The Carolina Hurricanes have the fourth-worst record in the Eastern Conference and sit seven points behind the last wild-card playoff spot, which may result in the team making a change at the most important position before the March 5 trade deadline.
According to TSN’s Darren Dreger, Carolina would consider trading any of the three goaltenders on its NHL roster — Cam Ward, Justin Peters and Anton Khudobin.
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Ward is the most intriguing name in this group. He’s been the No. 1 goalie in Carolina since the 2005-06 season, when he led the team to its only Stanley Cup title and won the Conn Smythe Trophy. Since that playoff run, the 29-year-old has been unable to play at an elite level consistently and has battled numerous injuries. He has two more years remaining on his contract with a $6.3 million salary cap hit.
Khudobin was signed by the Hurricanes in the offseason and has become one of the league’s best backups with a 13-7-0 record, a .926 save percentage and a 2.17 goals against average. The 27-year-old is a great trade target for contending teams in need of additional goaltending depth. As an upcoming unrestricted free agent with a team-friendly $800,000 cap hit, Khudobin could generate some interest on the trade market.
Peters has struggled this season with a 7-9-4 record and a 2.50 GAA. He’s also a UFA this summer and has a cap hit of just over $500,000.
