The Carolina Hurricanes remain within striking distance of an NHL playoff spot, and yet talk persists that GM Ron Francis may ultimately be a seller ahead of the trade deadline. While the big name has been and will continue to be Carolina captain Eric Staal, other players have begun to surface as potential trade pieces for Francis and the Canes.
According to David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, the Canes are shopping a number of veterans, including goalie Cam Ward, forwards Kris Versteeg, Nathan Gerbe and Riley Nash, as well as defenseman Ryan Murphy and John-Michael Liles.
Versteeg's name has come up before - he's one of those important, but peripheral players who always seems to be joining playoff teams late in the season and then playing well into the spring. And Ward is a contract Francis and Co. have been looking to get out from under for some time. But that's a big chunk of the Canes' current starting lineup that Francis is said to be dangling or at least discussing.
Per Pagnotta, even Eric's younger brother Jordan and one-time star-in-the-making Jeff Skinner may be on the block as well, though Pagnotta qualifies that by adding that you've got to be speaking to "the right people" to hear their names. Jordan has a no-trade clause, so it's unlikely any talks that did involve him would head anywhere.
Yes, the Canes are playing surprisingly well and remain just one point back of the Devils and four points back of the Pittsburgh Penguins, but as ESPN's Pierre LeBrun notes, Francis' view of the roster likely remains a long-term one.
It's why Eric Staal is on the block to begin with, even if he hasn't gotten a "clear sense of direction" from Francis or the rest of the Canes organization to this point, per LeBrun. There's simply been too much smoke regarding a trade for there not to be any fire. Whether it amounts to something remains to be seen, of course.
Moving either Staal though won't be easy - Eric's got a full no-move clause and Jordan's only in the third season of a 10-year deal that carries a $6 million cap hit. Skinner also won't be easy to find a new home for as he's signed for four more seasons at a hit of $5.725 million.
Both Jordan Staal (27) and Skinner (23) remain talented young pieces around which Francis could very well build a new-look Hurricanes team. Skinner, after his initial takeover of the NHL, cooled off considerably for a time. There was even talk last season that he could be moved, though nothing ultimately came of it.
He's playing well this year - 21 goals and 25 points through 60 games - but with a new era of hockey in Carolina will come some tough decisions. Most of the trade talk that's going on in and around the league at this point though is likely just that - talk. In all reality, Jordan Staal and Skinner probably won't be dealt.
In fact, most of the players mentioned above are more likely to stay put than head elsewhere. But that talk still has significance for one reason - there haven't been any rumors of Francis as a buyer.
Within-reach playoff spot or no, Francis is likely taking the long view and operating as if he's building for a consistent winner, not a 2015-16 postseason berth.
