Hurricanes reportedly 'dangling' former top-five pick in trade talks

The Carolina Hurricanes have been Stanley Cup contenders for the past few years, but following moves this summer, they've got expectations of a Stanley Cup or bust coming into 2025/26.

With a 24-14-3 record through their first 41 games, Carolina sit in first place in the highly competitive Metropolitan Division, but with some holes on this roster, they're going to be very aggressive in making some upgrades this season.

Recently, former No. 3 overall pick of the Montreal Canadiens, Jesperi Kotkaniemi has become a genuine trade candidate, with some reports even linking him to the Winnipeg Jets.

Now, David Pagnotta has dived deeper into the future of Kotkaniemi, stating that GM Eric Tulsky and the team are 'dangling' him in trade talks as they look to upgrade the roster elsewhere.

It won't be easy to move him however, as he has tallied just 2 goals and 6 points in 25 games this season, and with a salary cap hit of just under $5 million per season, it's safe to say that many in the NHL have given up on his potential.

Ultimately, the team may not be able to get much back for Kotkaniemi, but given what we've seen Tulsky pull off before ahead of the trade deadline, if he can make a good move to upgrade this team elsewhere, there's no reason why they shouldn't be considered genuine Stanley Cup contenders in the Eastern Conference this season.

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