Trade rumors

The biggest thing going on right now from a Hurricanes perspective is the persistent rumor of the team trading for a defenseman, specifically Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Joni Pitkanen. According to Luke deCock of the N&O, the most likely candidates to be moved are Nic Wallin (with a no-trade clause no less), Mike Commodore, Tim Gleason, and Dennis Seidenberg.

He also points out the issues with trading each of them: Wallin's aforementioned no-trade clause, Commodore's development and price make him good to keep, Gleason (PR for Johnson), and Seidenberg's relative worth. Only two of those reasons are valid from the Hurricanes' perspective - the no-trade clause and Commodore's price.

The main thing working in our favor is that Philadelphia just signed Kimmo Timonen to a huge contract and they're still looking for a high profile (read: expensive) center to match. Cap space may be an issue and we might be able to grab Pitkanen for a song.

Package Gleason and Seidenberg with Wallin (if possible) or a prospect. This would free up some of our defensive logjam, allow us to resign Tanabe if we wanted, and still have some left over for a third-line center. I need to look at the organizational depth chart and salary before going too much into it. Philly fans would likely react in outrage to that trade, and I wouldn't blame them. From what I read, they want first line talent in exchange for Pitkanen.

Of course they do, because like me, they're fans. Realistically that's never going to happen. We'll see how, if at all, it pans out.