The Carolina Hurricanes, currently in last place in the Eastern Conference, may not be ready to throw up the "For Sale" sign in the yard, but they're inching closer to truly considering the notion of shipping out some key pieces if the season continues to deteriorate.
Carolina general manager Ron Francis has long been rumored to be interested in making some moves aimed at strengthening the team's position for the future.
Names like Andrej Sekera, John-Michael Liles and Brett Bellmore are all players that could find themselves in different hockey cities at or before the March 2 trade deadline, according to TheFourthPeriod.com.
But, like water (or their season) circling the drain, they're also moving ever closer toward the idea of trading a couple of bigger names.
It had been reported earlier in the season that if the Hurricanes failed to make up much ground this season and compete for a playoff spot, the team would consider fielding offers for captain Eric Staal and goaltender Cam Ward, who was shopped around the league last season.
Staal, the 'Canes captain, is in the second-to-last year of his current deal. His cap hit this season is $8.25 million - no small thing for a potential new team to consider, even for a player of his caliber.
Ward is also in the last year of his deal. He's played in 19 games this season, started 18, and has an 8-10-1 record.
While it's believed Francis would still take calls on Staal and Ward, such a move is more likely to occur closer to the March 2 trade deadline or during the off-season. That won't stop teams from rekindling discussions, or starting new ones, with Carolina.
Both players have crossed the age 30 threshold, and their best hockey days are probably behind them. But they're also both still very capable pieces that, if shipped to the right team at the right time, could help make a big playoff difference - though they won't come cheap.
