Rachel Barkley
The NHL Trade Deadline is Friday, and the Carolina Hurricanes have already made headlines amidst the trade chatter. Going into it, the Hurricanes already have a solid roster, with veterans and young guns alike stepping up to the plate to carry the team to the top of the Eastern Conference.
However, Eric Tulsky has made it clear that if there is an opportunity to improve, it has to be taken. And so, here are the top targets the Hurricanes have become involved with, and a few under-the-radar choices they should consider.
Hurricanes’ Active Targets for the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline
Vincent Trocheck
Things got real on Sunday when Elliotte Friedman confirmed the Hurricanes’ interest in Vincent Trocheck during an appearance on NHL on TNT. Furthermore, not only did the conversation make known their pursuit of the 32-year-old forward, but it also made them sound like a very possible candidate to acquire him due to geographical requirements.
Trocheck was a deadline grab for the Hurricanes during the 2019-20 season, when he played with the Florida Panthers. Across 135 games played with Carolina, he scored 39 goals and 57 assists for 96 total points. Additionally, since joining the Rangers, he has – for the most part – remained consistent in season-by-season scoring records.
Length of Contract: 22/23 – 28/29 | Year 4/7
Annual Salary Cap Hit: $5.625M
Position: Forward [center, second line]
Elias Pettersson
The Hurricanes have been rumored to be after Elias Pettersson for a long time, and that hasn’t changed. As the Vancouver Canucks sit at the bottom of the NHL standings, they’ve effectively announced themselves as sellers as they look to rebuild.
Pettersson would undoubtedly cost a pretty penny if the Hurricanes wish to acquire him – and if they manage to get him, he would have the richest contract on the roster. That being said, he is a talented scorer who has posted 60+ points in five of eight seasons played in the NHL.
Length of Contract: 24/25 – 31/32 | Year 2/8
Annual Salary Cap Hit: $11.6M
Current Position: Forward [center, top line]
Three Names They Should Consider
Mark Scheifele
While Mark Scheifele’s name has not been prominent in trade rumors this season, it wouldn’t be much of a surprise if he ends up on the board over the NHL trade deadline. His team, the Winnipeg Jets, is currently nine points out of a playoff spot, and if they decide to make the jump for assets at the deadline, Scheifele could be a valuable player to add to the roster.
He averages roughly 30 goals per 82 games, alongside 75+ points, and holds the Winnipeg Jets/Atlanta Thrashers franchise record for most goals. Additionally, he would likely be a good fit for the Hurricanes’ system, as he thrived when playing in the similar system of former Jets and Hurricanes head coach, Paul Maurice.
Plus, he already has a decade’s worth of chemistry with Nikolaj Ehlers.
Length of Contract: 24/25 – 30/31 | Year 2/7
Annual Salary Cap Hit: $8.5M
Current Position: Forward [center, first line]
Nick Foligno
The Chicago Blackhawks have improved over the past few seasons, but still deal with the growing pains of a difficult rebuild. One likely player to depart the team is their Captain, Nick Foligno.
While he is a little older, 38, and not especially known for having the goalscorer’s touch, his game has the bite the Hurricanes have notably lacked. Just last season, he logged 200 hits – 44 more than Carolina’s top bruiser, William Carrier. With Foligno’s status as a pending UFA, the Hurricanes would have a chance to get a wily veteran at a discount.
Length of Contract: 24/25 – 25/26 | Year 2/2
Annual Salary Cap Hit: $4.5M
Current Position: Forward [left wing, fourth line]
Ryan O’Reilly
The Nashville Predators have already begun moving players ahead of the deadline, as they traded Michael McCarron and even Cole Smith, who logged a whole three seconds in his last game with the Predators. I kid you not.
Ryan O’Reilly, who currently runs the top line down the middle, has been on the trading block for a while as the Predators search for their next moves. The former Conn-Smythe Trophy winner has posted three consecutive 20+ goal, 50+ point seasons since joining the Predators, with little sign of slowing down. He is a quality two-way forward with a veteran presence that could serve the young core of the Hurricanes well.
Length of Contract: 23/24 – 26/27 | Year 3/4
Annual Salary Cap Hit: $4.5M
Current Position: Forward [center, first line]
In Conclusion
In the end, the Hurricanes very well could come out of the deadline without a trade – and perhaps that would be for the best. When a team is hot, one of the last things you would want to do is shake things up, especially so close to the postseason.
However, if they choose to pursue talent to patch some holes in their game, there are certainly some interesting names out there.
