Carolina Hurricanes Trade Rumors: Analysis of Latest Rumors

Cam Ward could be the perfect solution to the Minnesota Wild's goaltending dilemma, Andrej Sekera might fetch a large return on the trade market and Jiri Tlusty could be shopped as a rental scorer.

Even with the Carolina Hurricanes off to a 3-1-1 start to 2015, general manager Ron Francis has plenty of opportunities to jump-start the franchise's rebuilding effort on his notepad.

And unlike his hesitant predecessor, Jim Rutherford, Francis plans to value effectiveness above sentimentality when it comes time to check items off that agenda:

As the countdown to the March 2 trade deadline approaches, the 'Canes appear poised to be one of the NHL's most active teams off the ice.

Where could some of the Hurricanes' most sought-after players be headed? How likely is each rumor to be fulfilled? An analysis of the rumors circling around each major trade target lies below.

Cam Ward

USA TODAY Sports

Rumors

The struggling Minnesota Wild have reportedly contacted Francis about Ward's availability and price, according to Michael Russo of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune:

"

Ward is an intriguing name and undoubtedly could be had. His salary cap hit this season and next is $6.3 million, so he would be a hefty investment, but the speculation is the Hurricanes, who have ownership issues, might be willing to dump his contract for limited assets.

The Wild has inquired, sources say.

"

Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman added that no sources have denied the Ward-to-Wild rumors to him during a radio interview on Calgary's Sportsnet 960 that was transcribed by Chris Nichols.

Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer asked Francis about the rumor and didn't exactly receive a denial, either:

Analysis

Bruce Kluckhohn/Getty Images

The Wild have lost 11 of their last 13 games and rank 29th in the league in team save percentage, with Darcy Kuemper and aging Niklas Backstrom currently struggling to keep the ship afloat. Six of their next eight games are on the road, as well, so the situation could deteriorate even further in the coming weeks.

Gregg Forwerck/Getty Images

Meanwhile, Ward is coming off his best two-month stretch in half a decade, recording a .927 save percentage and 2.06 GAA between Nov. 1 and Jan. 6. I wrote last week, however, that a regression back to the mean (Ward has a career save percentage of just .910) is highly likely, and indeed, Ward has allowed nine goals in his last seven periods for an .855 save percentage.

If Francis plans to trade Ward before the end of the season, the time to do it is right now—before Ward's inevitable slump gets fully underway and before Minnesota slides out of sight of the Western Conference playoff race.

Fortunately, No. 30's trade value is at a high after spending years in the cellar. Carolina could retain perhaps a third of Ward's hefty salary and earn a decently high draft pick in exchange.

Jiri Tlusty

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Rumors

Tlusty signed a one-year contract last summer as a "bridge deal" from restricted to unrestricted free agency. He was eligible to be extended on Jan. 1, but it's far from a sure thing that an extension will happen.

TheFourthPeriod.com reported back on New Year's Day that negotiations had begun but that, should an extension not be agreed upon by March, the team "is expected to trade him."

Francis admitted to Chip Alexander on Friday that talks with Tlusty had been "put on [the] backburner."

If Tlusty, who has 11 goals in 35 games this season and had 23 in 48 games in 2012, is dealt, two Canadian clubs could be the most likely destinations.

Said Ottawa Senators GM Bryan Murray to the Ottawa Sun's Bruce Garrioch on Sunday about his pursuit of a new top-six forward:

"

What I've talked to several teams about is a forward...a guy is maybe a little more experienced, a known point-getter or at least has a chance to get points. There's a couple of guys I wouldn't mind doing something with but that's not going to be easy to do.

"

Meanwhile, TSN's Darren Dreger noted on the radio last week that the Winnipeg Jets would "like to add a top-nine forward" (also per Nichols).

Analysis

The fact that Tlusty opted for one year instead of a long-term deal last summer foreshadows that he could be looking forward to exploring the open UFA market come July, and the 26-year-old Czech is just the kind of opportunistic forward who could put up huge numbers alongside a top playmaker on a Cup contender (a la Jussi Jokinen on the Penguins).

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

The 'Canes could be wise to sell their stock now, for they could get a much heftier return for Tlusty than they could for the average player with 17 points at the season's halfway point.

Tlusty has 13.8 career shooting percentage, which is about the highest imaginable for a player nearing 400 career appearances. Conversely, Winnipeg ranks 28th in five-on-five team shooting percentage this season. Francis also completed the first in-season trade of his GM career last month when he worked with Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff to send Jay Harrison to Manitoba.

Add in the fact that Winnipeg is a Western Conference team, and it seems a better home for Tlusty could be found nowhere else.

Andrej Sekera

Gregg Forwerck/Getty Images

Rumors

Of the Hurricanes' two key pending free agents—Tlusty and Sekera—the latter is the clear consensus as the one more likely to be traded before the 2014-15 campaign concludes.

An undisclosed source also told TheFourthPeriod.com that the odds of Sekera being dealt "are pretty high, at this point."

The New York Rangers are reportedly highly interested. Said Elliotte Friedman on the radio, per Nichols:

"

I know...they’re one of the teams that really likes Sekera from Carolina. I think they’ve kind of circled around him. Whenever the Hurricanes make their decision on what they’re going to do there, I think they’re one of the teams that’s interested.

"

Additionally, the Boston Bruins, uncharacteristically right on the Eastern Conference playoff bubble, are seeking an offensive defenseman. Writes Fluto Shinzawa of The Boston Globe (subscription required), "The Bruins need at least one more defenseman who can move the puck with poise."

Jared Silber/Getty Images

Both The Globe and TheFourthPeriod.com speculate that Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli has contacted hand-tied Arizona GM Don Maloney about long sought-after defenseman Keith Yandle, but Yandle will cost the Bruins a near fortune to acquire.

Analysis

Although Sekera has only one goal and 13 assists so far this year, his ridiculously unlucky 1.9 shooting percentage is bound to improve back toward his 5.1 career average soon.

Norm Hall/Getty Images

When that time comes, Francis may be quite well-served to shop Sekera around, inflate his value as the deadline approaches and cash in.

Over the past two seasons, Sekera has tallied 58 points to Yandle's 79, but he also boasts a relatively strong minus-six rating compared to Yandle's minus-38 atrocity. Sekera also carries an affordable $2.75 million cap hit, per Rotoworld.com, that expires this summer, while Yandle has another season left at $5.25 million. I could easily see Sekera being even more sought after than his Arizona counterpart.

Francis would obviously like to send Sekera at least outside of the Metropolitan Division, but the winning suitor could eventually be determined by a traditional bidding war.

Mark Jones has covered the Carolina Hurricanes for Bleacher Report since 2009. Visit his profile to read more, or follow him on Twitter.