55 games. They sit just one point outside the playoffs – but should they look to trade their impending Unrestricted Free Agents?

After nearly ten years without playoff hockey, the Carolina Hurricanes are used to being sellers at the annual NHL trade deadline. Recent years have seen the likes of Viktor Stalberg, Ron Hainsey, John-Michael Liles, Eric Staal and Kris Versteeg depart Raleigh ahead of the deadline, making for playoff-bound pastures new.

This year, the Canes are in the thick of an exciting playoff race, sitting just one point outside a wildcard spot but being – statistically – the best team in the Eastern Conference since calendars turned to 2019. However, any loss of form now could lead to the Carolina Hurricanes dropping out of playoff contention very quickly.

So, should the Carolina Hurricanes trade their impending UFAs?

The case for YES

The market for teams looking to sell is particularly juicy this year. The New Jersey Devils acquired a 2nd round pick in exchange for depth center Brian Boyle, while the Toronto Maple Leafs sent a 1st round pick and prospects Sean Durzi and Carl Grundstrom to the Kings in return for the services of Jake Muzzin. With the expected price for a player like Wayne Simmonds being a 1st + a prospect, the Canes could acquire a significant haul of futures were they to sell up.

We have been talking for some time about the potential return in a Micheal Ferland trade. If Simmonds is worth a 1st and a prospect, so too is Ferland. Unless Tom Dundon is serious about paying players and competing, it makes sense to make as much as you can from Ferland, while you can. No-one wants to have their own version of the John Tavares saga on their hands.

Other UFAs on this Canes roster could also help the team in the future. Captain Justin Williams has a modified NTC, but his experience and three Stanley Cups would command a nice premium. 2019’s biggest surprise, journeyman Greg McKegg, could also fetch a mid-round pick after his recent goalscoring exploits.

Then we have the team’s two goaltenders. Both Petr Mrazek and Curtis McElhinney are impending UFAs, and both would fetch a draft pick in return. Trading one would allow Alex Nedeljkovic to step up permanently to the Carolina Hurricanes roster, while trading both would throw him into the lion’s den – likely backed up by Scott Darling.

Trading all five could net Don Waddell an extra pick in each of the first five rounds of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, plus a good prospect. If those picks are used well, that could be the draft where a future Carolina Hurricanes dynasty is born.

The case for NO

The team is one point outside the playoffs. They’re the form team in the East. They’ve broken huge ‘curses’ in both Vancouver and New York in recent weeks. They added Nino Niederreiter via trade to bolster their scoring and balance their forward lines.

Why change anything?

Draft picks are no guarantee of draft success. Every draft sees teams select duds, and pass over future stars. Any 1st round pick secured in a Ferland trade is likely to be 25th overall, or lower, which is the point of each NHL draft where the value of picks drops off a cliff.

This team has great chemistry, they love their coach, they’re all contributing – there is no reason to sell off anyone.

With the Carolina Hurricanes so close to a playoff spot, and performing so well, moving any of their current roster out for futures isn’t something that Don Waddell should consider. While the return on a Micheal Ferland trade would be tantalising, and returns on veterans like Justin Williams and Petr Mrazek would potentially help the team’s future, the Canes should be looking to strengthen their hand for a playoff run – not weaken the team.