A top-six winger? Check. Improvements on defense? Check, depending on who you ask. The Carolina Hurricanes have been checking boxes this offseason, but there's still one that remains unchecked. An upgrade to the second-line center is something many feel the group needs to address.
With a shortage of intriguing names remaining as free agents, this means the Hurricanes would need to scour the trade market to get something done. Fortunately, there are plenty of rumors and names floating around to tantalize the fans as their imaginations run wild. Here are three teams the Canes could place calls to check that final box.
New York, more specifically Long Island
Helping out a division rival who has beaten you in the first round twice in the last three years probably isn't the best business practice, but we saw the Rangers and Canes strike a deal, so nothing is off the table. The Islanders have been one of the winners of the offseason, aided by a draft lottery victory and aggressive moves from new GM Mathieu Darche.
It remains to be seen whether the Islanders will compete for a playoff spot this season, so they might opt to make this move at the trade deadline, but there is some speculation about whether Jean-Gabriel Pageau is available as he enters the final year of his contract. If he is, the Hurricanes might be interested.
Some detractors will argue that Pageau wouldn't help the Hurricanes from a size perspective at 5'11". However, Pageau's 140 hits this season would rank third on the Canes, and he's finished no worse than 55 percent in the dot since joining the Islanders. It's also uncertain how great an upgrade he'd be over Jesperi Kotkaniemi offensively. Pageau's 16-team no-trade list could present some issues, too.
Vegas
Depending on who you asked a few weeks ago, it looked like the Hurricanes were on the verge of acquiring a center from the Golden Knights. Those rumors turned out to be overblown and, plainly, false. Nevertheless, the potential of acquiring Tomas Hertl was enough to get the blood flowing before the inevitable realization it wasn't happening.
Two weeks have passed since the rumor mill fired up. A lot has changed during that time for both teams. The Hurricanes struck it big with K'Andre Miller and Nikolaj Ehlers, and the Golden Knights landed the biggest fish of the summer in a sign-and-trade for Mitch Marner. Now, Vegas is deep in the hole by nearly $8 million.
The prospect of a trade for Hertl (5x$6.75m) remains a possibility, as the Golden Knights need to shed some cap. William Karlsson (2x$5.9m) is another player whose name has floated around the trade market. The Canes' ability to absorb both players' contracts could lighten the potential return to Vegas, but both players might have to waive no-trade or no-movement clauses to be dealt.
Anaheim
One of the biggest names still seeking a new contract is Mason McTavish. The 22-year-old restricted free agent is coming off the best season of his young career, leading the Ducks with 22 goals and finishing second in points with 52. While he's still eligible for an offer sheet, making that avenue a possibility for many teams in the league, someone could swoop in and trade for him.
The Fourth Period's David Pagnotta reports that part of the reason nothing has been resolved is McTavish's frustration at his "reduced role" with the Ducks. Of course, reports like this should be taken with a grain of salt, and something could get ironed out, but Anaheim's signing of Mikael Granlund, who can play both center and on the wings, could add more fuel to the fire.
The Ducks must feel they're on the verge of competing for a playoff spot with how aggressive they've been this offseason, adding Granlund and Chris Kreider to the team. Getting rid of a young playmaker like McTavish could be a mistake, which is why I'm not convinced he'll be traded. However, someone can step up with a package that makes Anaheim pull the trigger, and it just might be Carolina.