The Carolina Hurricanes have traded forwards Erik Haula, Lucas Wallmark and prospects Eetu Luostarinen and Chase Priskie to the Florida Panthers for center Vincent Trocheck

The Hurricanes get: A very good second-line center who has first-line upside. But on a team like this, already with a top young center in Sebastian Aho, Trocheck will of course be on the second line. Trocheck has had a tough season, currently on pace for 54 points. But this is understandable since he did miss much of last year with an injury. He has 21 points in his last 29 games (59-point pace) despite having his ice time in the last quarter shaved by nearly two minutes per game. In other words, his points-per-60 minutes has risen to the level we expect of Trocheck. In Carolina he will get those minutes.

The Panthers get: two very good and somewhat underrated centermen, along with a couple of prospects. Haula could be an established second-line center right now were it not for the fact that he gets injured so much. He wins faceoffs, he kills penalties and he does have that 55-point season from just two years ago. Wallmark is even more underrated. Pigeonholed on the third or fourth line, he gets strictly defensive zone minutes and absolutely no power-play time despite posting 1.8 Pts/60 and having a productive career at other levels. This won’t change with Florida as he has just moved to a team that is even deeper than the one he was just on.

Luostarinen was the 42nd overall draft pick in 2017. He is a two-way center with reasonable upside, and his transition to the North American pro game this season has been decent, but now eye-popping. He has 25 points in 44 games in the AHL. His fantasy prospect profile can be found here. Priskie was a project pick back in 2016 that seems to be working out. Drafted 177th overall, Priskie went on to enjoy a prolific college career. The puck-moving defenseman had 39 points in 36 games in his Senior year with Quinnipiac last season. His transition to the pro game has been great so far, which no doubt piqued Florida’s interest. He has 31 points in 52 games. His fantasy prospect profile can be found here.

Fantasy Players Impacted: Trocheck will thrive in his new environment and so will Haula. And although Wallmark may get stuck on the fourth line, he is the best candidate to move to the second line if and when Haula gets hurt (again). Haula makes a great short-term pickup because he gets a fresh start and is immediately plunked on a line with Mike Hoffman and Brett Connolly or Frank Vatrano. The Panthers, who have been trying two different defensemen as forwards, really needed this two-for-one deal. But it’s Trocheck, Nino Niederreiter and Martin Necas who really cash in here. I don’t think the Canes break up the nice Warren Foegele – Jordan Staal – Justin Williams line and there is no way in hell they touch the Finns (Aho and Teuvo Teravainen) and Andrei Svechnikov. So Trocheck slots into Haula’s spot with El Nino and Necas. And he is a big upgrade to Haula there. With the extra forward that Florida added, one of Mike Matheson or Mark Pysyk will slot back on defense. Noel Acciari, who has been a bit of a fantasy phenom at times this year, will likely take a bit of a hit here as well.

Fantasy Players this helps, in order:

• Martin Necas
• Vincent Trocheck
• Erik Haula
• Nino Niederreiter

Fantasy Players this hurts, in order:

• Mike Hoffman
• Brett Connolly
• Noel Acciari

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