NHL Rumors: Carolina Hurricanes, and the Buffalo Sabres

Hurricanes GM has spoken with the agents of three players who’ll be UFAs after the season

Tom Gulitti of NHL.com: Among the Carolina Hurricanes entering the final year of their contracts are forward Teuvo Teravainen and defensemen Brett Pesce and Brady Skjei.

Hurricanes GM Don Waddell said that he’s spoken with the agents off all three but are not close to any deals.

“We’ve had talks, but nothing close,” Waddell said. “We’ve reached out to all of the different agents just to tell them our interest. You try to go a year early, which is always tough. But I look at it two ways: it’s protection for us but also for them not having to worry about playing out a year. Injuries and all those things come into factor. So, we’re trying to find medium ground that works both for the player and the team.”

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Waddell added that talks will continue but if they are talking with other teams and something comes up that make sense, they can afford to move someone.

Waddell said that although there is a mutual interest, they currently don’t have the salary cap space to sign UFA forward Vladimir Tarasenko.

The Sabres have some flexibility, don’t expect a Swayman offer sheet and Olofsson won’t be extended

Lance Lysowski of the Buffalo News: (mailbag) Buffalo Sabres GM Kevyn Adams has the flexibility to make a trade if some of their young players are not ready, but trading a bunch of their future assets for a star player in the next two years would mean something went terribly wrong. You need young players on entry-level contracts.

If the Sabres signed Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman to an offer sheet of around $5 million AAV, it would cost them a first- and third-round pick. Sabres GM Adams wouldn’t pay that price.

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Given the Sabres prospects on the wing, they aren’t going to sign Victor Olofsson to a contract extension. He’s entering the last year of his contract.