We're two weeks past the 2026 trade deadline, and still, we have new information coming our way. However, unlike the whispers of things that the Carolina Hurricanes missed in their drive to the postseason, it seems like this time we are hearing rumors about something that could shape their summer.
In the March 18 edition of dfo rundownInsider David Pagnotta joined host Irfan Ghafar to discuss a number of topics, including the Storm's reported focus on improving goaltending.
"My guess is that Freddy Anderson will not be back with the club," Pagnotta said. "There are some indications that they're going to explore the goaltending market in the offseason."
Then, Pagnotta mentioned that the Hurricanes had already begun pursuing another goaltender during the trade deadline.
"They explored [the goalie market] Before the trade deadline. They were one of the teams that focused on Sergei Bobrovsky, and there were some that believed this was potentially a good route to take.
"Obviously, that didn't happen. Montreal and Vegas were the other two teams that were in that mix. There was a little bit of internal belief that they would be going in that direction. So, they're definitely going to be exploring their options by all accounts in the summer. We'll see where it goes."
Sergei Bobrovsky may be available this summer, but would he be a good fit for Carolina?
It's definitely too early to consider free agency when we haven't even finished the regular season - it doesn't make sense to me. However, we cannot ignore the rumor and what it could mean for the Hurricanes.
During the deadline, it was said that there was not much action around him and the Florida Panthers decided to work towards signing him to a new contract instead. Since then, there has been little news from Sunrise regarding whether contract negotiations have progressed.
He will be 38 years old next season. That being said, at the age of 40, teams are desperately trying to lure Marc-Andre Fleury out of retirement. Although an older goaltender may not be ideal, someone of his talent caliber – especially in the playoffs – will certainly attract attention if the Panthers can't secure an extension.
There are still games left for the Hurricanes and Anderson has started to regain some steam since the Olympics. He can still go to the heater and leave Carolina to destroy the prints on the old inkjet in order to get another contract.
However, should Andersen not get an extension, the Hurricanes will still have a good tandem in Bussey and Pyotr Kochetkov, who have both been good for Carolina.
But both of them are still quite young in their careers.
Kochetkov has the most NHL experience of the two, having played 125 games, which is still a low number. Bussey, meanwhile, will be in only his second NHL season.
Also, considering the frequency of goaltender injuries, it may be beneficial for Carolina to call upon a veteran player when things go wrong.
