Hurricanes getting calls on Skinner, want to sign Hanifin long term

In his first offseason as general manager of the Carolina Hurricanes, Don Waddell could be quite busy.

Waddell confirmed that Jeff Skinner's name on the trade market is not a fabrication.

"It's no secret that we put his name out there and we've gotten a lot of interest," Waddell said Wednesday on Hockey Central at noon.

Earlier this month, it was reported that the Hurricanes were looking for a first-round pick and a prospect in exchange for Skinner.

"He's a big asset for us," Waddell said. "So we gotta make sure we get some kind of asset that we feel is gonna help us either today or in the future for a guy like Jeff."

Another name that has surfaced in the rumor mill is Hurricanes defenseman Noah Hanifin. Waddell said one team called him about Hanifin, but they haven't really thought about making a deal. Instead, the Canes are geared toward making the blue-liner a part of their future.

"Our goal is to get (Hanifin) signed to a long-term deal," Waddell explained.

Skinner is a year away from unrestricted free agency, so moving him would make sense, even though he's a rather consistent goal scorer and an underrated two-way player. He's one year removed from a 37-goal season, and finished second in the NHL with 93 takeaways this past season.

Hanifin, however, is only 21 years old and has shown gradual improvements each season. Trading the former fifth overall pick would seem foolish at this point in his career, unless a substantial haul were to come back in return.