Because of the ordeal with Mikko Rantanen, most of the hockey world's focus was there when the trade deadline rolled around this season. While the Rantanen deal to Dallas kept everyone awake the Thursday night before, it was a deal announced once the deadline passed that paid immediate dividends for the team.
Searching for a little size at the bottom of the lineup, the Hurricanes made a very small deal with the Nashville Predators, acquiring Mark Jankowski for a 2026 5th-round pick. By no means a move to make them immediate favorites for the Stanley Cup, this turned out to be a sneaky good trade that few people acknowledged.