Carolina Hurricanes GM Don Waddell said he'd explore the trade market before free agency. Who's speculated to be a trade target?
Jesper Fast, Paul Stastny and Jordan MartinookCarolina Hurricanes GM Don Waddell made two significant trades last summer by acquiring Brent Burns and Max Pacioretty. He intends to be active again in this summer's trade market.
During his end-of-season press conference on Wednesday, Waddell indicated the trade route is something he'll explore “very heavily” before free agency, which begins on July 1.
Waddell would like to add more scoring but added he's seeking more than just a pure goal-scorer.
“We'd like to get a little heavier, if possible,” he said.
Those comments should perk up the ears of GMs hoping to swing some trades once the Stanley Cup final has ended. With all 32 GMs in Nashville for the 2023 NHL draft on June 28 and 29, there could be opportunities for Waddell to make a deal or two to address his needs.
CapFriendly shows the Hurricanes with $24.1 million in cap space and 17 active roster players for 2023-24. Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta are slated to become UFAs on July 1, but some of that cap space could go toward bringing back one or both goaltenders. Team captain Jordan Staal is also expected to return.
Waddell should still have sufficient space to make an addition or two via the trade market.
Perhaps he'll attempt to bring back Elias Lindholm. The Athletic's Michael Russo and Eric Duhatschek reported on May 15 that the Hurricanes GM tried hard to reacquire Lindholm at the trade deadline. Nine days later, Sportsnet's Ken Wiebe suggested Mark Scheifele as a possible Hurricanes trade target.
Speaking of the Jets, a better option might be two-way center Pierre-Luc Dubois. As an RFA who's a year away from UFA eligibility, he might be a better fit within head coach Rod Brind'Amour's system than Scheifele.