With the Florida Panthers and Vegas Golden Knights battling for the Stanley Cup, it’s hard not to wonder if one more offensive threat could’ve been enough to get the Carolina Hurricanes over the hump. Could they have hoisted the Stanley Cup with a healthy Andrei Svechnikov and Max Pacioretty down the stretch? We will never know, but I believe it is an absolute necessity for Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell and company to thoroughly test the trade market in search of an elite finisher this offseason.
The Hurricanes were reportedly one of the final teams to bow out of the Timo Meier sweepstakes at the 2023 Trade Deadline. This was only around ten months removed from the Hurricanes reportedly being on Matthew Tkachuk’s short list before he was traded to the Florida Panthers. Meier was ultimately dealt to the New Jersey Devils who were eliminated in the second round in five games by the Hurricanes.
One word to describe the Hurricanes of late: close. They’ve been close to adding an elite scoring threat in Tkachuk or Meier. They were close to reaching the Stanley Cup Final despite all of their injuries and were arguably the better team in all four losses to the Panthers. However, after five straight playoff appearances, close is no longer good enough for this organization.
It feels like the Hurricanes are one blockbuster trade away from being a Stanley Cup favorite heading into the 2023-24 season. It’s up to Waddell to get it done. Now let’s take a look at a few of the names rumored to be on the market this offseason.
Alex DeBrincat
It was reported earlier this week that the Ottawa Senators were beginning to explore the trade market for forward Alex DeBrincat. The 25-year-old will likely generate a lot of interest thanks to his impressive shooting ability and prowess as a power-play specialist. I believe the Hurricanes should do their due diligence on the DeBrincat front, especially considering what he could add to their power play unit that finished 20th in the NHL in 2022-23 with a power play percentage of 19.8. He recorded 30 points on the man advantage this past season while helping the Senators boast the eighth-best power play in the league.
One of the major downsides to DeBrincat’s game is his below-average defense. However, I believe going to a team with an elite defense like Carolina would help him thrive as he enters the prime of his career. In essence, the Hurricanes and DeBrincat could help fill a glaring weakness for the other. Although, given Waddell’s earlier comments about wanting to add more size this offseason, there’s reason to believe they will look elsewhere given Debrincat’s small stature.
Elias Lindholm
Another name that has been floated around as a possible trade target is Calgary Flames forward Elias Lindholm. He was drafted by the Hurricanes with the fifth pick in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft and spent five seasons in Raleigh before being included in the 2018 trade with Calgary that brought Dougie Hamilton to Carolina. He has grown a lot as a player in his time in Calgary and now has a 40-goal season on his resume from the 2021-22 season. I believe the 28-year-old could thrive on this current Hurricanes roster if given the chance to return.
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It was reported that the Hurricanes reached out to Calgary at the trade deadline to discuss a possible deal for Lindholm. Could they revisit those talks this offseason? I would be surprised if they didn’t, but it will fascinating to follow throughout the offseason.
Clayton Keller
Another option that would certainly add some firepower to the Hurricanes roster is Arizona Coyotes forward Clayton Keller. The 24-year-old is coming off the best season of his young career, which saw him finish with 86 points (37 goals and 49 assists) shattering his previous career high of 65 points. His name has been floating around after it was reported that Coyotes general manager Bill Armstrong was looking to make significant changes this offseason.
Keller could bring a powerful shot and playmaking ability that could be just what Carolina needs to get over the hump in their quest for a Stanley Cup. While I don’t see this trade being as likely as the previous two I mentioned, I believe Keller is the best long-term option of the three players.
Get It Done
In my opinion, it’s an absolute necessity for Waddell and owner Tom Dundon to make a splash this offseason and add another scoring threat to the offense. The Hurricanes have the assets and cap space needed to make a move, it’s just a matter of finding the right player and getting the deal done. After another postseason coming up short and so many close calls on the trade front over the past 12 months, standing still and rolling with what you have is no longer an acceptable option. It is time to make a move that can make the Hurricanes the Stanley Cup favorite heading into the 2023-24 season.