It has been three years since the Carolina Hurricanes made a first-round selection at the NHL Draft. That's when they selected Bradly Nadeau with the 30th overall pick. Since then, they've traded their opening pick, using it to get Jake Guentzel in 2024 and trading out of the first round when they were on the clock last June. I suspect we could see that again this year.
The Canes only have four picks in this year's draft. Assuming they keep it that way, it would be tied for the fewest selections they've ever made in a draft (2002, 2013), but that's not how this team operates. Even when they're winning, they prefer to have a few more picks in their bag. That's why I've laid out four potential trade partners for the team as they try to gain more picks.
Team #1: Chicago Blackhawks
Even after talking about the big trade avalanche on Tuesday, the Sabres and the Blackhawks decided to add to it. Buffalo traded Bowen Byram and Jordan Greenway to Chicago for Louis Crevier, the 4th overall pick, and the 45th pick in this year's draft. People were quick to jump on Chicago's front office for thinking this move was remotely good. Now, it leaves Chicago without a first-round pick.
These two have done this before. It was Chicago who traded back into the first round last season by making a deal with the Canes. This move netted Carolina two second-round picks and a fifth-round pick in 2027. This time around, the Canes don't net nearly as much, since the move only sees the Blackhawks sliding three spots up.
While it by no means helps the Blackhawks save face for what could be a bone-headed decision to trade the 4th pick, it at least gives them something in the first round. Plus, they have a surplus of picks in next year's draft, with three firsts, two seconds, and two thirds. The Canes could easily swap the 34th pick as well, possibly with a team like Calgary, which has three picks in the second round.
Team #2: Vancouver Canucks
I know that some fans would prefer a trade with the Vancouver Canucks to include Elias Pettersson coming to Raleigh, but I'm not predicting anything as daring as that. Instead, this move sees the Canes slide a little further back into the second round while giving the Canucks a second pick in the first round to go with the 3rd overall selection.
The Canucks are another team with a lot of future draft picks, holding two second-round selections in each of the next three drafts. Neither pick in the second round next season is theirs, having traded it away, but they possess both San Jose's and Dallas's. Assuming the Sharks take another step forward this season, their pick will likely fall in the mid-to-late teens or the early 20s.
You could probably swap out the second-round pick next year for a few later-round selections, but I don't see this as being too much of an overpay, especially if the Canes slide ten picks in the process. The only issue you could run into is trying to turn the 41st pick into multiple picks without missing out on some of the prospects you might want.
Team #3: Nashville Predators
There's nothing like a little Southern hospitality between neighboring states. The first two trades saw the Canes only get one pick in this year's draft and one in next year's. This sees them get two this year, which feels like the ideal scenario, and a future pick. While it sees the Canes slide down into the second round, it gives them a little more draft capital to play with.
While I hadn't initially taken it into account, this trade actually benefits the Predators when looking at the pick value that Nashville would give up, according to PuckPedia. Part of that might be because Edmonton's pick is likely the equivalent of an early fourth-round pick next season, since they're usually expected to be pretty good. Still, I don't think teams are making trades based on that.
Adding another fourth-rounder would give the Canes two, meaning they could move up by packing some picks together, or they could move down by using their extra one. Something like this could easily be plausible for the Canes, though it's not the deal that I think they'll make to add some picks. I saved that one for last.
Team #4: Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are tied for the fourth-most picks in this year's draft with ten. Seven of them are across the first three rounds. They were part of Tuesday's big trade day, acquiring Simon Nemec and Maxim Tsyplakov from the Devils for a prospect and three picks, only one of which was in 2026. While they have two picks on Friday, they have the capital to add a third.
Is this a slight overpay for the Flames? Probably, but it's my mock trade, and I'll do as I please. It might especially be an overpay because the Flames would give up two more picks just to move up five spots. That being said, Chicago gave up a similar package to do the same thing last season, moving from 34th to 29th. In that way, this isn't very far-fetched.
Like the Nashville deal, it gives the Canes two picks to work with in the fourth round, with the added benefit of picking in the second and third rounds as well. Most importantly, they go from one pick in the Top 100 to three in one fell swoop. In a draft class as good as people think this one is, it would be worthwhile for the team to have as much as possible to work with.
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