The Carolina Hurricanes consider re-signing defenseman Brett Pesce a top priority this offseason, but if that doesn't happen, he will be getting traded before the start of next season, reports TSN's Pierre LeBrun.

“If the Hurricanes have their way, they're not trading Brett Pesce, they're signing him to an extension. And those talks continue with his camp,” wrote LeBrun on Insider Trading on Thursday. “But I think the Hurricanes are also pretty resolute that if they can't extend Brett Pesce, they will move him this summer to get max value on the asset with a year left on his contract.”

It looks like the Canes won't go into next season with one of their best blueliners on an expiring contract.

The Buffalo Sabres have already reached out to Carolina regarding the defensive stalwart, as well as the Edmonton Oilers, per LeBrun and TSN's Darren Dreger.

“I think the Edmonton Oilers have interest in Pesce as well. We know that the Edmonton Oilers are one of those teams in the market also looking to add another top-four defenceman, but in Edmonton it's about loosening up the money strings and creating cap space,” Dreger asserted on Insider Trading.

Pesce is entering the final season of a six-year contract he signed back in 2017; he has a cap hit of $4.025 million in 2022-23 with no trade protection.

The 28-year-old is considered one of the game's best right-shot defensive defenseman. Although his career high is 30 points, he has averaged over 20 minutes of time on ice for seven consecutive seasons in Carolina and is a proven playoff performer.

Since 2018-19, the New York native has ranked 26th among defenseman in goals above replacement, per Evolving-Hockey.

If the Carolina Hurricanes can't get one of their best D-man in Brett Pesce locked up this summer, he figures to draw significant interest from across the NHL during the offseason.