A trade went down on Friday afternoon between the Carolina Hurricanes and the San Jose Sharks that might alter the very fabric of each team for the rest of the season. Okay, maybe it won't, but it's a trade nonetheless. The Canes added defenseman Kyle Masters from the Sharks, along with a 4th-round pick this season, for a 5th-round pick next season.
Drafted in the 4th-round by the Wild in 2021, Masters spent his first two professional seasons moving back and forth between Iowa teams, playing for the Iowa Heartlanders of the ECHL and the Iowa Wild in the AHL. He was more productive in the ECHL (32 points in 57 games) than in the AHL (6 points in 35 games).
Early in the season, Masters was traded to the Sharks for forward Oskar Olausson. Masters has only dressed for ten games with the ECHL's Wichita Thunder, providing three helpers. The trade comes as Sharks rookie Michael Misa is about to play in his tenth game. Because the Sharks were already at the 50-contract limit, Masters was shipped to Raleigh.
Still just 22 years old, Masters is a 6-foot, right-shot defenseman. He has proven that he can put up points in the minor leagues, but it doesn't appear that he is ready to make the move to the NHL yet. I suspect he'll be moved to Greensboro for the rest of the season, with a potential bump to Chicago if something were to happen.
This isn't the earth-shattering move that will change the outlook of the Hurricanes' season. Honestly, the pick swap is a little more notable right now, moving up a round a year sooner. The pick the Canes sent to San Jose is owned by Chicago. We'll see if Masters can make a mark in the minor leagues for the Gargoyles to earn a chance in the higher levels in years to come.