Carolina Hurricanes Seek Trades: Four Players Fitting for the 'Canes

It's a fact: The 2009-2010 season has become a rebuilding year for the Carolina Hurricanes. There's no question about it anymore, at least with the statement the Hurricanes' management made midday on Wednesday.

The announcement? That the team captaincy has been shifted from 39-year-old Rod Brind'Amour, who's been leading the team since the beginning of the last decade but has slowed recently in the past several seasons (with four goals, seven assists, and a nightmare-like negative-23 rating in 47 games played this season) and is expected to retire following the team's final game in April.

And the recipient? Of course, it's Eric Staal, the 26-year-old future of the Hurricanes, at least for the next eight to 10 seasons.

It was a move that not only should've been done months ago, but it also was definitely the right thing to do for the franchise—moving forward. However, the abrupt, no-warning switch by Hurricanes general manager Jim Rutherford is a clear signal that the Hurricanes have practically given up their hope of making a miraculous run back into the playoff mix.

Instead, the 'Canes are looking toward the rest of the winter and the spring to resetting and doing a make-over on their roster.

And that brings us up to speed on why B/R's "Canes Report" began a weekly series last Sunday covering all aspects of the Hurricanes roster, and what changes to look for in the future.

The article string got underway with Reviewing the Carolina Hurricanes Farm System, a slideshow taking a look at 12 players, all 24 years old or younger, who are currently showing good potential in the 'Canes farm system, which begins with the AHL's Albany River Rats.

After Sunday night's 3-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, John Forslund, the Hurricanes' main announcer on Fox Sports South, recapped not only the game, but also discussed possible Hurricanes out on the trade block. You can listen to his conversation by clicking here.

But I asked him, "So who would we trade for?"

Of course, Forslund didn't answer, considering I was talking to my 2005 car radio, but I decided that this might be a topic for "Canes Report" to look into.

Now, we've come up with four players from around the league (it just so happens that all of them are from the Western Conference) that could fit in very well, not just now but in the years going forward, with Carolina without being overly costly.

And that's not easy to find. But we've tracked down four young players who might just be the perfect fit in Rutherford's mind as the Hurricanes' latest addition.

Scott Parse, LW—Los Angeles Kings

Age: 25 years old (NHL rookie)

Offensive Stat Line: eight goals, nine assists (17 pts)

He might already be 25 years old, but after several unpredictable seasons down in the AHL, Scott Parse has now made the jump to the top level.

In 37 games played (out of the Kings' total 48), Parse has recorded eight goals and nine assists, but is also succeeding beyond the stat line. Parse's high plus/minus rating (currently at plus-seven), low PIM (17), and youthful playing style would all fit in perfectly with the Canes, too.

Parse has a decent build (5'11", 197 pounds), but has a physical frame and has done well in the hits chart.

Projected "Top Targets" Rank: fourth

Jason Demers, D—San Jose Sharks

Age: 21 years old (NHL rookie)

Offensive Stat Line: two goals, 13 assists (15 pts)

As said B/R Sharks FC Andy Bensch, "Jason Demers has potential up the wazoo."

Pardoning the English, he's exactly right. Not only has Demers shown great improvements in his defensive play, but he's also chimed in somewhat on the attack, recording 15 offensive points already.

At 21, Demers has a long way to go, but he has admirers from more places than San Jose. In Carolina, he could be a perfect fit, adding a lot more youth to a defense with no players under age 26 (Tim Gleason and Joni Pitkanen are the current youngest) at the moment.

Demers has a fantastic plus/minus at plus-eight, which would be a huge jump for a team that currently has zero players with a positive rating in that stat. He also has only six penalties committed in 36 games played, and is still showing "steady improvement."

He is prone to some mistakes, but for a rookie, Jason Demers could be a way the 'Canes want to go when looking for a tough, young defenseman. The only question is can they afford him?

Projected "Top Targets" Rank: tied for second

Cody Franson, D—Nashville Predators

Age: 22 years old (NHL rookie)

Offensive Stat Line: four goals, 10 assists (14 pts)

He might be a great up-and-coming rookie defenseman for the Predators at the moment, but I'm sure there are plenty of other teams hoping to get him into their prospect group, and at least one of those teams is the Hurricanes.

Despite being just 22 years old, Franson is generating a lot of publicity in Nashville with his 14 points, plus-nine rating, and low penalty minutes despite physical nature. Like Demers above, his youth and physicality could provide a great new aspect to the 'Canes "D."

Projected "Top Targets" Rank: tied for second

Daniel Winnik, C—Phoenix Coyotes

Age: 24 years old (third NHL season)

Offensive Stat Line: three goals, 13 assists (16 pts)

Offensively, the 24-year-old Coyotes center isn't nearly blowing anyone away, at least on the scoresheet, but he's exactly the developing player the 'Canes need, and could be a great addition in all parts of the game.

Firstly, Winnik's youth is definitely still present in his third season of NHL-level hockey, but he's quite significantly more developed than the three other rookies mentioned here before him. Also, his all-around game could complement the Hurricanes greatly.

"[Winnik] knows how to play his position," says the Phoenix FC, Derek Pivko. And not only that, but he has at least a playmaker's touch (13 assists this season) despite "being a tough guy on the ice." He also has a knack for earning an extremely solid plus/minus rating, which is currently at plus-nine and getting better each day.

Winnik also chimes in nicely on the penalty kill, a statistic that is costing the Hurricanes game after game with their 25th ranked group, which has yet to break through in the past two seasons and is currently hovering at 78.4 percent.

He does come from a high-class PK unit, currently ranking just inside the top 10 among all NHL teams, but Winnik's contributions are a large part of that. He also isn't contributing much to the amount of penalties Phoenix needs to kill, as Winnik has only 10 PIM through 45 games played this season.

All in all, Winnik's fully complete and still improving balanced game is not only earning him a solid spot on the Coyotes roster, but could be huge trade bait for them when a team like Carolina comes shopping around.

Projected "Top Targets" Rank: first

So what is your stand? With the 'Canes roster obviously needing a refreshment, which player from which team do you think they'll turn to?

The discussion is open...feel free to chime in!

Mark Jones is currently Bleacher Report's featured columnist for the Carolina Hurricanes. In his 16 months so far with the site, he has written over 150 articles and received almost 100,000 total reads.

Visit his profile to read more.

Also, a special "thank you" goes out to Phoenix Coyotes Featured Columnist Derek Pivko and San Jose Sharks Featured Columnist Andy Bensch for their help on writing the player profiles for the players of their respective teams, and also thanks to Colorado Avalanche Featured Columnist James Crider for directing me that Wojtek Wolski was not a player I wanted to consider "trade bait."