Carolina is in need of RWs for the second and fourth lines. Tarasenko adds scoring ability to the second line. Leivo has pre-existing chemistry with Drury from winning the Calder Cup together, playing for the Chicago Wolves this summer; he is a perfect addition to the fourth line, and has a very inexpensive contract.

Raanta serves as a backup goaltender for Binnington. Martinook, Kase, and Coghlan are traded away as inexpensive depth contracts. The 1st and 2nd round picks in the 2023 Draft are a sweetener for St. Louis to accept the trade.

Merrill has an excellent +/- and will round out our D Corps perfectly, creating a deadly bottom pair with Burns. Foligno takes Niederreiter's place on the third line. Boldy is a bright young star with a very inexpensive contract; he is the perfect winger to complete the kid line (fourth line).

The Minnesota Wild are a team with a severe lack of depth at Centre. Staal, Kotkaniemi, and Suzuki are all players who would remedy this issue. Fast is a replacement winger for Foligno, but will likely be placed on the third line while Kotkaniemi takes Foligno's spot on the second line. Gardiner is a replacement LD for Merrill, and is currently on LTIR, and Carolina is retaining 50% of the salary, so the $2,025,000 (reduced) AAV contract is not as daunting as it may look on paper. The 2024 2nd and 3rd round picks are a sweetener for Minnesota to accept the trade.