Carolina Hurricanes Pre-Draft Needs, Wants, and Out-of-the-Box Additions

Eric Tulsky can go on a shopping spree, and the hockey world should be afraid

As the NHL brings a new deck into the stack with the Entry Draft, it signals a reshuffling of the cards as new hands are dealt among teams. Sitting at that table is the Carolina Hurricanes, who have had a notably quiet offseason compared to what many may have expected early on.

However, that isn’t anticipated to last long. With the Draft on the doorstep and Free Agency glaring from the driveway, GM Eric Tulsky will have his hands full. There is a ‘War and Peace’ length list of things the Hurricanes’ front office could attempt, so I shalt spare thou of any jaded dialogue oft heard all too commonly.

…Yeah, let's forget that last bit just happened and dive into potential trades we could see.

The Carolina Hurricanes Have Options on the Trade Market

At the top of the list is Tomáš Hertl, the Vegas Golden Knights’ second line center. With strong defensive play and size to back him up, he may very well be just the man the Hurricanes have been looking for…if he is willing.

His current contract includes a modified trade clause, allowing him a three-team approved trade list. Whether Carolina is on there or not, or if he’d be willing to waive it, remains unknown.

Nonetheless, it seems that the Hurricanes have possibly already played a quick card for this game.

According to Cam Robinson of Elite Prospects, there was ‘smoke’ of a possible deal between Carolina and Vegas in recent days, aiming to bring Hertl to the City of Oaks and freeing up cap space so there would be room for Mitch Marner in Sin City. However, it was soon revealed that there weren’t any active deals. All the same, where there is smoke, there is fire, so pairing this with previous rumors reveals the possibility that someone may be bluffing.

Outside of the forward situation, a real wild card in Carolina lies in the goaltending. With Spencer Martin and Dustin Tokarski’s futures with the organization uncertain, and Ruslan Khazheyev continuing to develop his skills in the AHL, the Hurricanes will likely consider an addition to the crease.

Luckily, there are some talented tendies up for tradesies in the Vancouver Canucks’ Thatcher Demko and the Columbus Blue Jackets’ Elvis Merzļikins. Demko is a shakier choice, considering his injury frequency, but posts decent numbers nonetheless. Meanwhile, Merzļikins is older, yet has the same experience in the league, as well as numbers below those of Demko. However, he is less prone to injury than the former.

They each have their own upsides and downsides, but both would be fine choices for a third man up should Carolina find themselves in a pickle.

Pipe Dreams of Possible Schemes

This is where things get fun. Perhaps these ideas may be less likely to be realized, but man, how wild it would be if they were.

Jason Robertson

Quite frankly, the best player up for trade would be the man who has been churning in the rumor mill like a fine butter the past three weeks: Jason Robertson. The Dallas Stars aren’t currently shopping him. However, with the salary cap tightening its grip on the front office, they have reportedly started taking calls on the 25-year-old left wing. Perhaps Carolina will ring the phones.

Jordan Kyrou

In a shocking turn of events, the St. Louis Blues are rumored to have Jordan Kyrou up for grabs. Naturally, it would cost an arm and a leg, but considering the centerman’s skill, it could complement Carolina’s top six well.

Jonathan Marchessault

The Nashville Predators recently hit the headlines with reports of Jonathan Marchessault potentially entering the market. The 2023 Conn Smythe Trophy winner would be an incredible add for the Hurricanes…but we may want to pump the brakes for the curve in this story. Recently, the Predators GM Barry Trotz dumped 80 gallons of cold water onto this rumor.

“There’s no truth to any of that”, Trotz said in a pre-draft media availability. “There’s nothing happening. I didn’t know if anything was happening, so I just double checked with [Marchessault’s agent] that maybe I missed something. I didn’t miss anything.”

Noah Dobson

With the Number 1 overall draft pick this year, the New York Islanders have an interesting choice to make. If they go for the top-rated player, Matthew Schaefer, who is a speedy two-way defenseman, they may be more open to dropping veteran blueliner Noah Dobson, who recently hit the trade board. Reportedly asking for a long-term contract with an average annual value of $11M, it is something the Hurricanes could swing for to get a young, talented right-shot defenseman–something they need.

Martin Nečas

Okay, I know it is crazy, but hear me out. The Hurricanes didn’t retain Martin Nečas’ salary, so there is at least a shred of a possibility. It would certainly be a crazy trade, but not the craziest moment in Hurricanes history...right? The likelihood is the slimmest of them all at this point, but hey, this is why we call it a pipe dream, buddy. Just a small dream to make everyone’s red #88 sweaters and friendship bracelets relevant again.

In Conclusion

Whether the craziness happens before, during, or after the Draft is unknown, but according to Tulsky’s bold admissions, it sounds like wild moves aren’t even a question at this point. One thing is certain: this offseason may be a very wild ride for the Caniacs.