The Winter Olympics are over, and the Carolina Hurricanes in attendance performed well for their respective countries. Three of them secured medals, one of each color, adding some well-earned hardware to their collections. Now, it's back to business for the Canes as they try to power to the postseason for the eighth straight season.
Most of the team has been at home or on vacation for the last little bit, but they got back to practice last week, with a few positive updates. Eric Robinson, who missed several games leading into the break, was back on the ice. Frederik Andersen has already returned to the group, with Nikolaj Ehlers certain to join soon. Things are looking great for the group on the health front.
Leading into the roster freeze before the Winter Games, we were told of the big things that were coming on the trade front. All it led to was Artemi Panarin being moved to the Kings. While it was a big trade, it wasn't the avalanche of movement we were promised. Part of me wonders whether we'll see anything big happen now that the freeze was lifted at midnight.
What does the front office have up its sleeves?
While the Hurricanes were reportedly in on Panarin until the bitter end, we soon learned that there was no chance that they were landing him, with Los Angeles being the only place he wanted to go. It marked another failed catch for Eric Tulsky and the front office, even if it wasn't completely their fault. Still, it stung a little, especially with all of the noise surrounding it.
The trade deadline is next Friday, March 6, but one would believe that there might be something brewing before then. I still believe that a second-line center is at the top of the team's wish list before the deadline, though it's anyone's guess what is going through the minds of the mad scientist and his scouts in Raleigh.
It's very possible, in fact, I'd call it more than likely, that they'll make a move before Friday's deadline, though we'll have to wait and see. I'm curious whether the team dips its toes into any other markets. They always seem to surprise me with what they're looking for. They could look to add another scoring wing, prioritizing that over a center and sticking with Logan Stankoven on the second line.
On the ice, the group has two big home games before hitting the road
The Hurricanes have four games on tap before the trade deadline, split between Raleigh and the West Coast. They get back in action on Thursday night, welcoming the Tampa Bay Lightning to town. The Bolts will have played the night before in Tampa against the Maple Leafs, so the Canes will have one extra day of rest. Then, they'll battle the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday night.
The group heads west to begin March, making their final visit to the other coast for the season. It's a four-game journey taking them to Seattle and Vancouver before the deadline passes. After the 3 p.m. cut-off, the team will begin its Alberta swing, playing a back-to-back against Edmonton and Calgary. By then, the roster will be set for the run to the postseason.
The vibes in Raleigh before the break were immaculate. The team departed with a ten-game point streak after a 2-0 shutout win at Madison Square Garden. It almost felt like they shouldn't have gone on the break to avoid killing the mojo. Nevertheless, there is plenty to look forward to as they get back on the ice, with two insane tests right out of the gate.