JMHO

With a strong overall deep draft where some good future players could go late, my guess is Whitney and Cullen will be first to go to teams that are looking to fill a hole to go deep in the playoffs. They might get a 3rd rounder for each or if a desperate team needs someone like Cullen, maybe a 2nd but doubt it. Could also get some prospects. Whitney may come back after being traded and resign for one more year in Raleigh. I hope so. My guess is Cullen is gone and will cash out one more time. Walker,Wallin, Yelle and Arron Ward are gone either for trade bait but most likely at end of year. Might see some others gone like Alberts if they can find a home for him. I do think they will buy out Brindy quietly in the off season. I would say TOm Kost. would be gone but he has been playing well and has a few more years at $916K a year so he may stay but if they can find a home, who knows. Pat Dwyer has been playing great and at $500K for one more year, he will probably stay. Maybe Samsonov goes even though he has another year but if someone needs a puck handler (who causes more offsides with his spastic puck skills at the blue line) then he may go too. Will be interesting to see what happens to Corvo. He is unrestricted and could be traded but since he is hurt, not sure who would take him or if Canes could get a fair trade. If he comes back and plays well in the short time before the trade deadline, he may be shipped off. No one will take Cole at his cost and injury status but who knows. If someone offers a 2nd rounder for Jussi, which they will not, he is gone. My guess he will be here next year which I am OK with.

That said, Boychuk, Sutter, Cam Ward,Gleason, Ruuto, Pitkanen and Staal are here to stay. I am at the point I would trade Staal if possible (maybe a no trade there) for some couple top #1 draft picks but it will not happen. I rather get Taylor Hall at #1 this year from coming in last and give Staal a run for the money to be the superstar and maybe Staal might not be so lazy…..but I doubt it.

I think Legace (back up goalie) goes or gets one more year and then Mike Murphy or maybe even Justin Peters gets pushed up as back up goalie.

Watch for some of the Riber Rats to be traded around. Watch what happens to Jiri Tlusty who they just traded for our #1 pick last year (Paradee- spelling incorrect). If they trade Tlusty, another #1 pick blown). I think they will give him another year with the Canes.

I will be back in my seats next year as I support this team and org and we are lucky to have a pro team here and the team we have.

This post is my humble opinion