Carolina Hurricanes: Five potential trade deadline targets
By Tyler Young
With the NHL Trade Deadline quickly approaching, the Carolina Hurricanes could be active this weekend.
Monday’s trade deadline is quickly approaching, and with it is the final opportunity for the Carolina Hurricanes to make a big splash as they gear up for a postseason run. Currently, the Canes are tied with the Islanders and Blue Jackets for fourth-place in the Metro Division, and sit just a single-point behind Flyers for the final playoff spot. Fortunately for Carolina, they are well-positioned to potentially clinch a wild-card berth. Nonetheless, the deadline provides the Hurricanes an opportunity to gain a huge boost ahead of the playoffs. Here are five players the Canes could go after.
Shayne Gostisbehere
If the Canes are looking to move a first-round pick for some defensive help, all reports indicate they want a defensemen with term. Provided his return from injury is sooner rather than later, Shayne Gostisbehere could be an ideal target. The Flyers man has averaged 46 points in his first four full seasons in the NHL.
The man call “Ghost Bear” is undeniably talented, and with three years left on his current contract, it’s easy to visualize him fitting into the defensive pairings once Dougie Hamilton returns. Before being sidelined with a knee injury, Gostisbehere tallied five goals and seven assists in 41 games, with nearly half of those points coming on the power play. While it’s a big ask to totally replace what Hamilton was providing before his injury, a defenseman that offers quality playmaking ability on the power play certainly would go a long way toward softening the blow.
As with most of the moves on this list, some financial work would be needed so that Gostisbehere’s contract doesn’t take up too much of the remaining $5.5 million in cap space that the Canes are currently working with. For a player of his caliber, though, it shouldn’t be a problem.