The Hurricanes aren’t in a rush but have some options
Luke DeCock of the News & Observer: As of Monday, The Carolina Hurricanes haven’t spoken to the agent of Tony DeAngelo since he became a free agent. The NHL had blocked a trade with the Flyers for cap-circumvention concerns before free agency opened.
Interest in free agent forward Vladimir Tarasenko has cooled. They’ll need to move out some salary, a defenseman, if they are going to acquire Erik Karlsson.
NHL Rumors: Erik Karlsson, and the Columbus Blue Jackets
The Hurricanes are in the process of getting a Sebastian Aho, eight-year extension done. They need to make decisions on a group of players entering the final year of their deals – Brett Pesce, Brady Skjei and Teuvo Teravainen.
They are in no rush to make a move but it remains a possibility but not imminent. GM Don Waddell
“We’ve talked about some other things,” Waddell said. “Again, we have an owner who would spend $100 million if he could, but the cap only went up $1 million this year.”
Who should be interested in Brett Pesce if the Hurricanes can’t afford him?
Shayna Goldman of The Athletic: Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Brett Pesce has a year left on his crontact and if he isn’t extended he could be traded sooner than later as they don’t want to lose him for nothing.
Will he have priced himself out of Carolina? Sebastian Aho is going to need a big extension. It’s hard to see the Hurricanes throwing a big contract Pesce’s way. He’s part of their core but they may feel they have the pieces around him that could replace him.
Pesce’s had two shoulder surgeries. His blue line partner Brady Skjei is also a pending UFA after next season.
Salary models have Pesce between $5.5 million and $6.3 million if he were a free agent this offseason. He’s a second-pairing, right-handed, shutdown defenseman.
NHL Rumors: Is it down to the Penguins and Hurricanes for Erik Karlsson?
Teams that should be interested include the Dallas Stars, Buffalo Sabres, Toronto Maple Leafs, Nashville Predators and the Edmonton Oilers