Carolina Hurricanes used the NHL trade deadline craze to address their defense after Brett Pesce went down with an injury. The team announced on Monday that they have acquired defensemen Brady Skjei from New York Rangers and Sami Vatanen from New Jersey Devils.
In order to get Skjei, Canes had to send a first-round draft pick in 2020 to New York. Devils, on the other hand, received conditional fourth-rounder in this year’s draft alongside defenseman Fredrik Claesson and forward Janne Kuokkanen.
Skjei comes to Carolina with a reputation of a versatile defenseman who is still young and has room to progress. He played 60 games this season, scoring eight goals and contributing with 15 assists.
“Brady is a big defenseman who checks all the boxes,” said Canes’ general manager Don Waddell. “He’s an excellent skater, he’s competitive, he can move the puck, and he can defend. He’s under contract through the 2023-24 season, so this is another acquisition that helps us immediately and in the long-term.”
Vatanen, on the other hand, is a veteran who brings much-needed playoff experience to Hurricanes. He’s been having a productive season so far, managing to account for 23 points in 47 games.
“Sami is player that fits our system well,” Waddell added. “His skating, vision, and puck-moving skills will help us out in all facets of the game. We expect him to return to the lineup in early March.”
