The New York Islanders have a need for a right-shot defenseman, and the Carolina Hurricanes reportedly have one available. The 28-year-old defenseman Brett Pesce has one year left on his deal before he becomes an unrestricted free agent (UFA). The Hurricanes want to extend Pesce, but if they aren’t able to, they will listen to offers.
Pesce is a big, 6-foot-3 blueliner who is not that physical, but he’s solid in his own zone. He has offensive ability as well, putting up 30 points in the 2022-23 campaign. Pesce was chosen in the third round of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft and has spent his entire eight-year career with the Hurricanes. He reportedly would like to stay with the team, but according to Pierre Lebrun, he has switched agents, which could complicate contract talks (from ‘LeBrun: Erik Karlsson ‘open-minded’ on trade destinations, plus latest rumblings on Meier, Barbashev, Hellebuyck, more,’ The Athletic, 6/16/23).
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If he does become available, many teams will be interested. It’s not every day a right-shot defenseman who is only 28 hits the trade market. The Islanders will have a need if they lose UFA Scott Mayfield this offseason. They would like to retain Mayfield, according to general manager (GM) Lou Lamoriello, but cap constraints could complicate things. The only issue with a Pesce trade is the Hurricanes have all of the leverage since he has a year left on his deal.
The asking price will likely be high because of the demand for defensemen. The Islanders already moved their 2023 first-round pick in the Bo Horvat deal. If Lamoriello is willing to part with a roster player plus another top pick or prospect, this trade could happen.
Could Pageau Interest Carolina?
The Islanders clearly have a logjam at the center position. It looks like they intend to keep Mat Barzal on Horvat’s wing, so that leaves Brock Nelson, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, and Casey Cizikas down the middle. Lamoriello made an interesting comment at his press conference, hinting that they have the luxury to part with a center if needed. “We’re fortunate to have the five center-ice men that we have,” he said. “We have the option, if something should come about to make us better in a different situation, we could change the construction of our offensive lines and do different things. So, we have flexibility (from ‘Islanders’ Josh Bailey ‘near the end,’ Bo Horvat ‘overused’: Takeaways from Lou Lamoriello’s presser,’ The Athletic, 6/6/23).
Looking at the Hurricanes’ depth, they could have a need for a second or third-line center. Paul Stastny is a UFA this offseason. It was reported earlier in the season that teams were calling about Pageau, and the Hurricanes were one of them.
Pageau is a 30-year-old center who has three years left on his deal with an average annual value (AAV) of $5 million. He would fit right into the Hurricanes’ style of play with his aggressive forechecking ability, two-way skills, and his ability to be an agitator on the ice. Obviously, a Pageau for Pesce one-for-one deal wouldn’t work. The Islanders would need to add either a prospect or another pick to sweeten the pot, but the framework for a deal to be made is there if both sides are interested. Pageau has been a solid Islander and a great playoff performer, but given his cap hit, they need to clear space to improve their roster. Center is already a strength for the Islanders, and their biggest need right now is a puck-moving right-shot defenseman.
Extend or Trade Pesce?
Any team trading for Pesce is going to have to commit to a long-term extension. The Tarrytown, NY native is going to cash in after being such a vital piece of the Hurricanes’ defense the last few seasons. He is entering the final year of a six-year deal worth $4.025 million per season, signed in August 2017. A good comparable for his next contract would be Damon Severson’s, which was just signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Severson signed an eight-year, $50 million deal with an AAV of $6.25 million. Pesce’s next contract will likely fall somewhere between $6 million-$7 million per season. The Hurricanes have a history of not paying their premium players, so Pesce will likely price himself out.
If that is the case, the trade market is going to be very competitive, and a team will have to commit to a long-term deal if they are willing to give up major assets. The Hurricanes should be able to land a first-round pick, plus either a roster player or a top prospect. In the Islanders’ case, they could offer a competitive package built around Pageau plus additional assets.
They would likely have to part with yet another first-round pick next year, but Pesce would instantly slide into their top-four and get time on the power play as well. He is also still young, so the risk may be worth taking. The only concern with committing long-term to Pesce is his injury history. He has had two bad shoulder injuries in the past and has played a ton of minutes for the Hurricanes. He has managed to stay healthy the past two seasons, but it’s always something to keep in mind when making a deal of this caliber.
Whether the Islanders and Hurricanes can agree on a deal is one thing but there is a definite fit. The Hurricanes had interest in Pageau earlier, and the Islanders would love to add a defenseman like Pesce. We’ll see if something can be worked out between the two teams in the coming weeks.