The NHL season has progressed to a point where most teams know where they stand, and trade rumors have gained sufficient traction. Parallel to the discourse surrounding the actual outcome of the exhilarating showdown in the arena that is only going to get more exciting now, it would be interesting to see how teams around the league manage their tradeable assets.
Recently, a lot of noise has surrounded the Vancouver Canucks’ veterans and the Toronto Maple Leafs, with Brad Treliving expected to be very flexible about his trade candidates to pull the team out of its misery. According to an insider, the Carolina Hurricanes may consider making a move involving a key forward.
Carolina Hurricanes’ Andrei Svechnikov Could Be Up for Grabs
The Hurricanes were having a spectacular campaign in November that positioned them at the top of the Metropolitan Division when it came to a screeching halt with two successive losses against the Buffalo Sabres and the New York Rangers. Consequently, the team had to concede the top position to the New Jersey Devils.
Now is the time for the Canes to take a long look at their roster and straighten things out before proceeding with the rest of the season. Consequently, the front office at Carolina could be willing to make a move surrounding 25-year-old Andrei Svechkinov. However, Eric Tulsky will not be willing to let go of the forward for a cheap price.
According to Elliotte Friedman, Svechkinov could be available, but with stipulations. The Hurricanes are not looking to move him off the roster hastily, but if they receive a good enough return, they might consider it. ” [Teams] called and Carolina said to them…we are not inclined to do this, but if you wanna make us a monster offer…we’ll think about it,” Friedman noted at the 32 Thoughts podcast.
Of course, the monster offer is key here. The same offer could deter teams from pursuing the Canes forward. Currently, Svechnikov is in the fifth year of his eight-year, $62 million contract. He has some sort of immunity in the form of a ten-team no-trade list; nonetheless, as per reports, Svechnikov is not open to the idea of being traded elsewhere.
Writing for the Hockey News, Ryan Henkel reported that the 25-year-old has claimed that there was absolutely no validity to any rumors that linked his interest in being traded to another team. “Just a rumor and I really don’t discuss those rumors, but thank you for the question,” Henkel reported, quoting Svechnikov.
Coupled with the forward’s unwillingness to leave and the team’s desire to keep him, any move surrounding Svechnikov is unlikely to materialize any time soon. Nonetheless, there is room to believe that the Canes could surprise everyone if any teams out there are willing to offer an extravagant price for Svechnikov.