Since taking on the role of general manager with the Carolina Hurricanes nearly two years ago, Don Waddell has done a quality job.
One of his strongest traits as a general manager is his asset management. He works in a way where he doesn’t sign many contracts but also rarely lets a key piece walk and instead, manages to move them for an adequate replacement, future help or even an upgrade.
Let’s look at some trades that showcase this.
- Offseason (2018): Traded Noah Hanifin and Elias Lindholm, who were both in need of a new contract, to Calgary for Dougie Hamilton, Micheal Ferland and Adam Fox.
- April 2019: The Hurricanes flipped Fox for two second-round picks, after Fox wouldn’t sign with Carolina.
- Offseason: The Hurricanes traded a B-level, 22-year-old prospect in Nicholas Roy and a fifth-round pick for Erik Haula. They also signed Chase Priskie.
- Trade deadline: They traded Haula and Lucas Wallmark, who are both in need of a new contract, along with Priskie, who they had given up no assets for, as well as another B-level prospect in Eetu Luostarinen, in exchange for a legitimate top-six center in Vincent Trocheck, who comes at a reasonable price with term.
- Offseason: The Hurricanes signed Jake Gardiner to a reasonably priced four-year deal.
- Offseason: Carolina was then able to flip Justin Faulk, who was on an expiring contract, for former first-round pick Dominik Bokk, as well as Joel Edmundson who could help for the season.
- Offseason: The Hurricanes took on Patrick Marleau’s contract, which had just a single year remaining, for a first-round pick (and exchanged late round picks with Toronto).
- Trade deadline: Now that they had an extra first-round pick, the Hurricanes flipped their own first-round pick for Brady Skjei, who has four years remaining on his contract at a reasonable price.
Of those four deals, let’s recap what assets came in and which went out from the initial trades to where the team is now (I’ve also noted what their contract status was at the time of the trade).
IN:
- Dougie Hamilton (three years remaining on contract)
- Vincent Trocheck (two and a half years remaining on contract)
- Brady Skjei (four years remaining on contract)
- Jake Gardiner (signed to four-year contract at reasonable price)
- Micheal Ferland (one year remaining on contract, walked as UFA)
- Joel Edmundson (one year remaining on contract)
- Dominik Bokk (2018 first-round pick)
- 2019 Second-round pick
- 2020 Second-round pick
- 2020 Seventh-round pick
- 2021 Seventh-round pick
OUT:
- Elias Lindholm (in need of new contract)
- Noah Hanifin (in need of new contract)
- Justin Faulk (on expiring contract)
- Lucas Wallmark (on expiring contract)
- Adam Fox (wouldn’t play in Carolina)
- Eetu Luostarinen (2017 second-round pick)
- Nicholas Roy (2015 fourth-round pick)
- 2020 Fifth-round pick
- 2020 Seventh-round pick
- 2021 Fifth-round pick
I don’t want to be biased because there were some examples of Waddell letting players walk with Micheal Ferland and (likely) Sami Vatanen. With Ferland, it was probably Carolina’s plan to move him at the deadline that season but after seeing where they were in the standings, opted to keep him as their own rental instead. With Vatanen, the Hurricanes desperately needed a right-handed defenseman after both Dougie Hamilton and Brett Pesce went down with injuries so they didn’t have a ton of options there.
We don’t know what the status of Carolina’s financial situation is but the bottom-line is that this helps to save cap space and create cost certainty. The Hurricanes aren’t forced into signing a contract they don’t like and instead will move a player on an expiring contract for someone else who can help immediately.
Carolina has managed to upgrade their roster, while also acquiring players with term rather than signing big contracts. Two seasons into his tenure as Hurricanes general manager, Waddell has shown some of the best asset management of anyone in the league.
Here's today's poll question (results and discussion will be posted on the weekend):
Are you happy with the job Don Waddell has done as Hurricanes General Manager?
Carolina Hurricanes Blogger • 
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