The Carolina Hurricanes are looking for help up front
The Fourth Period: The Carolina Hurricanes are looking to add a forward before Friday’s trade deadline and they have between $5 and $6 million to work with.
They are believed to have some interest in Pavel Buchnevich (Blues), Adam Henrique (Ducks), Frank Vatrano (Ducks), Tyler Toffoli (Devils) and Vladimir Tarasenko (Senators).
Buchnevich and Vatrano have a year left. This past offseason the Hurricanes tried to sign Tarasenko.
NHL Rumors: Expansion, Oilers, Flyers, Bruins and Hurricanes
The Buffalo Sabres have players they could move by Friday
Lance Lysowski of the Buffalo News: Kyle Okposo, Zemgus Girgensons and Erik Johnson are three pending UFAs that the Buffalo Sabres could move at the deadline.
Okposo has spoken with Sabres GM Kevyn Adams about the deadline.
“We’ve talked. I know where he stands, he knows where I stand, and I’ll leave it at that. We’re definitely on the same page and we’ll see what the next week brings us.”
The Sabres have a deep prospect pool and just under $26 million in projected cap space for next season. Teams have been inquiring about prospect Jiri Kulich but the Sabres don’t want to move him.
Moving Okposo should be easy for the Sabres to move if he wants to go somewhere. Johnson has a $3.25 million cap hit and has been inconsistent at even-strength. Teams will be interested in the right-handed Dman. Girgensons has $2.5 million cap and could interest someone looking for a top-six forward.
Victor Olofsson carries a $4.75 million cap hit and has been a healthy scratch almost 20 times this season.
NHL Rumors: Buffalo Sabres and Washington Capitals
The Sabres will need to decide if they want to extend forward Casey Mittelstadt or look to move him. They’d want assets that would help them win now.
Jordan Greenway and his $3 million cap hit but the Sabres should be looking for bottom-six players who play Greenway and not trading them.