When the 2026 Winter Olympics conduct closing ceremonies on Sunday, and the national hockey players return to the reality of the NHL season, there will be only 12 days remaining until the NHL trade deadline. As teams scramble to bolster their roster for the Stanley Cup Playoffs – or get a headstart on gathering resources for the next season – the Carolina Hurricanes will be in a unique place.
Loaded with assets, the Hurricanes have a significant opportunity to make a big splash before the trade market is frozen once more.
In January, Eric Tulsky discussed in an interview with the North State Journal that the Hurricanes did not have a clear need going into the trade deadline, nor any positions that were a ‘must-fix’.
Nonetheless, that hasn’t stopped rumors of the general manager putting his thumbs in dang-near every pie out there – on the hunt for seemingly any big-name player on the market.
Of course, all good general managers avoid showing any signs of desperation, especially during such a crucial point of the season. Making such issues known would be like fighting tooth and nail with the cashier to ensure they sell you that jar of peanut butter at full price, even if the swanky ‘buy one get one free’ sign was in clear sight from the register. What brand of psychopath would do that, especially in this economy?!
Whether in the grocery store or the front office, anyone with two functional brain cells would do what they could to avoid overpaying, right? As a matter of fact, the real aim of the game is to try to conclude the deal while spending as few resources as possible.
Some of the most valuable resources for the Hurricanes reside on their roster, many of whom you would do all in the realm of possibility to avoid giving up. However, their most plentiful – and lowest risk – are on the back burners: draft picks and prospects galore, stockpiled over the years from trades and mindful management.
Hurricanes Trade Chips Could Be the Bait Needed for Big Fishes
Jesperi Kotkaniemi remains the Hurricanes’ top roster player available for trade. Since the 25-year-old Finn’s availability was made known, he has attracted numerous buyers.
However, no teams have been able to seal the deal.
Considering the market is starved of quality young centermen, Kotkaniemi – who has played decently as a fringe second-line center over the years – has the potential to reel in a skilled player when paired with strong assets.
Additionally, it has been rumored that 24-year-old rookie defenseman Alexander Nikishin may also be available, per David Pagnotta during his January 22nd appearance on Sportsnet Today 960. However, Pagnotta described that it would only be considered if the return was a superstar caliber player with a good contract in order.
Beyond the two roster players, the Hurricanes also have numerous options down the pipeline. Forward Bradly Nadeau and defensemen Joel Nystrom and Charles-Alexis Legault could each draw significant gains on their own, with each of them already holding decent NHL experience.
Additionally, Felix Unger Sorum, Justin Robidas, and Domenik Fensore have also shown how impactful they can be with A-grade play for the Hurricanes’ AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves. The latter two even earned spots as 2026 AHL All-Stars, alongside Nadeau.
Digging deeper into the weeds, unsigned forward prospects Charlie Cerrato and Justin Poirier have worked hard in the NCAA, both playing at over a point-per-game pace, with expectations to only get better as they continue to develop their games.
Last but not least, the Hurricanes have managed their draft capital exceptionally well. 2026 is a bit sparse in picks due to the effects of previous trades, such as the Mikko Rantanen debacle, Mark Jankowski trade, and even the 2023 acquisition of Shayne Gostisbehere – but beyond that, Carolina has a lot to work with.
Currently, they have all of their draft picks for 2027-2030, as well as two additional picks (a first-rounder and a third-rounder) from the Dallas Stars.
In Conclusion
Rebuilding and retooling teams are ideal targets for Stanley Cup contenders near the deadline and are historically known for shipping off highly skilled players at reasonable prices – such examples being the Jake Guentzel trade in 2024, or the recent Artemi Panarin trade between the New York Rangers and Los Angeles Kings.
The Hurricanes have everything they need to reel in a big fish before the NHL Trade Deadline. If Tulsky manages things well on (or before) March 6th, the Hurricanes may be able to skate by with fewer departures and far better returns than expected.
