Bolstered by the play of its young players — mostly on defense — the Carolina Hurricanes were able to play their way into the playoff race this season. This growth has the team optimistic it can end its seven-year playoff drought next season, but there is still work to be done to make that a reality. The team will need to bolster itself in two key areas this summer: goaltending and goal scoring.
Need number one, as general manager Ron Francis put it, is goal scoring. The team ranked 27th in the league with 196 goals scored this season. That simply will not cut it for a playoff team.
“The area we fall short in is probably the goal scoring,” Francis said at the team’s end-of-season media availability. “We had 16 overtime losses, between 3-on-3s and shootouts. If we can find more scoring there, that’s a big difference for us. We need to find a way to score more goals at the right time.”
In terms of system help comes prospect Sebastian Aho, who torched the Finnish Elite League this season. Unless they are able to beat the odds and win the lottery for a top-three pick, the Canes are slated to pick 13th in the upcoming entry draft. So, there are three options to add: scoring, trades and free agency.
The team could make a trade at the draft for a scoring forward. It seems likely if Francis chooses to go this route, he would be looking to add a young forward who can contribute for years to come. The team could look to pry a young restricted free agent from a cap-strapped team, much like the way the Columbus Blue Jackets got Brandon Saad from the Chicago Blackhawks last season.
Two options in this regard would be Chris Kreider of the New York Rangers or Alex Killorn of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Both are restricted free agents, and the Lightning and Rangers have their hands tied due to the salary cap. Both are young, quick scoring power forwards who would be good fits.
Of course, if Francis really wants to shake things up, he could go for a bigger fish. With rumors that Colorado Avalanche forward Matt Duchene has fallen out of favor with coach Patrick Roy, the speedy center would be a great fit for Carolina. There are always others such as Duchene who hit the block closer to the draft.
A player of Duchene’s caliber would cost a lot in trade assets, but Francis has the ammunition to pull it off if he chooses. The team currently owns 11 picks in the upcoming draft, including two first-rounders. Carolina could use these or one of its many prospects in a trade.
Another option would be free agency. The team has a projected $37,000 in salary cap space for the upcoming season and will need to spend to reach the floor.
“We think there certainly will be guys available on July 1 who are interesting,” Francis said. “If we can get the right guy at the right term and money, we’re all about doing that.”
It is unlikely the Canes would be able to lure in Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos, the cream of this year’s free agent crop, but Kyle Okposo of the New York Islanders, Andrew Ladd of the Chicago Blackhawks, Loui Eriksson of the Boston Bruins or Mikkel Boedker of the Colorado Avalanche could all be good options.
Of course, while goal scoring is a huge need for the Canes, one could argue goaltending is even more pressing.
Poor play in net was a big reason for the slow start to the season that cost the team a playoff berth, as both Cam Ward and Eddie Lack had sub .900 save percentages in the first two months. While both improved late in the season, some kind of move needs to be made. Ward is an unrestricted free agent, and Lack is not ready for a full-time starter’s role.
The first option would be to re-sign Ward. He bounced back nicely in the second half and has stated his desire to remain with the Hurricanes.
On the flip side, it may be better to move on and look to add someone new. In terms of free agents, the only really attractive option is James Reimer of the San Jose Sharks, who has put up a strong performance after a midseason trade from the Toronto Maple Leafs. He would be a great add for Carolina but is likely to have a few other suitors.
The team could also make a trade. It could look to add a goalie at the draft the way it did with Lack last summer. Francis could look to pry loose a goalie in a timeshare situation, such as Brian Elliott or Jake Allen of the St. Louis Blues or Frederik Andersen or John Gibson of the Anaheim Ducks. Or, as with forwards, as the draft moves closer, a bigger name could become available.
The future is bright for the Carolina Hurricanes, but there is work to be done. The team needs help both up front and in net. If Francis can make those necessary improvements, a return to the playoffs in 2017 looks like a real possibility.
