Hurricanes Investing Time In Potential Deal With Penguins

If you're wondering how the Carolina Hurricanes continue to have so much cap space, you're not alone. The team still has over $10 million in projected cap to spend if they please. That's what happens when a team has many players play better than their cap hits, nobody over $10 million AAV, and only two players making over $8 million AAV.

The Hurricanes have continued to be close, but haven't been able to get back to the Stanley Cup Final and win. There is always tweaking needed and additions that could be made until they are on top. The forward group has been addressed for now and looks great, but the defense could still be upgraded. That's what it seems like Carolina is working on.

According to Frank Seravalli, the Hurricanes were a team that have spent some time investigating Erik Karlsson. The Pittsburgh Penguins are bound to move him before his contract expires since he is still very capable of running a power play, putting up points, and moving the puck very well. Pittsburgh isn't going to force anything, but the direction of their team says that they shouldn't hold onto him too tight. It might all break down after next season, and that's already considering the Penguins have missed the playoffs for two consecutive seasons.

The Hurricanes are short on 2026 draft picks, but have nine picks in the 2027 draft. The team also has more than enough prospects that could satisfy the Penguins in a trade. With his cap hit, Karlsson isn't going to cost a ton to acquire, but he won't be too cheap either after putting up 11+ goals and 53+ points in three consecutive seasons, two on the Penguins and one with the San Jose Sharks.

Karlsson may be 35 years old, but he had the best season of his career at age 32 and his health, which was impacting his play, hasn't been a problem for three years now. A healthy Karlsson can be very good. The Hurricanes have Shayne Gostosbehere, who is a power-play specialist, but Karlsson has been on a different level than most offensively for his entire career. It would be a move that makes sense for the Hurricanes as they would be able to get Karlsson for less than $10 million AAV and he only has two years left on his deal.