NHL Rumors: 3 Potential Landing Spots For Ian Cole

The Carolina Hurricanes' season is over after a Game 7 defeat at the hands of the New York Rangers. A name that may have gone unnoticed is Ian Cole. The team he has been on has qualified for the postseason in eight consecutive seasons. That's not a coincidence or because he has played for good teams. He has done so with five different organizations and plays a tough game that is perfect for the playoffs. Here are some destinations he could be headed to before next season.

Philadelphia Flyers

Cole is a third line defender who is vital to a team's penalty kill. The Flyers have an open spot on their third pair as they are not expected to bring back Keith Yandle and Justin Braun left at the trade deadline. The team also has a few young defenders who may not be ready for full-time NHL roles just yet.

Cole doesn't tend to stay with teams for long but he always has an impact where he goes. He would play a key role in elevating the penalty kill of the Flyers that finished with a 75.7 percent this past season while adding the grit that is loved in Philadelphia. He is reliable defensively and will get in front of any shot which is an area of the game the Flyers need to improve.

New York Islanders

The Islanders are expected to lose a couple defensemen in free agency in Zdeno Chara and Andy Greene. This leaves them without a veteran presence on the back end from a guy who has experienced a lot in his career.

The Islanders shouldn't enter a rebuild, but they do have to make changes. It already started with head coach Barry Trotz so the team will have more freedom offensively. This is where a guy like Cole would be needed, as he will continue to think the game defensively and compensate for the lack of defensive-minded thinking that results from the coaching change. As a team that needs to get back into the playoff picture, Cole would be a good addition to their third pairing.

Los Angeles Kings

The Kings' defense group is very young, as is their team. So they would benefit from adding a veteran presence on the back end as Alex Edler, Troy Stetcher, and Olli Maatta are all unrestricted free agents.

This team will also have to prove that they are trending in the right direction after surprising many by qualifying for the playoffs and taking the Edmonton Oilers to Game 7. The Kings had a sub-par penalty kill which didn't bode well for them in Round 1 of the playoffs. Cole will be able to add that playoff experience, experience in general, and leadership to a group that is impressionable and on the rise.