The Carolina Hurricanes didn't start their road trip on the best footing. They saw their winning streak and point streak come to a halt at the hands of Joey Daccord (35 saves) and the Seattle Kraken on Monday night, beginning their journey with a 2-1 loss. Nikolaj Ehlers was the lone Hurricane to beat Daccord, scoring late in the second period to prevent the shutout.
Tonight marks the Hurricanes' final game before Friday's trade deadline, which means we could see some changes made to the roster over the next few days. With as many irons in the fire as the Canes seem to have at the moment, it feels borderline expected that something will happen. At least we can take solace in the speculation being over by 3 pm on Friday.
On the Other Side: Vancouver Canucks
Last meeting: The Hurricanes didn't make it easy on themselves, but they prevailed over the Canucks when they visited in November. There was a lot of offense in the opening 10 minutes, with the sides scoring two goals apiece. They were tied at three after 60 minutes before Sebastian Aho scored the winner in overtime. Andrei Svechnikov had two goals and an assist in the win for the home team.
The vibes in Vancouver have certainly been better because this has largely been a season to forget. The Canucks were hovering around .500 when they visited Raleigh. It has pretty much been downhill from there. Since Christmas, the Canucks have won just three games, going 3-17-4 and losing their last six contests (0-4-2).
The Canucks started unloading early, sending franchise cornerstone Quinn Hughes to the Minnesota Wild in December. He's the first of what could be several players out the door by the time Friday's deadline passes. They figure to be one of the biggest sellers at this year's deadline, with many skaters currently on the block, according to many insiders.
Obviously, the product on the ice is going to take a major hit whenever you trade guys. The Canucks own the league's worst record by a considerable margin, making them the frontrunners to land the top pick. They rank 30th in goals scored and dead last in goals allowed, with Thatcher Demko struggling to remain healthy again. They're counting down the days until this nightmare ends.
Canucks to Watch
Jake DeBrusk: Despite signing a long-term deal with the Canucks not long ago, DeBrusk's name is floating around as a potential trade option. He doesn't seem inclined to stick around for a rebuild, which is almost certainly where Vancouver is heading. DeBrusk is tied for second on the team in goals (13) and third in points (29), though he has just one assist during their losing streak.
Brock Boeser: Last summer, Boeser opted to stick around and signed a seven-year extension with the Canucks. Since his 40-goal campaign in 2023-24, scoring has been hard to come by for Boeser, and this season is no exception. I don't think he's likely to be moved by Friday, especially with a No-Movement Clause in his contract, though he appears to be in play.
Hurricanes to Watch
Logan Stankoven: This is Stankoven's last chance to convince the front office that they don't need to make an upgrade to the second-line center spot. To his credit, he came out of the break on a roll, with his line being one of the team's most prominent. They failed to score on Monday, but the same could be said for everyone. Plus, he should have an extra pep in his step as a British Columbia kid.
Alexander Nikishin: We talked about Nikishin's night on Monday and how it wasn't his best effort. He was liable for both of Seattle's goals in some fashion. This led to Nikishin's ice time plummeting in the third period. I'm expecting a rebound game for Nikishin, hopefully ending with him tying the rookie defenseman record with his eighth goal of the season.