If we take the Hartford days into account, the Boston Bruins might be one of the Hurricanes' biggest rivals. Proximity made the Whalers and the Bruins heated, while numerous postseason encounters added fuel to the fire upon their relocation to Raleigh. Their meeting during the 2009 playoffs was a classic, ending with Scott Walker's overtime winner in Game 7.
During that series, Walker drew the ire of Bruins fans everywhere after a confrontation during Game 5 with former Hurricane Aaron Ward. Walker didn't face any supplemental discipline for the encounter before winning the series. Just a few months later, Ward was back in Raleigh, becoming teammates with Walker after the altercation.
To get the job done, the Hurricanes traded young forward Patrick Eaves and a 4th-round pick to the Bruins for the veteran defenseman. Eaves was acquired from the Senators with Joe Corvo in 2008 for Cory Stillman and Mike Commodore. He'd played two solid seasons in Ottawa, including 20 goals as a rookie and 32 points the following year.
Eaves' tenure in Raleigh lasted just 85 games, scoring 12 points. He was immediately waived for a buyout by the Bruins before signing as a free agent with Detroit. Eaves put together a solid 14-year career, including 32 goals in 2016-17 with Anaheim and Dallas. With the pick they received, the Bruins selected Craig Cunningham 97th overall. He played 63 games in his NHL career, scoring eight points.
Ward's return to Raleigh was short-lived and didn't end well
Aaron Ward owns a special spot in Hurricanes history. Drafted by the Red Wings in 1991, Ward won a Stanley Cup in 1997 with Detroit before being traded to Carolina in 2001 for a 2nd-round pick. While his former team got the last laugh in the 2002 Stanley Cup Final, Ward would reach the top again, scoring the opening goal in Game 7 of the 2006 Final to help the Canes win the Stanley Cup.
Ward signed with the Rangers during the 2006 offseason before being traded at the deadline to the Bruins. He was never a great offensive threat, but he could eat up minutes. However, at 37 years old, Ward was likely on his last legs in the NHL. After a great season with a long postseason run, the Canes must've thought they had the pieces to do it again in 2009-10. They were very wrong.
After a 2-2-0 start, the Hurricanes endured the longest losing streak in franchise history, losing 14 straight (0-10-4). By the end of November, the Hurricanes had just 15 points, sitting dead last in the NHL. The season hadn't started well for Ward either, recording four assists through two months. Their position hadn't gotten much better by the start of 2010, remaining in the league's cellar.
The calendar change brought better results for the Canes. The team won 14 of their 21 games heading into the 2010 Olympic break, including a five-game win streak before the weeks-long pause. However, they'd dug their grave so deep that a miracle run felt impossible. Knowing this, the 2010 trade deadline began a mass exodus out of Raleigh.
On March 3, 2010, the Hurricanes made five trades. Along with Joe Corvo and Scott Walker, who were traded to Washington in separate deals, the Canes traded Aaron Ward to the Anaheim Ducks for Justin Pogge and a 2010 4th-round pick. Ward had a goal and ten assists in 60 games during his return to Raleigh. Now, he was heading to a Ducks team firmly in the fight in the Western Conference.
This story doesn't have a happy ending for any of the parties involved. Ward made little impact in Anaheim, contributing just two assists in 17 games. The Ducks finished six points outside of a playoff spot. To no one's surprise, the Canes missed the playoffs, too. The 2009-10 season would be Ward's last as he retired after a 15-year career.
It looked like the story might be over there, but an interview on The Jeff Marek Show two years ago shed new light on the 2009-10 season. Ward called it "one of the most embarrassing parts" of his career and called the organization "dysfunctional" around that time. The interview was also a flaming indictment about the captaincy after Rod Brind'Amour had been stripped of the "C" mid-season.
This is a shining example to signify that not every trade works out, even when you're familiar with the player you're receiving. For 60 games with Aaron Ward, they let a young forward go. They probably didn't know Patrick Eaves would play that long, and there's no guarantee he would've been a Hurricane for long. You live and learn from these moves and hope history doesn't repeat itself.