Brett Pesce trade destinations: 5 teams that could (or should) be interested

It’s that time in the offseason when the dust starts to settle. Depth charts have started to take shape after the early flurry of trades in the offseason around the draft and free agency.

But not every team is done reconstructing its roster. There are still players who could be on the move ahead of puck drop on the season, including Brett Pesce.

Why would the Hurricanes trade Pesce?

Carolina probably doesn’t want to lose a defenseman who’s been such a pivotal part of its blue line over the last eight seasons. But if the 2024 unrestricted free agent isn’t extended by the time the season rolls around to give the team long-term certainty, he’s going to be playing elsewhere sooner than his next contract as The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun reported.

Pesce’s in the final year of a six-year contract carrying a $4.025 million cap hit. The deciding factor in his future may be how much of a raise he’s seeking. The Hurricanes generally don’t hand out super hefty contracts. Those are reserved for the very top of their lineup — the Sebastian Ahos (who will be seeking a new contract ahead of next summer as well), the Andrei Svechnikovs, and Jaccob Slavin probably belongs in that category, too. Outside of that, it’s hard to see management completely changing course and throwing money at Pesce, especially when they’ve created such a strong system that’s allowed them to interchange supporting players around their core. Pesce is arguably part of that core, but management may feel the foundation set would allow them to replace him if they can’t find common ground. Plus, there are some durability concerns considering his role and usage and the fact he’s already had two shoulder surgeries. The safer bet could be his partner, Brady Skjei, who is also a UFA in 2024.

If Pesce were to be a free agent this summer, Evolving Hockey would have him signing for six years at about $6.3 million a year, on average, whether or not he sticks with his current team. That’s a bit above his market value over that span of time, according to The Athletic’s Dom Luszczyszyn, which has him closer to being worth $5.5 million.

With cap growth in mind, and with how much teams tend to spend for right-handed defensemen, it’s possible Pesce pushes for more, which would end his tenure in Carolina.

Why should a team want to acquire Pesce?

Acquiring Pesce carries some risk because of his injury history, next contract and the unknowns of how he’ll perform outside of the Canes system. But there’s no such thing as a risk-free move. It’s all about balancing the reward, and in this case it’s his defensive play.

Pesce’s been relied on as a shutdown defenseman for years with the Hurricanes. He excels at defending the blue line and limiting rush chances against. He can be counted on to match up against top competition both at even strength and the penalty kill, and to be a source of stability on the back end. He’s never really had to be the guy,…