Early trades Hurricanes must make during 2024-25 season

The Carolina Hurricanes are off to a fantastic start in 2024-25. They have won 10 of their first 12 games, and have looked incredible for the most part. The Hurricanes have an especially impressive win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. And they have a massive comeback victory over the Edmonton Oilers under their belt.

Carolina is one of the best teams in the NHL. In the early going, the Hurricanes have overcome some roster concerns over their chemistry. Carolina lost key pieces in free agency during the 2024 offseason. And some believed there was a chance the team could struggle as they looked to build chemistry.

However, that has not turned out to be the case. The Hurricanes look the part of a Stanley Cup contender this season. It’s something we have said about Carolina in the past, though. They fell short each time they have positioned themselves as a Stanley Cup contender.

This year could certainly be different. However, they should not lay back and allow the moment to pass them by. The Hurricanes could make a couple of significant trades this season that could add the missing piece to a potential championship team.

Hurricanes could swing big for Mikko Rantanen

The Colorado Avalanche are three seasons removed from winning the Stanley Cup. Colorado emerged as one of the best teams in the league. And one of the major reasons for this is the emergence of winger Mikko Rantanen. Rantanen scored 92 points in 2021-22 when Colorado won the Stanley Cup. That performance was only the tip of the iceberg.

Rantanen entered the 2024-25 campaign coming off consecutive 100+ point seasons. Additionally, he has scored 30 or more goals in each of the last four seasons. So far, he is off to another roaring start to the year. Rantanen has eight goals and 20 points through his first 15 games.

One certainly has to wonder why the Avalanche would want to trade a player of Rantanen’s caliber. And, to be fair, they wouldn’t under normal circumstances. However, things could be lining up for a move later in the season. Colorado is currently 7-8-0 on the season, good for fifth in the Central Division. They are only three points ahead of the last-place Chicago Blackhawks.

Compounding things even further is Rantanen’s contract situation. The 28-year-old is a free agent at the end of this season, and will surely be in demand despite his expected contract demands. If the Avalanche continue to slide, trading their star winger instead of extending him may make more sense.

The Hurricanes made a big splash for Jake Guentzel at last season’s NHL Trade Deadline. Adding a top-six forward with scoring ability is something Carolina has needed for a few years. There may be no better fit for this team on the trade market than Mikko Rantanen.

Hurricanes could add Claude Giroux

The Ottawa Senators signed Claude Giroux in NHL Free Agency back in 2022. Ottawa made a push for the Stanley Cup Playoffs in the year prior but fell short. Adding Giroux made a lot of sense as the veteran winger still had a lot left to give on the ice. It made sense for Giroux, too, as he had a chance to help his hometown team win a Stanley Cup.

The Senators have not made the Stanley Cup Playoffs since signing Giroux. However, the veteran winger has held up his end of the bargain. He scored 35 goals in his debut campaign with the Senators. And last season saw him maintain impressive offensive production with 64 points in 82 games.

The Hurricanes certainly may want more of a punch in their top six. But Giroux, a pending unrestricted free agent like Rantanen, could certainly help provide more goals. He also has experience in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, having played nearly 100 games in the postseason. Giroux also made the Stanley Cup Final, as his Philadelphia Flyers lost to the Chicago Blackhawks in 2010.

Like Rantanen, this entirely depends on where the Senators end up in the standings. It also may be difficult to pry Giroux out of his hometown this late in his career. However, the Hurricanes offer him a chance to win the Stanley Cup for the first and potentially only time in his career. That may be worth it for a veteran player who has more than 1000 points in his career.

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