Insider: Carolina Hurricanes Could Change Focus at Trade Deadline

All season long, we heard about the Carolina Hurricanes' need to add a goaltender. Several names had been thrown out, like John Gibson, Karel Vejmelka, Dan Vladar and Anton Forsberg. But all that seems to be changing as we get closer to the trade deadline.

About a month ago, insider Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff noted that the Hurricanes had the luxury of waiting out the goaltending market since they were really the only team looking for a netminder after the Colorado Avalanche added Mackenzie Blackwood.

But the prices have remained high, and Frederik Andersen was back on the ice this past week at Hurricanes practice for the first time since knee surgery nearly two months ago. He could be closer to a return. Meanwhile, Dustin Tokarski has played well, going 4-1-0 in his five starts over the past month, with a 2.00 goals against and a .907 save percentage.

With all that in mind, Seravalli tells us that the Hurricanes might very well be shifting their focus for the trade deadline to make their top objective a skilled forward.

At one extreme, the Canes have been rumored to be interested in Elias Pettersson, the Vancouver Canucks star forward who is on the trade block. TSN Insider Chris Johnston made that clear this past week:

"Multiple teams are believed to have shown interest (in Pettersson), and a third party source points out that Carolina and Vancouver did have discussions on Pettersson last season".

A move like that would even top their Jake Guentzel acquisition at last year's deadline.

Certainly, Pettersson isn't the only "skilled forward" on the trade market for the Hurricanes to consider, however. Other names from insiders on trade boards that fit that description to one degree or another include Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri of the NY Islanders, Taylor Hall of the Chicago Blackhawks, Joel Farabee of the Philadelphia Flyers, and longtime NY Ranger Chris Kreider.