NHL Trade Rumors: 3 potential Jonathan Drouin landing spots

Carolina Hurricanes

Don’t look now, but the Carolina Hurricanes have quietly began to form the cornerstone of what could be a very good team in the future. Justin Faulk, Noah Hanifin, and Haydn Fleury should give the Canes a blue line that teams will envy. Goaltending prospect Alex Nedeljkovic has looked great, especially in the World Juniors. Sebastian Aho has looked excellent as well. The one thing that they lack are skilled wings. Jonathan Drouin would help the Canes in that regard. They also have the roster space and the patience to let Drouin get minutes on one of their top two forward lines.

Drouin isn’t going to come cheap. The Lightning are going to demand a haul for him. The Hurricanes can easily replenish any draft picks they give up by trading guys at the trade deadline who they know they won’t keep. It’s assumed that the Canadiens or the Predators will give up a second or first round pick for Jordan Staal. They also have the prospect depth to get Drouin. They obviously aren’t giving up Hanifin or Fleury, but defenseman Roland McKeown is a guy who they could afford to get rid of to get Drouin. The Canes could afford to deal for their blue line surplus to get a guy like Drouin.

Jonathan Drouin is the precise type of player that the Hurricanes should be targeting. They desperately need skilled forwards. Drouin hasn’t always shown it on the scoresheet, but he’s still extremely young and he’s certainly more skilled than any forward in their system.

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