Carolina Hurricanes: How the team should approach the Trade Deadline

The Carolina Hurricanes once again sit on the outside of the playoff spots, after Columbus leapfrogged them with an easy 3-0 win over Ottawa last night. With just two days until the trade deadline, how should the Canes proceed?

We’ve covered all bases over the last fortnight or so. We have looked at various opportunities for the Carolina Hurricanes to add to their roster and bolster their playoff hopes, through trades with the Anaheim Ducks, Edmonton Oilers, Minnesota Wild and Toronto Maple Leafs. We’ve looked at acquiring individuals such as Mike Hoffman, Matt Duchene and Marcus Johansson. This is the most open trade deadline in years, and it’s odd to consider the Canes as being potential buyers.

That being said, we’ve also looked at whether the Canes should stick to the long-term plan, and sell their UFAs to the highest bidders; we have also looked at whether GM Don Waddell should simply stand pat, and keep the status quo with a roster that’s tearing up the schedule in 2019.

So, how should the Carolina Hurricanes approach the trade deadline?

Don’t sell anyone

Don’t do it Don. Don’t break our hearts for the sake of a few draft picks. Yes, packaging Micheal Ferland and Petr Mrazek off to a contender could net us a decent haul of assets. Yes, Justin Williams would be in demand as unofficial cheerleader of whichever team acquired him. But this team is so close – so close – that you can’t possibly do that to Canes fans.

If Waddell does get a too-good-to-be-true offer for Ferland, the only way Canes fans could possibly countenance such a trade would be if Waddell re-invested those assets into acquiring a replacement top six winger with term on his deal. That’s the only way a Canes player departs, because no team is going to send us replacements for Williams or Mrazek for anything like their worth.

Do. Not. Sell.

Buy wisely

No-one wants to end up like that guy in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, choosing the wrong trade deadline rental and seeing his face melting off as his first round pick and prospect turn out to be wasted assets. The team should avoid getting into bidding wars, definitely avoid sending their first round draft pick (unless a player with term is coming the other way), and avoid upsetting the team’s chemistry as much as possible.

Few Carolina Hurricanes fans would want to see Don Waddell chase rentals this year. The cast of potential acquisitions is the best in many years: Artemi Panarin, Mark Stone, Wayne Simmonds, Gustav Nyquist, Kevin Hayes, Eric Staal, Derick Brassard, Mats Zuccarello and Sergei Bobrovsky highlight the sheer amount of difference-makers on the table. But unless Waddell can secure a cheap move for someone like Staal or Nyquist, he’d be better off chasing players with term.

Move a righty

This falls into place with the next point, but in order to make room for a potential game-breaking defenseman this season, Waddell needs to trade one of his right-handed defensemen. Dougie Hamilton‘s stock has never been higher in Raleigh, so a trade will likely have to form around one of Justin Faulk or Trevor van Riemsdyk. Brett Pesce is already playing on his off-side, and so we can happily remove him from the equation – or would Canes fans like to see the defensively-challenged Faulk play on the left side? No-one wants to see that.

Moving either Faulk or TvR for some form of futures frees up a roster spot in the short term for Haydn Fleury, and for the team’s potential huge addition in mid-March.

Look to the future

Adam Fox could be the team’s big addition this season – when his NCAA season with Harvard is over, Waddell needs to have him on the first plane to Raleigh to sign professional terms. The puck-moving young starlet has 8-27-35 in just 26 GP in the NCAA this season, his 1.35 points-per-game leading all NCAA defensemen and placing him fourth amongst all skaters. He possesses game-breaking talent, and could have as much of an impact on this team than any trade deadline acquisition. Waddell needs to have his eye fixed on signing Fox, Sauron-on-the-One-Ring-style.

Furthermore, the Charlotte Checkers will be making a run for the Calder Cup. If there’s a chance of acquiring players who could help the Baby Canes in their quest for a championship, then Waddell should look to do so.

It’s worth remembering that the Carolina Hurricanes have more talent on the way next season: winger Stelio Mattheos could surprise everyone in camp this year and make the team, while Eetu Luostarainen is having an excellent season in the Finnish Liiga. Adding to the team’s future by keeping the Canes’ draft picks would help our prospects of a second Stanley Cup even more.

Ultimately, it’s not worth trading the team’s huge stockpile of draft picks and top prospects, all for the sake of a potential playoff run a year or two before we’re truly ready. The Carolina Hurricanes should still look to buy – judiciously – but let’s let this team keep its momentum going while they have such tight chemistry.

And for the love of God, don’t sell Don. Just don’t.