In a three-team blockbuster NHL trade, the Carolina Hurricanes added two key forwards from Colorado and Chicago.

Welcome back to NHL Predictions. Each day, Last Word on Hockey takes a look at the games that are scheduled and offers insight and analysis to help predict who will be victorious in head-to-head matchups.

Welcome to Scott Wheeler’s 2025 rankings of every NHL organization’s prospects. You can find the complete ranking and more information on the project and its criteria here, as we count down daily from No. 32 to No. 1. The series, which includes in-depth evaluations and insight from sources on nearly 500 prospects, runs from Jan. 8 to Feb. 7.

The Carolina Hurricanes have made plenty of headlines lately with their acquisition of Mikko Rantanen, the star forward in the NHL, but just like most trades, there will be an adjustment period for him. They also added former #1 overall pick Taylor Hall, who will slot in on the second line.

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