This is a good question, a timely one considering the team's current offensive funk, and a question that many teams probably consider each and every season.
I don't think the answer on offense can be found in the draft, at least where the Hurricanes could potentially pick, or in the system right now. There's offensive talent in Charlotte and beyond, no doubt - Julien Gauthier and Nicolas Roy are two, for example, that possess exciting potential - but that's not going to be an immediate answer.
That leaves trades and free agency. Free agency can be an unpredictable gamble, especially with a 31st club involved this year; the dollar amounts could get skewed or the talent pool could be thin. And, many teams aren't going to be comfortable letting a proven scorer walk. But, they might be more apt to part with offensive talent if there are getting something in return - aha, a trade! Perhaps there is a team with a scorer that is looking to bolster its defense with quality, young talent. The Hurricanes have that in spades. The question becomes: what are the Hurricanes willing to give up in order to acquire x, y or z?
Head coach Bill Peters was asked after the bye week about potential personnel moves.
"We want to keep our group together. I do, for sure. I know the group in the room is very tight. I believe in this group," he said. "We like our D. I believe that's our foundation moving forward. You can't rob Peter to pay Paul. That doesn't make any sense in my opinion."
A trade may be the Hurricanes' best route for acquiring offensive talent. We'll see. One week remains until the trade deadline, and this summer should be rather interesting, especially factoring in the expansion draft and the Vegas Golden Knights in the mix.
