Summertime Buzz: The Latest on the Carolina Hurricanes' Top Free Agency Rumors
The Carolina Hurricanes are on the hunt for deep talent as they lace ‘em up for a big offseason.
The Carolina Hurricanes are on the hunt for deep talent as they lace ‘em up for a big offseason.
With the fifth-lowest cap hit in the league (and the lowest out of teams that reached the playoffs within the past year), General Manager Eric Tulsky will have the white hot spotlight on him as he works to bolster the roster.
With many superstars entering the conversation in Carolina, one big question remains…
Will the Hurricanes finally be able to catch their big fish this summer? Or will the bizarre allegations of being a team no superstar dares step foot in leave them empty-handed on the shore?
Chief among the names floating around are Ontario native Mitch Marner, the other ‘Great Dane’ Nikolaj Ehlers, and the trade-board newcomer from sunshiny California, Jason Robertson. All three had strong personal seasons with their respective teams, but between lackluster postseasons and cap crunches, it is anticipated that they may be heading out the door sooner rather than later.
As we know, Marner’s name has been circulating all season long for just about every team in the league that doesn’t want to leave well enough alone. A real hot commodity and coinciding with the increasing salary cap, he is expected to fetch one of the highest contracts in the NHL. With more information now available from Carolina’s previous attempted transaction with Marner, the Hurricanes' assumed desire to add the pricey forward has taken an unexpected turn.
Remember that trade deadline attempt to send Mikko Rantanen north to Toronto for Mitch Marner, which was subsequently reported to have been nixed by Marner himself? Well, it just so happens a new report from The Athletic’s James Mirtle contradicts that by a long shot.
“According to league sources, there were also discussions around a Marner-to-Vegas transaction before the trade deadline this year, a move that would have involved the Hurricanes in a three-way deal”, Mirtle wrote on Monday. “Theoretically, the Leafs would have received Mikko Rantanen while the Golden Knights got Marner and sent something to Carolina…But it sounds like what killed the deal was Vegas and Carolina failing to find the right assets to include to get it done—not anything on the Toronto side.”
Quite frankly, the Vegas Golden Knights have reportedly been vying for Marner for a long time, according to Elliotte Friedman. “I do believe on some level last year that the Maple Leafs and Vegas talked about a trade”, he said Friday on the 32 Thoughts Podcast. “And this was last summer, at some point. I think Vegas was interested in Marner; I think Toronto talked to them, but nobody has ever confirmed it.”
If the latest insider reports are to be believed, then the likelihood of Marner signing in Carolina has dropped to the basement. The Golden Knights are more than likely going to be the frontrunner in the race to sign the superstar winger. However, with less dough in the coffers than Marner’s previous cap hit, they will undoubtedly have to make some hard decisions in their pursuit of this summer’s top unrestricted free agent.
Meanwhile, in Dallas, things have gotten interesting with Robertson.
Last week, the rumor mill was spitting out stories left and right regarding his presence on the trade block. However, things seem to have shifted when conflicting reports came onto the scene.
Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Citizen reported that The Ottawa Senators were considering a move for Drake Batherson, linking them to the Dallas Stars. However, according to his information, it doesn’t sound as though Robertson was available. “League executives say the Stars haven’t shown any interest in moving Robertson and there haven’t been any talks”, Garrioch wrote.
While Senators Owner Michael Andlauer publicly denied Garrioch’s report on Batherson, no one came out against the report on Robertson.
Nonetheless, the Robo rumors remain afly. Considering the cap crunch, chances are if they are unable to make room for key extensions in free agency, they may slap a stamp on Robertson’s butt and ship him out. If that comes to fruition, he certainly would not come cheap.
Meanwhile, Ehlers has been prominent in discussions throughout the hockey world. While it is uncertain whether he will stick it out with the Winnipeg Jets or jump to a new team is still up for debate, but whichever way he goes, he is expected to be a high-quality talent with a likely more reasonable price tag compared to the previously mentioned two.
While some good superstars are hitting the market or potentially up for trade this summer, one can’t help but wonder if this approach would really be best for Carolina at this time. Despite the massive retooling last offseason as major pieces departed the organization, as well as the continuous change before the trade deadline, they still made it deeper in the postseason than the year before.
The Hurricanes surpassed expectations.
Of course, that isn’t to say they shouldn't reel in that big fish, but rather that they should do so with caution unless they want to be eaten by that fish’s salary over the next several years. Multiple active players will become free agents in the near future. It would not be good for the Hurricanes’ front office to sabotage itself, as we are seeing many other teams deal with the consequences of the same this summer.
There are multiple fantastic players out there on the UFA market aside from the top three names which General Manager Eric Tulsky could pursue. Players like Matt Duchene, Brock Boeser, and Ryan Donato. Heck, it sounds like former superstar Jonathan Toews may even make that list.
Whichever way this offseason goes for the Carolina Hurricanes, expect it to be entertaining (and maybe a little terrifying).