Hurricanes Fans’ Fear of Small or No Deadline Move a Possibility

As the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline quickly approaches on March 8, the trade stove is warming up around the league. Rumors will start flying with different levels of shake-ups for franchises, which can make things interesting coming into the final stretch of the regular season. For the Carolina Hurricanes, it’s that time of year when people around the league and fans question what the team will do before or on deadline day. The Hurricanes over the last couple of seasons have been known to be a team that does not go for splash rental moves around this time of year. They’re more so known to make their bigger moves in the offseason, Brent Burns in the summer of 2022 and Michael Bunting along with Dmitry Orlov in 2023 come to mind. Going back to this team during the 2022-23 season saw Carolina adding Shayne Gostisbehere from the Arizona Coyotes for a 2026 third-round pick and Jesse Puljujarvi for Patrick Puistola.

There is likely a chance the Hurricanes could add a depth winger to help bring more balance to the offense as a possible 13th forward or a depth defenseman who can slot into the third-pair or even a more stable and usable seventh blueliner. That could entail moving Tony DeAngelo and/or Brendan Lemieux. However, they could move on from an upcoming unrestricted free agent (UFA) who might not re-sign with the team in the offseason like Brady Skjei, Brett Pesce, or even Antti Raanta. Doubtful they get moved but there is that possibility as well. Also, could the Hurricanes move on from one of the four goaltenders (not Pyotr Kochetkov due to being on year one of a four-year deal) if they need the room and cannot carry four goalies?

As of right now, no one outside of the Hurricanes front office knows what the team will do at the trade deadline. That notion makes fans nervous that they could just stand pat and run with the team as is. Carolina could shock everyone and make the moves that they don’t usually make. On Feb. 29, the Hurricanes stated that Frederik Andersen could be back the first week of March. If that is the case, there are more wrinkles to figure out with the team possibly having four healthy goalies whenever Raanta comes back as well. Will there be a goaltender move? It remains to be seen as of right now.

It will be interesting to see what the Hurricanes do around the deadline in about eight days. However, fans should brace themselves that either nothing will happen or as mentioned before, there is a depth move at best for Carolina. Whether it be on the wing or defense, do not set your expectations super high on an Elias Pettersson, Jacob Markstrom, or Juuse Saros acquisition. It would be nice to be wrong on what will happen at the trade deadline but if the past has shown fans anything, we could be in for a somewhat quiet deadline season for the team.