The NHL will freeze its rosters on February 4th in advance of the 2026 Winter Olympic Games. As a result, there is little time left for teams across the NHL to make their moves before the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline in March. With this in mind, teams like the Carolina Hurricanes may strike before the soft deadline on Wednesday.
The Hurricanes are one of the best teams in the NHL. They are tied for second on points with the Tampa Bay Lightning for the top spot in the Eastern Conference. This is certainly nothing new for Carolina, as they've been a strong regular-season team over the last few years.
However, things tend to go haywire in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. In their last four appearances in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Hurricanes have won just one of 16 games in those matchups. This doesn't even mention the times that Carolina has failed to make it to the East Final in the first place.
The Hurricanes are looking to take that next step, and there are a number of ways they can achieve that goal. This work starts on the trade market, making the right moves to improve this roster. With this in mind, here is one trade the Hurricanes must make before the Olympic break.
Bobby McMann makes sense as depth trade pickup for Hurricanes
The Hurricanes have the assets to make a big splash. They are certainly a team to watch in the Artemi Panarin sweepstakes leading into the Olympic break. That is a route that general manager Eric Tulsky can pursue if he so chooses.
However, the likelihood of a blockbuster deal before the Olympic break feels a bit low. Most of these players are not going to be suiting up in the Olympics. And as a result, they aren't going to risk injury. It would make sense to think things over during the break before making the final decisions once play resumes.
As a result, depth moves could be the name of the game leading into the NHL's roster freeze. The Hurricanes need help with their forward depth. They have the assets to swing multiple trades for different types of forwards. Making a depth move wouldn't be entirely difficult for them.
The Hurricanes aren't hurting for scoring depth, but adding another scorer wouldn't hurt. Especially when considering the team's issues finding the back of the net during the postseason in recent memory. That's where Toronto Maple Leafs winger Bobby McMann comes in.
McMann is an excellent story, having worked his way to the NHL after going undrafted. He broke out in 2023-24, scoring 15 goals in 56 games. He followed that up with a 20-goal campaign last season. Now, he's on pace to score 26 goals this year.
McMann can provide an added edge to one of the league's best offenses. The knock here is that McMann isn't a proven playoff performer. He didn't score once in 13 playoff games with the Maple Leafs last season.
However, many Toronto players struggled to score in the postseason. Going to a new situation could help him find his stride when the games matter most. The Hurricanes wouldn't need him to score a ton of goals, either. They would just need a timely goal here and there, which they've failed to get in recent years.
Ideally, McMann is one of a few moves Carolina makes before March 6th. In any event, the Hurricanes would be wise to add depth among their forwards. McMann could come at a cost, considering his favorable cap hit, but Carolina has the assets to make it work.
