The Hurricanes still have moves to make this summer.
The Carolina Hurricanes have seen a ton of change this summer. NHL Free Agency saw them lose forward Teuvo Teravainen as well as forward Stefan Noesen. Carolina's biggest loss was forward Jake Guentzel. They traded Guentzel to the Tampa Bay Lightning before NHL Free Agency. And he signed a seven-year contract with the Lightning. As a result, there is room for Carolina to make more moves.
The Hurricanes did add some new names to the roster. On Monday, they brought back Shayne Gostisbehere on a three-year contract. Furthermore, they brought in defenseman Sean Walker to strengthen the blueline. On Wednesday night, the Hurricanes signed Jack Roslovic to give them added depth among their group of forwards.
Still, Carolina has room to make more moves. That said, NHL Free Agency has significantly thinned out at this point. The top free agent left in terms of points scored is veteran forward Daniel Sprong. Sprong would be a worthwhile addition, but there are better options on the trade market. With that in mind, here are two trade targets for the Hurricanes to consider this summer.
Patrik Laine could be an option
The Hurricanes could use an injection of talent on the wing after NHL Free Agency. There are a few different wing targets for them to go after. However, if they want to take a big swing, Columbus Blue Jackets forward Patrik Laine is quite the swing to take.
Laine is looking to leave the Blue Jackets this summer. And Columbus is trying to accommodate this request. Things simply have not worked out well in Ohio for the former second-overall pick. When healthy, Laine has shown he can be a consistent 50+ point scorer in this league. However, staying healthy is something Laine struggled with this past season.
If the Hurricanes pursue the Blue Jackets forward, it'll be a complicated trade. Laine carries a cap hit of $8.7 million for the next two seasons. Technically, Carolina could take on this entire cap hit. But it would account for a good chunk of their remaining $11.6 million in cap room. With Jack Drury and Seth Jarvis needing extensions, it's unlikely this will get done without salary retention.
The Hurricanes could bring Laine in and bet on him playing better with a better supporting cast. Even if he doesn't improve his usual numbers, you can't go wrong with a player who can score nearly 60 points a season. Especially if they can convince the Blue Jackets to eat a significant portion of his salary in any potential trade.
Hurricanes may target Nikolaj Ehlers
The Hurricanes could take another big swing but in a much different manner. Nikolaj Ehlers is not signing long-term with the Winnipeg Jets. As a result, Winnipeg is likely to explore its options this summer to try and find a trade for him. Carolina certainly could be a great fit for the Danish winger.
Ehlers has also shown he can produce more than 50 points in a season when healthy. This past season saw him score 25 goals and 61 points for the Jets in the regular season. Looking beneath the surface, Ehlers may have more of an offensive impact in the tank. He has recorded a combined 10.1 offensive goals above replacement in the last two seasons. This is below his expected output of 17.1 offensive goals above replacement over the last two years.
The Hurricanes could put Ehlers in a position to truly breakout offensively. If that happens, it would certainly soften the blow of losing Jake Guentzel and Teuvo Teravainen in NHL Free Agency. And it could give Carolina an important piece as they try to win the Stanley Cup sooner rather than later.
