Ben Case: Is The Price Right? Hurricanes Might Be Sold for Around $500 million. The Hurricanes have kept the off-season interesting recently. Last week, the team acquired Marcus Kruger in a trade with the Golden Knights. Yesterday, GMRF announced that they extended Slavin’s contract to a seven-year deal worth $37 million. Then today, there has been a rumor that the Hurricanes owner Peter Karmanos, Jr. has an agreement in place to sell the team.

We'll see what that relocation agreement looks like when the deal is finalized. Expansion seems the likeliest way to balance the conferences rather than relocation anyway

We'll see what that relocation agreement looks like when the deal is finalized. Expansion seems the likeliest way to balance the conferences rather than relocation anyway
- jcragcrumple

I'd be surprised to see Hurricanes relocated. The community has been wanting an owner who will commit more financially. If new ownership is committed to spending around $65M, as opposed to less than $55M, the attendance will improve greatly. Looking at the community roots and growth of youth hockey, the market should continue to get better financially too.

I see expansion as more likely too. The NHL owners are probably more interested in an expansion than relocation because adding a 32nd team brings a huge chunk of change into the league. I imagine the next expansion team will be closer to the $500 million range. If I was an owner today, I'd be pushing for team 32 to saturate a ready market, rather than a relocation which doesn't add immediate cash to their pockets.

We'll see what that relocation agreement looks like when the deal is finalized. Expansion seems the likeliest way to balance the conferences rather than relocation anyway
- jcragcrumple

Canes fans come out when the team is good. I'd like to see them get another few years to right the product before they get relocated.

We'll see what that relocation agreement looks like when the deal is finalized. Expansion seems the likeliest way to balance the conferences rather than relocation anyway
- jcragcrumple

Reports are that Greenberg would keep the team in Raleigh... With a decent team and some actual money put into marketing, I would expect things to improve quickly.

We'll probably see a brief statement about a press conference on Monday. That was supposed to be the release date anyways. ACC football media days have a lot of local reporters out of Raleigh. Someone let it slip early.

It will be interesting to see how this new owner affects the rest of offseason and future spending. Bringing in a new owner who is willing to spend more to get butts in seats will be great, if it happens. I would love to see the new owner try to make a rev up the fan base with willingness to add to the current team. We need, not want, another 20+ goal scorer if we want to push up higher in the division.

Canes fans come out when the team is good. I'd like to see them get another few years to right the product before they get relocated.
- Cape Breton Bruins

Fielding a competitive team is important to the market. This area has a lot of winning teams, so competition for the dollar is high. The biggest issue I see why the fallout has been so high is that the Hurricanes did a poor job of engaging and supporting growth of youth hockey for many of their early years.

It really wasn't until many of the past players went to the front office that they understood the importance and lifeblood of committing to youth hockey. The past few years they have done much better, so it is likely that more youth interest will help support the team too. It is much easier to get fans in seats when there are more kids who play hockey as their primary sport.

Reports are that Greenberg would keep the team in Raleigh... With a decent team and some actual money put into marketing, I would expect things to improve quickly.
- BINGO!

I can't disagree with that. It will be interesting to see how the rest of July and August play out.

We'll see what that relocation agreement looks like when the deal is finalized. Expansion seems the likeliest way to balance the conferences rather than relocation anyway
-jcragcrumple

Relocation would do nothing to balance the conferences (unless you move half a team!)
Expansion or (unlikely) contraction are the only ACTUAL ways to balance the conferences.

We'll probably see a brief statement about a press conference on Monday. That was supposed to be the release date anyways. ACC football media days have a lot of local reporters out of Raleigh. Someone let it slip early.

It will be interesting to see how this new owner affects the rest of offseason and future spending. Bringing in a new owner who is willing to spend more to get butts in seats will be great, if it happens. I would love to see the new owner try to make a rev up the fan base with willingness to add to the current team. We need, not want, another 20+ goal scorer if we want to push up higher in the division.
- gocanes0506

Interesting thoughts on release and ACC football media day. I've had the similar sentiment towards the need of one more natural scorer. The metro saw some teams improve again, and a few Atlantic teams should be tougher too. The current roster will be more competitive, but missing the playoffs one more year with the current roster wouldn't shock me either.

Relocation would do nothing to balance the conferences (unless you move half a team!)
Expansion or (unlikely) contraction are the only ACTUAL ways to balance the conferences.
- mlindsay

Very true too. I guess the better way to phrase it is how will NHL choose to balance conferences: expansion in East with a team relocating West, or just expansion for West.

Interesting thoughts on release and ACC football media day. I've had the similar sentiment towards the need of one more natural scorer. The metro saw some teams improve again, and a few Atlantic teams should be tougher too. The current roster will be more competitive, but missing the playoffs one more year with the current roster wouldn't shock me either.
- BenCase

Carolina is probably one of the few teams that could afford the asking price for Duchene. I think the Canes could really make some noise in the east with Duchene.

Carolina is probably one of the few teams that could afford the asking price for Duchene. I think the Canes could really make some noise in the east with Duchene.
- madmike71

Meeting Joe Sakic's absurd asking price would be a very bad idea.

Matt Duchene is not worth what Sakic wants for him.

Very true too. I guess the better way to phrase it is how will NHL choose to balance conferences: expansion in East with a team relocating West, or just expansion for West.
- BenCase

Well... if I had to put money on it in Vegas (see what I did there?)... I would put the most likely scenario being they expand in the west. Most likely Seattle.
Quebec would be nice and nostalgic... but the weakened CDN $ hurt their chances imho.
Other alternative could be a team in QC playing in the west to start. Similar to the Jets first season playing in the East.

Meeting Joe Sakic's absurd asking price would be a very bad idea.

Matt Duchene is not worth what Sakic wants for him.
- BINGO!

It appears GMRF agrees with that too. He commented on July 1st that the price for a guy with two years remaining didn't make sense. Colorado will have to get more in touch with reality to make a deal with Carolina probably.

I like Duchene but he never has been my top pick. I wrote 2 different articles (one around deadline and one in off-season) and both weren't too excited by him. If we pay Sakic's asking price, it's for Landeskog.

I'm not against going for Galchenyuk either-Brind'Amour is great with player development and was an amazing center and could do well for helping his development in the dot and position wise too.

Meeting Joe Sakic's absurd asking price would be a very bad idea.

Matt Duchene is not worth what Sakic wants for him.
- BINGO!

Nobody will pay full price for Duchene, but you guys could certainly afford the most important piece (young, good dman).

Nobody will pay full price for Duchene, but you guys could certainly afford the most important piece (young, good dman).
- madmike71

I'd rather watch Sakic continue to lose and get fired and deal with next GM in off-season of 2018. He doesn't pull it together and my bet is he's out end of this year.

Nobody will pay full price for Duchene, but you guys could certainly afford the most important piece (young, good dman).
- madmike71

With another D added, maybe, but I'd be pretty hesitant to do that. Our actual NHL D is surprisingly thin unless you think McKeown and Carrick are both ready.

Well... if I had to put money on it in Vegas (see what I did there?)... I would put the most likely scenario being they expand in the west. Most likely Seattle.
Quebec would be nice and nostalgic... but the weakened CDN $ hurt their chances imho.
Other alternative could be a team in QC playing in the west to start. Similar to the Jets first season playing in the East.
- mlindsay

Those two markets do always seem to be the most likely destinations. Interesting idea on QC playing out of the West too.

I doubt they'd ever be relocated, but it will be interesting to see how Islanders arena issue plays out. They want a public-funded arena and that was shot down by 56% of voters in 2011. They had a public meeting on the 10th, wonder how that went and the progress.

http://nypost.com/2017/06...y-in-new-islanders-arena/

I'd rather watch Sakic continue to lose and get fired and deal with next GM in off-season of 2018. He doesn't pull it together and my bet is he's out end of this year.
- BenCase

Replaced by Patrick Roy?

Those two markets do always seem to be the most likely destinations. Interesting idea on QC playing out of the West too.

I doubt they'd ever be relocated, but it will be interesting to see how Islanders arena issue plays out. They want a public-funded arena and that was shot down by 56% of voters in 2011. They had a public meeting on the 10th, wonder how that went and the progress.

http://nypost.com/2017/06...y-in-new-islanders-arena/
- BenCase

Ya.
If the Canes are taken off the relocation table it certainly puts the Isles and Panthers at the top of the list.

With another D added, maybe, but I'd be pretty hesitant to do that. Our actual NHL D is surprisingly thin unless you think McKeown and Carrick are both ready.
- BINGO!

I've said for a long time there is a difference between good prospects and NHL ready D. The Hurricanes have a very solid top four, but when you get into the third pairing (until addition TVR), they are really only one injury away from running with tons of inexperienced players. If two go down, the D would not be pretty.

Bean, McKeown, Carrick, and Fleury provide a good prospect pool, but I would only like to see one introduced to the roster next season. Then potentially see another prospect come on the roster in 2018-19 too.

Those two markets do always seem to be the most likely destinations. Interesting idea on QC playing out of the West too.

I doubt they'd ever be relocated, but it will be interesting to see how Islanders arena issue plays out. They want a public-funded arena and that was shot down by 56% of voters in 2011. They had a public meeting on the 10th, wonder how that went and the progress.

http://nypost.com/2017/06...y-in-new-islanders-arena/
- BenCase

Funny you should ask. There was a podcast about that posted today(and a few other issues as well). There is going to be an RFP issued probably around November. That will be an indicator of what is being proposed. If it's just for a primarily hockey arena, or multi-use building or a project like the Lighthouse. Which had hotel, shops & restaurants. It's still wait & see. But from what I've heard it was pretty positive. Always a few nimby's though.

I'd rather watch Sakic continue to lose and get fired and deal with next GM in off-season of 2018. He doesn't pull it together and my bet is he's out end of this year.
- BenCase

I get your point, but if I were a 'Canes fan I think adding Duchene makes you a very real contender. Really quite deep down the middle.....provided of course Francis thinks Duchene is a true center. I know some people think he's a better wing.

Anyway... If I had to lose one of those kids on D, plus a top prospect to become real contender I do that every day of the week.

Obviously, you don't make this trade unless you feel you can afford to pay his salary demands in two years.

Replaced by Patrick Roy?
- stanleyhawk

That'd be funny for sure. If Sakic were to be replaced, I'd probably go with Dan Maloney, Tim Murray, or Paul Fenton. Probably a few other good candidates out there too.