Now that the NHL is back, the next key moment in the 2025-26 season is the NHL Trade Deadline. That said, we are now less than a week away, as the deadline is on Friday, March 6. The Carolina Hurricanes have been linked to multiple players throughout the season, more so because they’re always calling around the league.
If there was one need for the Hurricanes to upgrade, it’s a legitimate right-handed second-line center. Nothing against Logan Stankoven, but it seems he could be better suited back on the wing. If the Hurricanes do pursue a second-line center upgrade, who are three possible targets ahead of the deadline next Friday?
Robert Thomas – St. Louis Blues
The first player that comes to mind is the St. Louis Blues’ Robert Thomas. It’s been rumored for most of the season that the Blue could move on from the 26-year-old as the team sits second-to-last in the Western Conference (21-28-9, 51 points). In 42 games, Thomas has 11 goals and 33 points. Over the last two seasons, Thomas has finished with 81 and 86 points, respectively. He is currently in the third year of his eight-year, $65 million deal.
His average annual value (AAV) comes to $8.125 million per season through 2030-31. Thomas, at the end of the deal, would be an unrestricted free agent (UFA) at 31 years old. For a top-line center to be available, any team would pull the trigger to make a deal happen. However, the asking price is astronomical, and no team has met the asking price for the Blues.
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According to Elliotte Friedman on 32 Thoughts: The Podcast, back around Jan. 23, he stated, “So it is either a huge package that makes them say we can’t say no to this or the other thing I have heard, is they’re looking for like a stud top-six forward who’s slightly younger than Thomas.” He believes that the Blues want a 22- to 24-year-old forward.
Is that something the Hurricanes would be interested in? Maybe, depending on which young top-six forward they want to move on from. But, there could be a possibility that a deal could get done that isn’t as extravagant as the asking price for Thomas. What that could be, who knows.
If the Hurricanes could somehow make it work, Thomas would be a huge addition to the center core of Sebastian Aho, Jordan Staal, and Mark Jankowski. Furthermore, he would be their right-shot center for the next five seasons until he is a UFA at 31 in 2031.
The Hurricanes have shown they aren’t afraid to take the big swings mid-season to get better, especially after the whole Mikko Rantanen saga last season, which ultimately landed them Stankoven, two first-round picks, and two other picks.
That being said, if they want to take a big swing to get something to happen, Thomas might be the big fish to secure as the second-line center for the rest of 2025-26 and the next five seasons at $8.125 million. The AAV will look great for the Hurricanes, with the cap going up to over $104 million in 2026-27.
Dylan Cozens – Ottawa Senators
Another possible option is the Ottawa Senators’ Dylan Cozens. What makes this move a little tougher is that the Senators traded for Cozens back in March 2025, which sent Joshua Norris and Jacob Bernard-Docker to the Buffalo Sabres. There has been no indication that the Senators are going to move on from the 25-year-old center.
However, even with the Senators sitting seven points out of the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference, someone like Cozens could be a nice addition behind Aho as the 2C. He’s currently in the third year of his seven-year, $49.7 million deal. The AAV comes to $7.1 million per season, running through 2029-30. Cozens would become a UFA at 29 years old. In 58 games, he has 18 goals and 43 points as the second-line center on the Senators’ depth chart.
Since he is two years younger and making less money, Cozens is another great option for the Hurricanes if there is interest from the Senators to move on from him. However, it’s tough to see them move on from a young center like Cozens. Despite that, there is something to look into, especially when the Hurricanes could offer him another contract when he’s 29 in 2030 to have him stay in Raleigh longer. It’ll be interesting to see if anything is being asked about Cozens and what a return could be.
Charlie Coyle – Columbus Blue Jackets
The final player to consider is the Columbus Blue Jackets’ Charlie Coyle. In 57 games, the 33-year-old has 15 goals and 42 points. He is in the last year of his six-year, $31.50 million deal. Coyle’s AAV comes out to $5.25 million. Unlike Cozens and Thomas, this would be a rental trade for the Hurricanes, in which they would most likely look for a second-line center during free agency.
When talking to Blue Jackets credentialed beat writer Mark Scheig of The Hockey Writers, he said if the team were further behind in the standings, they could be interested in trading Coyle. However, as they’re six points out of a playoff spot, that is unlikely. However, if the Blue Jackets are blown away by an offer, that might change things. That being said, this could be a long-shot option for the Hurricanes since the Blue Jackets are fighting for a wild card spot with the Boston Bruins, Washington Capitals, Buffalo Sabres, and the Senators.
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While he is the third-line center for Columbus, he could be a solid rental 2C since he has 42 points in 57 games. Coyle brings a style that could fit the Hurricanes on 5-on-5, along with the penalty kill if need be. If they go for the Coyle route, this is more of a short-term solution at 2C rather than what a Cozens or a Thomas long-term solution could bring.
An honorable mention for a second-line center target is Vincent Trocheck. Check out the article dated Feb. 13, where The Hockey Writers brought up how a reunion between Trocheck and the Hurricanes makes sense.
Whether the Hurricanes can make a move for Thomas, Cozens, Coyle, or even Trocheck, it is clear that they need a right-handed center who can man the 2C spot for the rest of the season and beyond. While Stankoven has done well so far, moving him back to the wing could help him get back to his production from 2024-25. It’ll be interesting over the next six days to see what the Hurricanes will do. Either way, they have decisions to make, as there are 24 games left before the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs begin.
