Hurricanes Make Another Big Pre-NHL Trade Deadline Move. They Got Kuznetsov From The Capitals – News18

The Carolina Hurricanes made one other massive transfer on NHL commerce deadline day by buying middle Evgeny Kuznetsov from the Washington Capitals.

About 12 hours after touchdown scoring winger Jake Guentzel from Pittsburgh in a blockbuster deal, the Hurricanes kicked off Friday by sending a 2025 third-spherical choose to Washington for Kuznetsov. Washington is retaining half of his wage by subsequent season — a cap hit of $7.8 million with $8 million due in 2024-25.

And it didn’t take lengthy for league’s different contenders to leap into motion.

Two days after buying Vladimir Tarasenko from Ottawa, the league-main Florida Panthers added depth and management in touchdown Buffalo’s Kyle Okposo. Buffalo acquired minor-league defenseman Calle Sjalin in a deal that present the 35-yr-previous Sabres captain an opportunity to compete within the playoffs in what might be his ultimate NHL season.

The surging Jets acquired ahead Tyler Toffoli in a commerce with New Jersey in changing into Winnipeg’s newest addition after touchdown middle Sean Monahan from Montreal throughout the All-Star break. The Devils acquired a 2024 third- and a 2025 second-spherical choose whereas additionally retaining half of the pending free agent’s wage for the rest of the season.

And the Metropolitan Division-leading New York Rangers added blue-line depth by buying Chad Ruhwedel from a Penguins group that’s immediately getting into a rebuilding mode.

The focus stays on the Hurricanes, who continued including to an already gifted roster, and a group that fell brief after managing a mixed six objectives in being swept by Florida within the Eastern Conference finals.

“Evgeny is a high-level playmaker who will add to our offensive firepower,” Hurricanes basic supervisor Don Waddell mentioned. “He brings even more playoff experience to our lineup, and we’re excited to give him a fresh start in Carolina.”

Kuznetsov, 31, cleared waivers final weekend upon having the ability to observe after receiving care from the participant help program. He was then demoted to the minors, with Capitals GM Brian MacLellan saying he would try to commerce the participant who led Washington in scoring throughout its run to win the 2018 Stanley Cup.

There stay quite a few gamers who’re in place to be dealt earlier than the deadline, with a lot of the give attention to goalies. Calgary’s Jacob Markstrom, Montreal’s Jake Allen and Boston’s Linus Ullmark are among the many candidates being shopped.

The Capitals won’t be achieved with Nic Dowd, Charlie Lindgren and Max Pacioretty thought of to be available on the market. Other commerce candidates embody Arizona’s Matt Dumba and Jason Tucker.

Seattle, which traded middle Alexander Wennberg to the New York Rangers earlier within the week, didn’t should do the identical with winger Jordan Eberle. The Kraken agreed to phrases with Eberle on a two-yr contract value $9.5 million.

The Boston Bruins and Los Angeles Kings are the one groups among the many high 12 Stanley Cup favorites to not make a big addition over the previous a number of weeks.

Meantime, its the Capitals and Penguins who discover themselves within the uncommon place of being sellers on the commerce deadline after a close to 20 years of dominance that started with the arrivals of Alex Ovechkin in Washington in 2004 and Sidney Crosby in Pittsburgh a yr later. Two groups which have mixed to win 4 Stanley Cups since are specializing in the longer term with each in jeopardy of lacking the playoffs for a second consecutive season.

Kuznetsov had a tumultuous tenure in Washington since 2018, together with persistent commerce rumors that lastly culminated in sending him to Carolina to chase one other championship.

If Kuznetsov helps the Hurricanes win all of it for the second time in franchise historical past, they might ship first- and fifth-spherical picks on this yr’s draft to Pittsburgh to finish the deal for Guentzel, a pending free agent who has twice been a 20-objective scorer.

Kuznetsov was already in North Carolina previous to the deal, practising with the American Hockey League’s Hershey Bears in preparation for his or her recreation at Charlotte on Friday evening. He might be again within the U.S. capital quickly, when the Hurricanes go to Washington on March 22.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

(This story has not been edited by News18 workers and is revealed from a syndicated information company feed – Associated Press)