The Hurricanes have moved on Skinner, but don’t have move Faulk if they don’t to
Luke DeCock of the Raleigh News & Observer: The asking price for defenseman Justin Faulk has been high. The early acquisition of Dougie Hamilton could make Faulk expendable, but it doesn’t mean they will trade him this offseason.
Even if Faulk’s role diminishes this season, he’s under contract for two more years and the Hurricanes are not a salary cap situation and don’t have to move.
Luke DeCock and Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer: When it became clear that the Carolina Hurricanes wouldn’t be re-signing Jeff Skinner, they would need to move him instead of losing him for nothing after the season.
They had been trying to move since the season ended, but it took a while for there to be a deal that Skinner and the Hurricanes were okay with. The Canes had been hoping for a first-round pick. GM Don Waddell:
“We said at the end of the year we were going to look at all our options. With Buffalo, we got a plethora of draft picks. We got a prospect we like.
“Jeff’s a good guy. He’s a good player. But he has been here eight years and we felt it was time to move on.”
Skinner gave the Hurricanes a “very limited” list of teams that he would accept a trade too. Waddell added that he never spoke with Skinner’s camp about a possible contract extension before they moved him.
There has been lots of trade speculation regarding defenseman Justin Faulk, who has a list of 15 teams that he’d allow a trade too.
“Faulk is different,” Waddell said. “We never said we wanted to trade Justin Faulk. People assumed when we picked up Dougie Hamilton that was the direction we were going to go, but we don’t feel that same way. We feel if we do stay status quo, we’re going to have one of the best defensive corps in the league. Saying that, if some team steps up to the plate for him or another of our players we’re going to continue to look at that.”
John Matisz: GM Waddell said that they will take calls but they are “not actively shopping any of our defencemen right now”
Chip Alexander: Waddell added that they may not make any more moves before the start of training camp.