The morning of Friday's deadline was a very slow one. News out of Raleigh was almost non-existent despite the rumors that we'd been hearing for the last few weeks. Things remained very slow into the afternoon, but it started to pick up with about 90 minutes remaining before the 3 pm deadline. That's when the Hurricanes made their first move.
The Hurricanes added to the bottom of the lineup by acquiring Nicolas Deslauriers from the Philadelphia Flyers for a conditional 2027 seventh-round draft pick. The conditions of the pick weren't immediately made known, but it's an incredibly small price for the team to pay for a physical player like Deslauriers. He's in the final year of a four-year contract, owning a $1.75 million cap hit.
This is not an addition that will jump off the page, especially as a team in need of scoring and a second-line center. In fact, Deslauriers has just one assist in 24 games with the Flyers this season. However, if there's one thing you know about him, it's that Deslauriers can fight. He's not the biggest player in the league, but he'll gladly punch your face in if you upset him.
It's not a move that will move the needle for most fans. In fact, some will actively roll their eyes about the Canes adding a fourth-line player before addressing some of the bigger issues. A lot of fuss is made about grit and not getting pushed around. The Caniacs sometimes worry about players not standing up for one another. You don't have to worry about that with Deslauriers around.
This is the first move that the Hurricanes have made at the deadline this season, but there is still some time remaining before the clock hits 3 pm. Maybe there's another move in the works. If this is all that the Hurricanes do, it might feel underwhelming, but I don't hate this as a depth addition, especially with as little as the Canes gave up.