The NHL will freeze its rosters on February 4th prematurely of the 2026 Winter Olympic Games. Consequently, there may be little time left for teams across the NHL to make their moves before the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline in March. With this in mind, teams just like the Carolina Hurricanes may strike before the soft deadline on Wednesday.
The Hurricanes are the most effective teams within the NHL. They’re tied for second on points with the Tampa Bay Lightning for the highest spot within the Eastern Conference. That is actually nothing recent for Carolina, as they have been a powerful regular-season team over the previous few years.
Nevertheless, things are inclined to go haywire within the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Of their last 4 appearances within the Eastern Conference Finals, the Hurricanes have won just considered one of 16 games in those matchups. This does not even mention the times that Carolina has did not make it to the East Final in the primary place.
The Hurricanes wish to take that next step, and there are quite a lot of ways they will achieve that goal. This work starts on the trade market, making the best moves to enhance this roster. With this in mind, here is one trade the Hurricanes must make before the Olympic break.
Bobby McMann is sensible as depth trade pickup for Hurricanes
The Hurricanes have the assets to make a giant splash. They’re actually a team to observe within the Artemi Panarin sweepstakes leading into the Olympic break. That may be a route that general manager Eric Tulsky can pursue if he so chooses.
Nevertheless, the likelihood of a blockbuster deal before the Olympic break feels a bit low. Most of those players usually are not going to be suiting up within the Olympics. And in consequence, they are not going to risk injury. It might make sense to think things over through the break before making the ultimate decisions once play resumes.
Consequently, depth moves might be the secret leading into the NHL’s roster freeze. The Hurricanes need assistance with their forward depth. They’ve the assets to swing multiple trades for various kinds of forwards. Making a depth move would not be entirely difficult for them.
The Hurricanes aren’t hurting for scoring depth, but adding one other scorer would not hurt. Especially when considering the team’s issues finding the back of the web through the postseason in recent memory. That is where Toronto Maple Leafs winger Bobby McMann is available in.
McMann is a superb story, having worked his option to the NHL after going undrafted. He broke out in 2023-24, scoring 15 goals in 56 games. He followed that up with a 20-goal campaign last season. Now, he’s on pace to attain 26 goals this yr.
McMann can provide an added edge to considered one of the league’s best offenses. The knock here is that McMann is not a proven playoff performer. He didn’t rating once in 13 playoff games with the Maple Leafs last season.
Nevertheless, many Toronto players struggled to attain within the postseason. Going to a brand new situation could help him find his stride when the games matter most. The Hurricanes would not need him to attain a ton of goals, either. They might just need a timely goal here and there, which they’ve did not get lately.
Ideally, McMann is considered one of just a few moves Carolina makes before March sixth. In any event, the Hurricanes can be smart so as to add depth amongst their forwards. McMann could come at a price, considering his favorable cap hit, but Carolina has the assets to make it work.