Would the Carolina Hurricanes actually consider trading Brett Pesce?

Brett Pesce is a homegrown, top-four defensive talent, beloved by staff, teammates and fans and who is also currently on a sweetheart deal. 

The Hurricanes' 2013 third-round pick has spent eight seasons as a stalwart wall on the Carolina blueline and just weeks ago, emphasized his desire to remain a Cane.

“I want to be here my whole career," Pesce said in his exit interview. "Raleigh's my home.

"I’ve only been here my whole career, but even just talking to guys coming in, it seems that we’ve got it good here. The weather, the community, the team, the coaching staff, everything. It’s just an unbelievable place.”

So how in the world did we get here?

Well that's because it was reported Thursday by Pierre LeBrun on TSN's Insider Trading show, that if Carolina can't extend Pesce this summer, they'll potentially look to move him.

"If the Hurricanes have their way, they're not trading Brett Pesce; They're signing him to an extension," LeBrun said. "Those talks continue with his camp and agent Judd Moldaver. But, I think the Hurricanes are also pretty resolute that if they can't extend Brett Pesce, they will move him this summer to get max value on the asset with a year left on his contract."

Perhaps a lot of these talks started swirling because Pesce recently picked up new representation in Judd Moldaver, an agent who represents clients like Auston Matthews ($58,195,000 - $11,639,000 AAV), Roman Josi ($72,472,000 - $9.059 million AAV) and Zach Werenski ($57.5 million - $9,583,333 AAV) and so demonstrably has a tract record of squeezing money out of a team.

There is also the recent contract comparable of Damon Severson.

The 28, nearly 29, year old, has good underlying numbers, but plays in a more sheltered role and only has a career high of 43 points. Despite that, he got paid on an eight-year, $50 million ($6.25 million AAV) contract.

Let's get one thing straight, the issue isn't with paying Pesce that much money, as his market value is tremendously high and he's already cost the Hurricanes so little.

Former general manager Ron Francis had locked Pesce up on a six-year, $25.15 million ($4.025 million AAV) contract, so he more than deserves a sizable raise.

However, the issue is with the potential length of the contract, because the largest concerns with Pesce are his health and longevity.

At 28-years old, the rugged defender has already had two major shoulder injuries on his right shoulder - electing for surgery after the second one in 2020 - and he's taken his fair share of additional injuries as well.

It's because he plays hard. That's just the way he is.

I remember asking him in 2021, with only a few games remaining in the regular season, if there was ever any reservations about going down to block shots when the games start to not matter.

"I don't think that really crosses anyone's mind," Pesce said. "At the end of the day, everyone is so competitive, so whether you're 20 points back or 20 points ahead, it doesn't matter. You play the same way."

Pesce led the team in blocked shots (110), but was also in the top quarter of the team in in hits taken (114) this past season. 

Those numbers ramped up in the postseason where the defenseman blocked 31 shots (the team lead) and absorbed 39 hits in only 15 games.

That's a lot of wear on a body.

However, Pesce has only missed 20 regular season games over the last four seasons since his shoulder surgery. There's a case to be made that the physical toll hasn't had too much of an impact on him, and that he could continue to play out a longer contract.

But even if the team and player want to argue back and forth between the potential length of a new deal, there's the reality that you also can't really just replace a player as integral as Pesce is.

According to PuckIQ.com, Pesce played more minutes versus 'elite' competition than anybody else on the team, and in those minutes, had the highest GF% as well at 56.7% (17 scored to 13 against).

The veteran blueliner is also a penalty killing machine, having played the second most shorthanded minutes - only eight less than Jaccob Slavin - on the league's second best penalty killing team (84.4%).

Add into the mix Pesce's grit, willingness to get physically involved after whistles - nobody on the Canes has had as many fighting majors in the past five seasons as he has - and his more than capable abilities in the offensive zone, and the New York native is just as much a critical part of Carolina's core as anyone else.

But this is a business at the end of the day and the Hurricanes are going to make the decisions that they believe are the best for the team in the long run. 

One of those decisions is weighing the pros and cons of extending a defenseman into his 30s, a time when blueliners start to steadily decline.

However, I fail to see the immediate return of value being enough to offset the impact of Pesce leaving, unless it's for a bonafide offensive star.

The Canes have routinely utilized their expiring contracts as self-rentals, allowing those players to play out their deals so the team can get a shot at another deep playoff run.

If an extension can't be reached, that should still be the same approach the Hurricanes take because who's coming in and taking on Pesce's minutes and having as much success as he does?

One option obviously is Jalen Chatfield, who had a breakout season with Carolina this year, but a defense with both Pesce and Chatfield is better than a defense with just Chatfield.

Because we have to remember that Carolina's defense is their team specialty. It's what makes them work. 

Having an elite blueline with no holes from top to bottom allows them to have confidence in any game situation, with any pairing and it also allows them to not have to worry so much about having an elite goaltender, because look at the goalie stats for the journeymen netminders that have come through here before and after their stints in Carolina.

That begins to unravel when you start creating holes in your blueline.

The bottom line is that Pesce is a key piece of the Hurricanes' current success. Any trade that involves him would have to be for an elite talent coming back not only because of Pesce's clear talent, but also because of the incredible cost-efficiency of his current deal.

The Canes have operated in a very clear-cut manner before, so it wouldn't surprise me if tough negotiations lead to no extension being signed this summer, but trading Pesce more than likely won't be a net positive for this upcoming season, again, barring an elite talent coming back.

Perhaps in three to four years, but not immediately. 

And with Carolina's window balancing very precariously with the way their contracts are structured, they need to have the strongest roster possible for perhaps a final push with this core.

Stats from NHL.com, NaturalStatTrick.Com and PuckIQ.com.