Often, you'll see posts floating around social media asking, "What is the greatest trade in your team's history?". It's usually followed by some outlandish answers, with a few plausible selections sprinkled in. In the Carolina Hurricanes' case, Nino Niederreiter for Victor Rask on January 17, 2019, might be very high on the list.
The 1-for-1 swap felt like a big deal at the time. Rask was drafted by the Hurricanes in the 2nd round of the 2011 Draft. He'd played well during his first three seasons, topping 20 goals in the sophomore campaign en route to back-to-back 45+-point efforts. He wore an "A" at one point for the Canes. However, his numbers took a dip in 2017-18, scoring the fewest points (31) in his young career.
His 2018-19 season was delayed over 20 games because of a kitchen accident that required surgery. He was on the shelf until late November. Once he returned to action, Rask wasn't scoring. In 26 games, he had just one goal and six points. Four of his points came in the nine days before the deal was made.
His time in Minnesota didn't go any better. Rask played parts of four seasons with the Wild, failing to turn things around. He was traded for future considerations to the Seattle Kraken in 2022 before signing in Switzerland for the 2022-23 season. The decline was very rapid for Rask, but there's still time for him to re-find his game.
Niederreiter was already a pretty big name, though far from a star
While he was drafted 5th overall by the New York Islanders in 2010, Niederreiter really became known during his days in Minnesota. During his first full season in 2013-14, he was the Game 7 hero for the Wild in the opening round. He scored a game-tying goal, assisted on another to force overtime, and won the series in overtime to help the Wild stun the Avalanche.
Niederreiter strung together three straight 20-goal seasons after that, capped by 25 goals and 57 points in 2016-17. However, like Rask, his numbers took a hit in 2017-18, scoring just 32 points in 63 games. He was having a better season than Rask at the time of the trade in 2019, with nine goals and 23 points in 46 games.
At the time of this trade, both Rask and Niederreiter were in the middle of long-term contracts with their respective teams. Rask was in Year 3 of a six-year contract, while Niederreiter was in the second year of his five-year agreement. While the change didn't suit Rask well, the Hurricanes knocked it out of the park with Niederreiter.
Niederreiter shone during his tenure with the Hurricanes
There wasn't much of a learning curve for Niederreiter once he joined the team. He recorded a pair of two-goal contests within his first four games. He had points in 23 of his 36 games after the trade. Despite not joining the team until mid-January, Niederreiter finished 9th on the team in points, scoring 30 points in 36 games, including the dagger to end the playoff curse in Game 81.
While I wouldn't classify him as a superstar with the Hurricanes, Niederreiter was pretty consistent. Playing three more full seasons in Raleigh, he added two more 20-goal campaigns, nearly topping his career high in 2021-22 with 24 goals.
The only knock against his time with the team was his playoff performances. Niederreiter made the playoffs during all four seasons, but he only scored seven goals and 12 points in 43 games. It became a small symptom of what prevented the team from really thriving in the playoffs. The Hurricanes have long lacked scoring depth when it matters most.
When his contract expired in 2022, Niederreiter stayed in the south, signing with the Nashville Predators. He was dealt again midseason, landing in Winnipeg, where he has played the last two seasons as well.
Do we overblow how lopsided this trade with Minnesota was? It's possible, but the facts are the facts. The Hurricanes obliterated the Wild in this 1-for-1, and history will reflect that until the end of time. I loved this trade in 2019, and I love it even more now. It's some of Don Waddell's finest work from an already dazzling tenure with the Hurricanes.