On paper, the Carolina Hurricanes were the second best team in the National Hockey League in 2022-23. Although overshadowed by one of the greatest ever regular season teams, they put together an exceptional 52-win, 113-point campaign to lead the Metropolitan Division and finish behind the Boston Bruins for the President's Trophy.

The Canes only got better this summer, adding the best defenseman available on the free agent market in Dmitry Orlov and complementing him with the shrewd signings of sandpaper forward Michael Bunting and offensive defenseman Tony DeAngelo. Carolina is a powerhouse heading into 2023-24, and it's Stanley Cup or bust for Rod Brind'Amour's team.

Still, there are a few expendable players on the roster after the signing of Caleb Jones, as the team has a surplus of NHL-caliber defensemen. This has led to speculation about one potentially being moved out before the end of the summer. Brett Pesce is the name that keeps coming up, but his D-partner Brady Skjei is the latest player to see his name swirling in the rumor mill.

Carolina doesn't have to get any better next season, but they certainly could move out a player or two for either draft capital or to improve the bottom-six forward group. Here are three prime trade candidates ahead of training camp.

Brett Pesce, D

It's very surprising that Brett Pesce is still a Carolina Hurricane after the team made it clear that they would either re-sign the 28-year-old or trade him instead of losing him for nothing as an unrestricted free agent next summer. But no trade has materialized, despite a significant market for a player of his caliber. Pesce remains one of the biggest trade candidates in the NHL heading into the final month of the offseason.

The Buffalo Sabres and Edmonton Oilers have both already reportedly kicked the tires on Pesce, and the Dallas Stars have also been connected to the right-shot D-man as they look to improve their top-four group. The Tarrytown, NY native is a steady defensive defenseman who can complement a more offensive minded player on a team's second pairing. He has been excellent in Raleigh, but as it looks like the team won't be re-signing him unless something changes before the season, he is still the most likely name to be dealt.

Brady Skjei, D

There's next to no chance that the Hurricanes will trade both Pesce and Brady Skjei, but it could be the latter who finds himself on the trade block in the dog days of summer. The 29-year-old former first-round pick in the 2012 NHL Draft is the latest Hurricane to pick up steam in the rumor mill.

Skjei is entering the final season of a contract that will pay him $5.25 million in 2023-24, which is not bad at all for a defenseman who's put up back-to-back 39-point campaigns from the back end. He scored a career-high 18 goals last year, which is just excellent for a blueliner, and Carolina could look to take advantage of his heightened value after a great year.

That's especially true if GM Don Waddell can't find a way to re-sign the Minnesota native to a contract extension before he hits free agency next summer. Like Pesce, he's a steady top-four defenseman who can play big minutes and is well-acclimated to the bruising style of postseason hockey. It would be shocking if Waddell traded both Pesce and Skjei, but would be equally surprising if both players remain on the roster ahead of opening night.

Pyotr Kochetkov, G

At the end of last season, there was no clarity at all whether UFAs Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta would be back in Raleigh. But both goaltenders ended up signing; Andersen for two years at $3.4 million AAV, and Raanta at one-year, $1.5 million. With one of the league's better goaltending duos ready to run it back in 2023-24, could Pyotr Kochetkov be expendable?

Of course, Andersen and Raanta have both really struggled to stay healthy over the years, and Kochetkov is an excellent option to step in. He did a great job in a small NHL sample last year. But he really is too good to be playing in the American Hockey League, and might benefit more from a change of scenery. While it's likely that the Hurricanes will wait it out with the young Russian, especially as Raanta will be a UFA again next summer, Kochetkov is an intriguing name that could be made available.

Although the team is in phenomenal shape ahead of training camp, look for either Brett Pesce or Brady Skjei to be calling a new city home before another hockey season starts.