Carolina Hurricanes
Goaltending in Raleigh has been an adventure for the last few seasons. From bad Cam Ward to really bad Cam Ward to Scott Darling to Petr Mrazek to former Columbus Blue Jacket Curtis McElhinney, this team has had some pretty bad netminders over the last few seasons.
Their big money goaltender is Scott Darling who still has three years left on a deal paying him $4.15 million a season. Darling though, who showed some flashes last year, largely disappointed. Now, Darling is dealing with a lower body injury that he sustained in late September. Darling has just begun his conditioning stint in Charlotte and even when he returns doesn’t inspire the confidence you need if you’re going to end the longest playoff drought in the NHL.
But then again, Carolina may not need a big name in goal to end the drought. The Canes are 5-3-1 to start the season relying on a rotation of Petr Mrazek and Curtis McElhinney with Curtis posting an impressive 3-1 record in his four starts. This though is coming behind a Carolina team that is playing at an incredible pace and dominating physicality that is going to be tough to keep up all year long.
Sooner or later, every team needs to lean on their goal to steal them a set of games or at least hold the team up while they are slumping. Neither Mrazek, McElhinney or Darling have shown that they can do that. Bobrovsky on the other hand most certainly can drag a team to the playoffs.
The Canes have the cap space and the prospects to trade for Bob. They have a glaring need but whether or not the Canes want to abandon ship on Darling this early is the question. The current ownership group and front office weren’t the ones to sign Darling to this deal so they will have an easier time letting go. Trading in the division isn’t an ideal situation but outside of that, this could be a match meant to be.
These are all tough situations to navigate but any trade of Bob will be difficult. With these four teams though there is a path forward for a trade because of an apparent need and the right pieces in place for either Carolina, Calgary, Florida or Philadelphia.
Let us know what you think. If Bob does get traded, where do you think he ends up? Let us know in the comments.