Three-team trades are tough to navigate because of several moving pieces. We saw that firsthand with the Mikko Rantanen trade from Colorado in January. There have been plenty of three-team trades in team history, though a trade in 2022 led to one of the best Game 7 performances in franchise history.
The 2022 deadline was a quiet one for the Hurricanes, but they pulled out a late trade to look like they'd done something. They sat atop the Metropolitan Division on March 21st, and while they had one of the best defenses in the league, they yearned for a little offensive help. Enter the Columbus Blue Jackets and Max Domi.
The trade began with the Blue Jackets trading Domi, with half of his cap hit retained, and a 2022 6th-round pick to the Florida Panthers for defensive prospect Tyler Inamoto. Then, Florida traded Domi, with another 25 percent of his cap retained, to the Canes for forward Egor Korshkov. The last leg of the deal saw the Canes swap 2021 draftee Aidan Hreschuk for Inamoto.
Most of the deal either didn't work out for all three teams
Originally drafted by the Maple Leafs, Korshkov hadn't suited up for the Charlotte Checkers or the Carolina Hurricanes. He scored a goal in his NHL debut with Toronto in 2020, but the 2019-20 season was his only full season in North America. He also hasn't played for Florida, returning to the KHL in 2020, where he remains.
With the 6th-round pick they acquired, the Panthers selected forward Joshua Davies out of the Western Hockey League 186th overall. Davies made the jump to the pros full-time last season, splitting reps between the ECHL and the AHL. He's a physical player who found his scoring touch during his final season in the WHL. Maybe he'll find it for the Panthers, too.
The Hurricanes selected Hreschuk in the 3rd round in 2021. While coming in under 6', he's not one to shy away from physicality. The Blue Jackets had until August 15th to sign Hreschuk or lose his rights, opting for the latter. Now a free agent, the Boston College Eagle could find a new home with a team soon.
Like with Columbus and Hreschuk, the Hurricanes never agreed to a contract with Inamoto. After five seasons with Wisconsin, Inamoto turned pro and signed with the Ontario Reign, the Los Angeles Kings' AHL affiliate. He has spent most of his pro career between the ECHL and the AHL, never scoring more than nine points in a season.
Domi will be remembered for his Game 7 performance against Boston
All the Canes needed was for the centerpiece of the deal to work out to "win" this three-team trade. On pace for some of his best numbers in a few years, Domi's pace slowed once he reached the Hurricanes. While a two-assist performance against the Capitals in his third game was promising, Domi managed just four helpers in his first 13 games.
On April 18th, playing against the team that drafted him 12th overall in 2013, Domi finally found the back of the net. Beating Karel Vejmalka early in the second period, the goal to make it 3-0 was Domi's first with the Canes and the 100th of his NHL career. He added an assist in the game, too. With another goal on Long Island a week later, Domi finished with seven points in 19 games post-trade.
Domi didn't set the world on fire in the playoffs either, but his performance in Game 7 of the 1st round will allow him to remain a folk hero in Hurricanes history until the end of time. Through six games, Domi had just two assists, coming in Games 1 and 4. With the series tied at three and the threat of a huge upset looming, Domi had the game of a lifetime.
Late in a scoreless opening frame, Domi set up Teuvo Teravainen for the ice breaker in front of the net. In the second period, he scored his first playoff goal, burying a rebound at the side of the net. Just over seven minutes later, Domi doubled up, clapping a one-timer from the slot past Jeremy Swayman. The Canes held on for a 3-2 victory, with Domi factoring on all three goals.
As the Canes bowed out in the second round, Domi was limited to a goal in the team's Game 7 loss to the Rangers. He signed with Chicago that offseason before being traded to Dallas at the trade deadline. Ironically, he put up identical numbers with the Stars until he blew up for 13 points in the playoffs. Domi has spent the last two seasons in Toronto, where his dad, Tie, played 12 seasons.
This isn't a pretty trade for any of the teams involved, but the Hurricanes earned the clear edge based on Domi's Game 7 performance alone. It's one of the most surprising, though it reaffirms the idea that rentals can be valuable in big situations. Not every trade has to be a home run. This one was more of a double, albeit a bases-clearing one.