Hurricanes acquire Galchenyuk, Paquette, trade Dzingel to Ottawa

The Carolina Hurricanes have traded winger Ryan Dzingel to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for forwards Alex Galchenyuk and Cedric Paquette.

Headed back north, Dzingel signed with Carolina in 2019 as a free agent on a two-year, $3.375 million contract. In 75 games with the Hurricanes, Dzingel registered 10 goals and 33 points.

Outside of a hot stretch early in the 2019-20 season, Dzingel struggled to produce in Carolina and was frequently healthy scratch down the line. He will be looking for a better chance with the team that originally drafted him.

In return, Carolina is bringing on former 2012, 3rd overall pick, Galchenyuk and a physical presence with Paquette.

Galchenyuk is now on his sixth team in his ninth season in the NHL.

In 557 career games, he has 136 goals and 321 points.

When he was drafted, he exhibited a lot of high-end skill and was projected to be a top player, but he just hasn’t been able to put it together in his journey around the league. The Hurricanes may view him as a type of reclamation project, where if they can get some production from him, it could be worth it.

Galchenyuk is on a one-year deal that pays him $1.05 million.

Paquette on the other hand brings in Stanley Cup experience, as he won a cup with the most recent champions, the Tampa Bay Lightning. Paquette is a large and strong-bodied forward that can bring a lot of physicality to a Carolina squad that was frankly missing a lot of it.

In 386 career games, he has 48 goals and has 86 points. He is also on the last year of his contract with an AAV of $1.65 million.

Strictly from a business standpoint, this deal moves out a player that was underproducing for a roll of the dice on two new players, but most importantly, saves the Hurricanes about $675K against the cap, which can come in handy down the road at the trade deadline.

The official release from the team follows:

RALEIGH, N.C. – Don Waddell, President and General Manager of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has acquired forwards Cedric Paquette and Alex Galchenyuk from the Ottawa Senators in exchange for forward Ryan Dzingel.

“Cedric is a strong, physical forward who won the Stanley Cup with Tampa Bay last season,” said Waddell. “We’re excited to add both of these players to our forward group.”

Paquette, 27, has scored one goal in nine games with the Senators this season. The 6’0”, 204-pound forward skated in all 25 postseason games for the Lightning in 2020, recording three assists as Tampa Bay captured the Stanley Cup. He has tallied 86 points (48g, 38a) in 386 career NHL games with the Lightning and Senators. Paquette has also registered 12 points (5g, 7a) in 91 career NHL playoff games, all with Tampa Bay. He posted 51 points (24g, 27a) in 75 career American Hockey League games with Syracuse from 2013-15. Paquette recorded 131 points (58g, 73a) in 130 career Quebec Major Junior Hockey League games with Blainville-Boisbriand and Montreal from 2010-13. The Gaspe, Que., native was drafted by the Lightning in the fourth round, 101st overall, in the 2012 NHL Draft.

Galchenyuk, 27, has scored one goal in eight games with Ottawa this season. The 6’1”, 207-pound forward has earned 321 points (136g, 185a) in 557 career NHL games with Montreal, Arizona, Pittsburgh, Minnesota and Ottawa. Dzingel, 28, registered 33 points (10g, 23a) in 75 games with Carolina since joining the team as a free agent on July 12, 2019. The 6’0”, 190-pound forward has tallied 171 points (76g, 95a) in 343 career NHL games with Ottawa, Columbus and Carolina.