Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Brett Pesce returns to the NHL rumor mill as a topic of trade speculation after fading earlier in the summer.

Slated to become a UFA next July, Brett Pesce's future with the Carolina Hurricanes became a topic of interest in the rumor mill earlier in the off-season. The conjecture faded over the summer, but of late, the 28-year-old defenseman is getting mentioned again as a trade candidate.

Sportsnet's Ryan Dixon recently wondered whether the Hurricanes will sign Pesce to an extension or attempt to trade him for a scoring forward. He thinks they could ride out the season with him as a self-rental if an agreement on a new deal isn't reached.

Dixon also suggested the Buffalo Sabres as a trade destination if the Hurricanes decide to peddle Pesce. The Athletic's Saad Yousuf included him among several options for the Dallas Stars to bolster their blueline depth on the right side.

Yousuf's colleague Cory Lavalette suggested the Hurricanes could move Pesce or fellow pending UFA defenseman Brady Skjei for assets while clearing some cap space, which could be placed toward boosting their scoring.

Of the two, Lavalette believes Pesce is the most likely to be traded. He thinks GM Don Waddell would want at least a first-round pick in return, which could be used as a bargaining chip to add a scorer near the 2024 trade deadline.

Pesce carries a $4.025-million cap hit this season. His 15-team no-trade clause gives him a measure of control over where he could be shipped.

Despite Pesce's affordable cap hit, the high number of teams with limited salary cap space this season could further complicate attempts to move him. Waddell might have to settle for a dollar-in, dollar-out scenario.