The Carolina Hurricanes quietly celebrated the 7th anniversary of the day Jeff Skinner was dealt to the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday. Often the brightest star during the team's dark days, the trade was one of several major decisions the organization made during the 2018 offseason as its new regime took shape.
The 2011 Calder Trophy winner is one of six players in organization history with 200 goals. He fetched the Hurricanes prospect Cliff Pu and three draft picks. Skinner was unable to help Buffalo reach the playoffs during his six seasons in New York, though he cracked 30 goals three times, with 40 goals in 2018-19. He made the playoffs this season with Edmonton, reaching the Cup Final.
While draft picks are nothing more than magic beans that can turn into something big in the future, Cliff Pu was the only part of the trade that didn't benefit the Hurricanes. He spent the start of the season in Charlotte before being traded to the Florida Panthers for future considerations six months later. He's played outside of North America since 2021.
While two picks took time to materialize, one was helped immediately
After returning to the playoffs in 2019, the Hurricanes needed an upgrade in the net. Curtis McElhinney exited at the end of the season, and Scott Darling hadn't panned out. Before free agency began, the team sent Darling and the 2020 6th-round pick to the Panthers for James Reimer. With Sergei Bobrovsky holding things down, the Canes hoped Reimer would pair well with Petr Mrazek.
During his first season, Reimer wasn't rewarded for his efforts early, winning eight of his first 16 games, despite a .914 save percentage. Things improved during the new year. Reimer earned points in his final nine decisions before his regular season was ended six minutes into the David Ayres game. He returned in the bubble, eliminating the Rangers in Game 3 and starting two games against Boston.
Mrazek and Reimer returned to form the team's duo during the shortened 2021 campaign. An early injury to Mrazek thrust Reimer into the starter role while rookie Alex Nedeljkovic stepped up. Reimer won games, going 15-5-2 in 22 games, but he was relegated to the third string once Mrazek returned and the playoffs rolled around. He departed during the offseason and signed with San Jose.
Pyotr Kochetkov and Alexander Nikishin are the real prizes of his trade
With the two picks the Hurricanes used from the trade, I'd say they came away with two great players. In the 2nd round in 2019, the Canes selected Pyotr Kochetkov. The following year, they used the 3rd-round selection on Alexander Nikishin. It has taken the team some time to see a return on their investment, but both are positioned to make huge impacts this season.
We've grown familiar with Kochetkov's game since he made the jump in 2022. He became an immediate favorite, showing a willingness to throw his body into anything, dive for any poke check, and win by any means necessary. Kochetkov has been an invaluable part of the last three seasons, starting more than 40 games in each of the last two, including a career-high 47 last season.
It felt like we waited a lifetime for Nikishin to arrive in North America. He finally signed his entry-level deal late last season, making his NHL debut in Game 5 of the second round and earning his first point in the Eastern Conference Finals. After being one of the most prolific offensive defensemen in the KHL, Nikishin is positioned to be just that in the NHL now.
The Hurricanes turned a 30-goal scorer into two good seasons of James Reimer, a potential star goalie, and a defenseman whose NHL potential will be realized this season. For as shocking as the trade was when it happened, it has become one of the best trades in franchise history. While we don't know what it could become in the end, we're just scratching the surface seven years later.