Add Klingberg to the Blue Line?

[Anybodyhome]

Just a few tidbits from the article....

https://thehockeywriters.com/klingberg-trade-make-hurricanes-blue-line-lethal/

The Carolina Hurricanes will take all your defensemen. I remember back in the summer of 2019, the team had two stars on the top pairing in Jaccob Slavin and Dougie Hamilton, one of the best shutdown second-pairing blueliners in the league in Brett Pesce, a top-10 pick pushing his way into the lineup in Haydn Fleury, and two stable veterans in Trevor van Riemsdyk and Joel Edmundson, the latter fresh off a Stanley Cup win with St. Louis.

That looked like a legit six-man unit. Then, late in free agency, they added another splashy, offensive defenseman in Jake Gardiner, seemingly out of nowhere. Everybody in the hockey world laughed — “they’re just going to sign all the defensemen in the league, obviously.” Oh, they added Brady Skjei at that year’s trade deadline, too (but the rash of injuries at the position did sort of make that necessary).

Well, history may just be repeating itself. Despite a phenomenal blue line still spearheaded by Pesce, Slavin, and Skjei, alongside Ethan Bear, Ian Cole, and perhaps the best bargain signing of the year in Tony DeAngelo, the team is in the rumor mill again about a big-name defender that is reportedly on the market.

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Where Klingberg would really make his money in Carolina is as a power-play quarterback and puck mover. Outside of DeAngelo, there isn’t a big threat to consistently activate from the blue line and create offense, and DeAngelo himself is best suited for a bottom-pair role, as we’ve seen over the last few games. He’s provided a lot of offense… for both teams. Klingberg can eat big minutes, is lethal on the power play as both a shooter and passer, and, in conjunction with the speed and forechecking of the forward core, would likely make for a breakout and zone entry machine.

The Hurricanes did well to try and replace Hamilton with two relatively cheap options in Bear and DeAngelo. The latter especially has provided a lot of scoring punch and looks like one of the best bargain signings of the year.

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The way things are tracking, though, I may be willing to reverse course here. Not only are the Hurricanes as well-equipped as any team in the league to endure an injury or two with legit NHLers like Josh Leivo, Stefan Noesen, and Jack Drury, among others, waiting in the wings, but the way young players like Seth Jarvis and Andrei Svechnikov are growing before our eyes, there may not even be a slot to add another forward in without potentially hampering two cornerstone pieces.

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[Harbingers]

I don’t know that we have the cap space this season without moving a big offensive name though which would probably be thought of as dirty. 4.25 is a lot for us currently. 
 

As much as I’d like to add some firepower going down the stretch, we didn’t leave ourselves much room this season. Outside of Bear I wouldn’t say any of ours guys have played poorly on a consistent basis. Ya Staal isn’t producing points at the rate he should be, but he’s still grinding it out in the trenches and I expect his point game to pick up the closer we get to spring. 

Edited January 25, 2022 by Harbingers

[MillionDollarCam]

Klingberg and Halak are on my wishlist.

Klingberg will only be a rental as he’s a free agent at the end of the year. I’d offer Ethan Bear, Ryan Suzuki, and a 2nd for Klingberg. I’d offer Spencer Smallman and a 4th for Halak.

Turbo - Aho - Jarvis

Svech - Trocheck - Necas

Nino - Staal - Fast

Lorentz - KK - Stepan

Marty

Slavin - Klingberg

Skjei - Pesce

Cole - TDA

Smith

Andersen

Raanta

Halak

Taxi: Leivo