Set to embark on their seventh-consecutive postseason journey, the Carolina Hurricanes have already started acquiring reinforcements to try and elevate their roster to the next level. The shock trade that brought Mikko Rantanen and Taylor Hall to Raleigh and sent Martin Necas and Jack Drury to the Colorado Avalanche was potentially only the first step for ambitious general manager (GM) Eric Tulsky.
Let’s take a little stroll down memory lane to prove the importance of bolstering a roster leading into a playoff run. At the 2006 Trade Deadline, the Hurricanes’ acquisitions of Doug Weight and Mark Recchi proved to be the missing pieces of the puzzle and the team won the Stanley Cup. Making the right moves that can drive a team across the finish line first is always the goal at this time of year, so let’s take a look at a few players who could bring that difference-making presence to Carolina.
Nazem Kadri
The first question when it comes to Nazem Kadri is whether or not he is even available. While his name has been swirling in trade rumors since the start of last summer, recent reports suggest that inquiring teams have been told “no.” Personally, I believe this could just be posturing from Flames GM Craig Conroy, whose team is currently entrenched in the Western Conference wild-card race. The Flames are a long ways away from real contention, and have made moves over the past year to get younger as a group. Kadri, at age 34, is arguably their most desirable trade chip and his contract — which has another four years remaining at a $7 million average annual value (AAV) — was signed by their previous regime. And while that doesn’t mean they’re actively looking to move him, I would be surprised if they weren’t at least willing to answer the phone.
Assuming he’s available — why would the Hurricanes even want a player like Kadri? After all, his contract runs until past his 38th birthday. The answer is simple — he’s the second-line center the team has been searching for since Vincent Trocheck’s departure, and acquiring him would be a chance to fix that mistake. He has all of the intangibles you look for, and all of the intangibles that the Hurricanes have been desperately needing in their lineup. He’s scrappy, a well-known pest that gets under the opponent’s skin, tough to play against, and leaves it all out there. He also creates quite a lot of offense — he has 38 points in 53 games (which would be fourth on the Hurricanes) and positive possession metrics with a Corsi For of 52.4%. He’s the perfect fit.
Of course, with their current cap situation, the Hurricanes cannot absorb Kadri’s $7 million cap hit onto their books, despite having an abundance of cap space opening up this summer. To facilitate this deal, they would likely need Calgary to be willing to take on Jesperi Kotkaniemi and his $4.82 million AAV — which is something I feel they’d be open to doing. Over the past couple of years, the Flames have made a point of acquiring players under the age of 25 (Yegor Sharangovich, Morgan Frost, Joel Farabee), and Kotkaniemi would fit into that youth movement. Obviously the Hurricanes would have to add in a couple prospects or some draft capital to even the playing field, but the framework seems simple. The ‘Canes would be getting an immediate upgrade in Kadri for just over $2 million more per season, while Calgary would get a 23-year-old third-line center and some futures to continue their remodelling. Win-win for all parties.
Karel Vejmelka
At this point, it’s quite apparent to anybody that watches the Hurricanes on a regular basis that the team has…a bit of a goaltending problem. And to call it a “problem” might be a little bit harsh — they have two good goaltenders, but the issue is that they don’t necessarily have a great goaltender. Let me explain. While Frederik Andersen has his qualities and experience, he’s not been considered reliable (both health and consistency-wise) throughout his career. We’ve also all seen his postseason struggles first-hand. Meanwhile, Pyotr Kochetkov continues to evolve and while he’s lights-out when he’s on his game, he’s also had the issue of game-by-game consistency at this stage of his career. Are you confident in either of these netminders leading your group to a Stanley Cup?
That leads me to Utah Hockey Club’s Karel Vejmelka. He’s been one of the better goalies in hockey this season — he’s currently got a .910 save percentage (SV%) in 33 games, despite a very average roster in front of him. In front of the same team, his counterpart Connor Ingram has just a .884 SV% — a testament to how much better Vejmelka has fared. According to stats by MoneyPuck, his goals saved above expected is 12th in the league at 11.4. This has been the trend for years with Vejmeka — he’s a guy continuously playing high-level hockey behind a team that just isn’t very good. The Hurricanes, on the other hand, are good.
I’m sure you can see where I’m going with this. While Vejmelka doesn’t have any playoff experience (mostly due to the team he’s played on), he consistently gives his team a chance to win by elevating his own play. The Hurricanes have been desperate for a goaltender who offers a level of consistency — so I believe this is a match made in heaven. He’s also a pending unrestricted free agent (UFA), so it’s plausible that Utah would be open to moving him if they continue to fall behind in the playoff race. With Andersen’s contract also expiring this summer, Vejmelka is only 28 years old and could be a long-term solution to form a strong 1-2 punch with Kochetkov moving forward.
Oliver Bjorkstrand
Last but not least, Oliver Bjorkstrand is a player who makes sense for the Hurricanes for a multitude of reasons. He’s a strong, right-handed scoring winger who’s currently on pace for his seventh-consecutive season above a 20-goal pace. He’s got another year left on his contract as well, which makes him a bit more enticing than a rental. Bringing him on board would also allow Jackson Blake to slide back down the lineup — obviously, he’s a great prospect and future piece, but he’s currently over-slotted in his first-line right-win position and adding a guy like Bjorkstrand would really add balance and depth to the forward group.
With the Kraken way behind in the playoff race, Bjorkstrand’s name has recently started to surface in trade talk. He’s one of Seattle’s most valuable assets and with his contract set to expire after the 2025-26 season, he doesn’t really fit their competitive timeline. This type of a trade would likely require the Hurricanes to move money out (probably someone like Jack Roslovic) and work a little cap gymnastics, but it’s well within the realm of possibilities. Bjorkstrand can provide some secondary scoring and another shooting presence on what’s become a stagnant Hurricanes power-play unit.
Related: Hurricanes Should Target Morgan Geekie or Nick Schmaltz in a Trade
There’s been a lot of speculation that despite the Hurricanes’ blockbuster deal to acquire Rantanen, the team is still actively pursuing the trade market. Tulsky has shown a desire to be aggressive, and if a potentially difference-making player becomes available at the right price, I have the utmost faith in him making a deal that will benefit the team and strengthen their Stanley Cup chances. Kadri, Vejmelka and Bjorkstrand all fit that bill, and it’ll be interesting to see if any of them end up in Raleigh over the next few weeks before the March 7 Trade Deadline.
