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Trade Deadline Update - Hurricanes Ready to Pull the Trigger

Amidst wild speculation that the Pittsburgh Penguins were in discussion with the Carolina Hurricanes about a possible deal to bring back Jordan Staal, Hurricanes GM Ron Francis moved quickly to deny any such thing was happening, pronouncing "We are not moving Jordan!" At the same time, Ronnie Franchise was quick to confirm that the disposition of the current UFAs, specifically Sekera, Tlusty, and McClement, would be sorted out "sooner rather than later".rn rnDon't believe what Ronnie says about Jordan. You can bet that for the right package Jordan would be moved. When he was brought in, big things were expected of Jordy and the Staal tandem and, more importantly, the Canes. But, with a combined salary of $15.0M per year and no playoffs to show for it, the general consensus is that the Canes can no longer wait for the Staals to lead them to the promised land and have to make some bold moves to change the future view. A package that might include a combination of Brandon Sutter, Derek Pouliot, Scott Harrington, Beau Bennett, Kasperi Kapenen, and high draft picks would likely make it happen. It's a long shot now but very possible this summer.rn rnOk, so what happens over the next week as we approach the trade deadline? Don't expect any bold moves from Francis., more likely a conservative approach. After all, this is his first trade deadline. His moves-to-date, Harrison to Winnipeg, and, plucking Nestrasil off the waiver wire, are probably a good indication of what to expect. Other than the Staals, Lindholm, Rask, Nestrasil, Faulk, Khudobin, and Murphy, the floor is open. So, let's look at the most likely moves for the Canes.rn rnFirst, Sekera. It’s painfully clear that Francis has been unable to meet Reggie's salary demands. This will be a major loss for the Canes but rumors have been rampant that Sekera is in the cross hairs of several contending teams, most notably Anaheim, Chicago, Tampa Bay, San Jose, Los Angeles, Boston and the Rangers. The asking price is a first rounder and solid prospect. That looks to eliminate Chicago, LA, Boston , and the Rangers. But, based on the Toronto-Nashville trade, it might take more than Sekera to land a first. For my money, Anaheim and San Jose top the list. The Ducks have plenty of "A" prospects who fit the bill , including D-men Theodore, and Pettersen, and forwards Kerdiles, Karlsson, and Noesen. Any of those along with a high pick will get it done . San Jose has D-man Mirko Mueller, who is tailor made for the Canes. Throw in a high pi ck and that would do it. If the Bruins decide to play, you can expect Caron and Bartkowski in the mix, maybe with a 2nd. Adding Tlusty or McClement could upgrade to a 1st rounder in any of those deals.rn rnJiri Tlusty is on his way out, too. Unlike Sekera, he will be much easier to replace. Suitors include Tampa Bay, Montreal, Pittsburgh, the Rangers, and the Jets. the Canes can expect a 2nd round pick or "B' prospect in return. Expect Montreal or the Jets to push hard. The Jets are shopping the rights to Burmistrov. That's a deal the Canes would make in a flash. Jacob De La Rose would be interesting pick-up from the Habs, but it would take more than just Tlusty to pull that off. Would Jimmy Rutherford offer up one of his prize defence prospects, Harrington, Dumoulin or Samuelsson, for a rental that he knows well?rn rnAnd, what about Jay McClement? He would be a great signing for the Hurricanes. He has led the fourth line's consistent contribution, has been among the leaders in face-off %age, and has been a workhorse on the #1 penalty killing team in the league. Unless the Canes can parlay a 3rd round pick or better, I say hold on to him and try to sign him by June 1. Alternatively, he may be part of a larger trade, as highlighted above,and bring back more useful players.rnOf the rest, there has been little, if any, interest in Tim Gleason. The Rangers might consider Brett Bellemore, if nothing else materializes for them and Patrick Dwyer is worth little on the trade mart, so might as well keep him and re-up him for fourth line duty next season. rn rnRiley Nash may end up as part of a larger package but is the obvious choice to replace McClement on the fourth line. I would love to see someone grab Jean-Michael Liles and a late round pick would suffice. Alexander Semin won't gather any interest but someone might take a flyer on Jeff Skinner. He is playing his best hockey of the season so might attract some interest with teams looking for offence. However, that deal is more likely at the draft table along with the rumored Cam Ward to Edmonton package. rn rnSo, after all of that, here is what is likely to happen. Sekera, Tlusty, McClement, and Gleason/Bellemore will be gone and the Canes will end up with a 1st or a 2nd, a couple of mid round draft picks and, hopefully, a couple of grade "A" prospects to show for it. Clearly, a modest start to the re-build but the most likely scenario.rn rnGuess we have to wait for the upcoming draft to see the real fireworks.rn rnFollow me on Twitter for up-to-the-minute news and rumors at www.twitter.com/CanesTR.

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