This post was originally published on this site.
Since the 2018-19 season, the Carolina Hurricanes have not missed the postseason. They’ve finished first or second in their division since the 2020-21 season and reached the Eastern Conference Final three times, including twice in the last three seasons, but have yet to advance to the Stanley Cup Final.
Next June will mark 20 years since the Hurricanes won their first and only Stanley Cup. Management will be shopping around in the trade market, hoping to land the right player who can help them bring the Cup back to Raleigh.
Previous general manager Don Waddell and current GM Eric Tulsky have been willing to pursue notable talent in the trade market. Between them, they acquired Max Pacioretty, Brent Burns, Jake Guentzel, and Mikko Rantanen since 2022, but none of those players were able to end the Hurricanes’ current Cup drought.
The Hurricanes are in “win-now” mode. They have a projected $39.5 million in trade deadline cap space and tradeable assets, including two first-round picks in 2028. They’ve made big swings in the market before, so there’s little reason to believe they won’t do it again.
Inconsistent goaltending remains an issue, but there are no surefire postseason starters currently in the trade market. Their pursuit of Guentzel in 2024 and Rantanen last season suggests they’ll go after another high-scoring forward to improve their struggling power play.