Because of the ordeal with Mikko Rantanen, most of the hockey world's focus was there when the trade deadline rolled around this season. While the Rantanen deal to Dallas kept everyone awake the Thursday night before, it was a deal announced once the deadline passed that paid immediate dividends for the team.
Searching for a little size at the bottom of the lineup, the Hurricanes made a very small deal with the Nashville Predators, acquiring Mark Jankowski for a 2026 5th-round pick. By no means a move to make them immediate favorites for the Stanley Cup, this turned out to be a sneaky good trade that few people acknowledged.
Standing 6'4", Jankowski is a former 1st-round pick of the Calgary Flames, going 21st overall in 2012. After two exceptional seasons in Calgary, scoring 17 goals as a rookie and 32 points as a sophomore, Jankowski became little more than a depth player over the next several seasons. He played half a season in Pittsburgh and 19 games with Buffalo before making a home in Nashville.
He still never regained his scoring touch from his time in Calgary, scoring consistently with seven goals in each of his full seasons with the Predators. His 15 points in 2023-24 were his most since his second season, though far from replicating his best efforts. With Nashville at the bottom of the standings, the Predators helped the Canes out.
Jankowski's debut got him in good with the fans before a decent finish
Both debutants were on the ice for the team's first game after the deadline as the Canes hosted the Winnipeg Jets. Jankowski wasted little time getting in the Caniacs' good graces. Late in the first period, he buried a stretch pass from Scott Morrow past reigning Vezina winner Connor Hellebuyck, breaking the ice with a glove-high snipe and earning Morrow his first NHL point.
MARK JANKOWSKI‼️
— NHL (@NHL) March 9, 2025
He gets his first goal with the @Canes, while Scott Morrow picks up his first career NHL point! 🍎 pic.twitter.com/Um8d2sbja9
Jankowski doubled down early in the second, winning a battle in the crease to knock home a rebound and extend the lead. Logan Stankoven didn't want to be left out, scoring on the power play in the third period as the Canes beat the Jets, 4-2, behind an incredible game from the newest members of the roster.
With his multi-goal debut, Jankowski developed a reputation for scoring in bunches early in his stint with the team. Six days later, he scored twice more in Philadelphia. He closed out the team's West Coast trip with goals on back-to-back days in Los Angeles and Anaheim. In seven games, Jankowski already had six goals.
His scoring slowed over the last month, finishing with two goals in the final 12 games of the regular season. Jankowski accumulated 12 goals and 17 points between Nashville and Carolina, both his best since 2018-19. He began the postseason as a scratch, making eight appearances across three rounds. He only had one assist, picking up a helper in Game 5 against New Jersey.
With one year left on his contract, Jankowski is positioned to be the team's fourth-line center this season. He'll sit at the bottom of the lineup, but we've seen what he can do when he's given an opportunity. He hasn't played more than 60 games in a season in over six years, so this could be a big chance for him. This might feel like a throwaway trade, yet it could be very beneficial.