In potential trade news, the Carolina Hurricanes are close to moving defenseman Justin Faulk to an unknown NHL team. In a separate move, they may also be looking to replace him by acquiring the rights of unsigned Capitals draft pick Chase Priskie.
The Capitals own Priskie’s rights until August 15.
The news was first reported by The Athletic’s Sara Civian who is a beat reporter for the Carolina Hurricanes.
Hearing the Hurricanes and the Capitals are in talks that involve Justin Faulk on the move and Carolina acquiring the rights to and signing Chase Priskie, Quinnipiac defenseman who didn’t sign with Caps. Extent of talks currently unclear, might not be able to acquire rights ATM.
— Sara Civ (@SaraCivian) June 22, 2019
Yes this is exactly what I meant. Will you do my tweets for me going forward Matt https://t.co/u4yJ2aX4nq
— Sara Civ (@SaraCivian) June 22, 2019
Priskie, a 2016 sixth-round pick out of Quinnipiac University, informed the Capitals in April that he would not sign with them and would become an unrestricted free agent in August.
“Looking at the big picture, I felt going to free agency would best suit me and help me position myself into a top-6 role in the NHL,” Priskie said to the New Haven Register’s Chip Malafronte. “They’re very deep with great defensive prospects. It was something that I had the option to do, so I decided to go free agency.”
The thought process here from a Caps perspective may be to just get any sort of value possible out of a player that they know has no interest in playing for the team and from a Hurricanes perspective, it’s about getting first dibs at trying to lock Priskie up for the future.
A confused reporter asked Brian MacLellan at the draft if the team was looking to trade for Justin Faulk. MacLellan denied the team had any interest in him.
Caps GM Brian MacLellan said report team was talking to Canes about possible trade for Justin Faulk was not true.
“No. We haven’t had any discussions about him.”
— Tom Gulitti (@TomGulittiNHL) June 22, 2019
