As the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline quickly approaches on March 8, the trade stove is warming up around the league. Rumors will start flying with different levels of shake-ups for franchises, which can make things interesting coming into the final stretch of the regular season. For the Carolina Hurricanes, it’s that time of year when people around the league and fans question what the team will do before or on deadline day. The Hurricanes over the last couple of seasons have been known to be a team that does not go for splash rental moves around this time of year. They’re more so known to make their bigger moves in the offseason, Brent Burns in the summer of 2022 and Michael Bunting along with Dmitry Orlov in 2023 come to mind. Going back to this team during the 2022-23 season saw Carolina adding Shayne Gostisbehere from the Arizona Coyotes for a 2026 third-round pick and Jesse Puljujarvi for Patrick Puistola.
Related: Hurricanes Fill Holes with Gostisbehere, Puljujärvi Trades
Over the last few weeks, maybe even months, fans on social media have been clamoring for the Hurricanes to trade for a scorer, a second-line center, and even a goaltender, especially during the woes of having so many goalies injured. However, general manager Don Waddell has come out the last few seasons stating that the Hurricanes will not make a trade to make trades along with how they don’t want to give up the future for rentals.
Back on Jan. 24, 2023, Waddell told TSN, “We certainly are in a different position because now we have cap space…But we still really like our team. We’re going to look and see if there’s anything that makes sense moving forward. But we’re otherwise not out there looking to make a deal just to make a deal.”
A good example of that was the Hurricanes not going after Patrick Kane or Timo Meier during the 2022-23 season. This won’t be received well, but do not be surprised if Carolina does not make noise at the 2024 NHL Deadline this season. If they do make any type of trade, it will most likely be a depth move if anything.
Hurricanes Could Stay Quiet at Deadline
However, things could possibly change at the deadline on March 8 for the Hurricanes. They know what is at stake, especially as they’re in the middle of a battle for their fourth-straight division title. This could be the season where Carolina could take a big swing and make a splash move at the deadline to get over the hump and win their second-ever Stanley Cup in franchise history. That being said, there is that chance of the Hurricanes staying the course and hearing the moniker that fans do not want to hear, “We like our group”. That is something fans do not want to hear but it could be uttered once again as the season gets closer to the 2024 NHL Playoffs.
Last season the Hurricanes added Gostisbehere from the Coyotes to help out the power-play that was in the mid-20s in the league. After acquiring him, the power play did get better. Unfortunately, he signed with the Detroit Red Wings on a one-year deal last summer. They went on to add Bunting and Orlov to add some grit along with some scoring touch on the blue line and in the forward core. Adding those two players makes it interesting for the team in terms of who they can acquire going into the upcoming deadline.
Related: 2024 NHL Trade Deadline Tracker
There is likely a chance the Hurricanes could add a depth winger to help bring more balance to the offense as a possible 13th forward or a depth defenseman who can slot into the third-pair or even a more stable and usable seventh blueliner. That could entail moving Tony DeAngelo and/or Brendan Lemieux. However, they could move on from an upcoming unrestricted free agent (UFA) who might not re-sign with the team in the offseason like Brady Skjei, Brett Pesce, or even Antti Raanta. Doubtful they get moved but there is that possibility as well. Also, could the Hurricanes move on from one of the four goaltenders (not Pyotr Kochetkov due to being on year one of a four-year deal) if they need the room and cannot carry four goalies?
As of right now, no one outside of the Hurricanes front office knows what the team will do at the trade deadline. That notion makes fans nervous that they could just stand pat and run with the team as is. Carolina could shock everyone and make the moves that they don’t usually make. On Feb. 29, the Hurricanes stated that Frederik Andersen could be back the first week of March. If that is the case, there are more wrinkles to figure out with the team possibly having four healthy goalies whenever Raanta comes back as well. Will there be a goaltender move? It remains to be seen as of right now.
It will be interesting to see what the Hurricanes do around the deadline in about eight days. However, fans should brace themselves that either nothing will happen or as mentioned before, there is a depth move at best for Carolina. Whether it be on the wing or defense, do not set your expectations super high on an Elias Pettersson, Jacob Markstrom, or Juuse Saros acquisition. It would be nice to be wrong on what will happen at the trade deadline but if the past has shown fans anything, we could be in for a somewhat quiet deadline season for the team.
