The failings of the Carolina Hurricanes apparently have GM Ron Francis considering quite the roster revamp. And while most players likely won't be dealt, thanks in large part to the stinginess of NHL personnel men and the limited rise expected in the salary cap for next season, it's intriguing nonetheless to learn that Francis, perturbed by the Canes' current standings, has reportedly made several players available via trade, most notably forward Jeff Skinner.
"The talk around the league is general manager Ron Francis is pretty much willing to discuss everybody, with the exception of a few of the club's young players," Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun reported on Sunday morning. Per Garrioch, citing an unnamed NHL executive, there's a "small handful" of young players Francis would ideally like to hold onto, but beside that, is willing to talk trade on just about anyone, starting with Skinner.
Skinner, still just 23, has struggled to live up to the lofty standard he set with his electrifying 31-goal, 32-assist rookie season. He came close in 2013-14, when he managed to pot 33 goals, but Skinner's game simply hasn't been up to snuff in recent years (though his two goals against the Canadiens in a winning effort this weekend were a good sign). Yes, injuries played a big part in that, especially during his sophomore NHL campaign, but signs of Skinner failing to blossom as hoped have become more and more prevalent.
Prior to his recent offensive outburst, Skinner was on pace for the lowest point total of his, admittedly young, career. He's got talent - Skinner simply doesn't seem to know how to display it with any consistency at this point.
And now, his time with the Hurricanes could potentially be over. His contract, which carries four more seasons at a $5.75 million clip, will be a hurdle, but the team is so motivated to move Skinner, in fact, that they're reportedly willing to include a prospect in a deal.
As things currently stand, Bill Peters' group has the fewest victories in the league. They're tied with the Oilers and Flames with the fewest points, 22, of the NHL's 30 teams, and even taking into account their upset win over the Canadiens on Saturday, they've lost 11 of their last 15 games.
Eric Staal and Cam Ward's names will bear watching, of course, should the Carolina season continue on as it has, but it sounds like there are plenty of Hurricanes players that could potentially find themselves shipped elsewhere ahead of the NHL's March trade deadline.
