Hurricanes Acquire Dadonov from Panthers in Four-Player Trade

The Carolina Hurricanes have announced that they have acquired right wing Evgeni Dadonov and left wing A.J. Jenks from the Florida Panthers in exchange for center Jonathan Matsumoto and left wing Mattias Lindstrom. In 15 games this season with the Panthers, Dadonov has two goals and one assist for three points. He has also appeared in 22 games with San Antonio and Charlotte of the AHL, scoring five goals and four assists for nine points. Jenks has appeared in 27 games with San Antonio and Charlotte, scoring no points. He also has three goals and three assists for six points in 13 games with Cincinnati of the ECHL. In 44 games with Charlotte and San Antonio, Matsumoto has 16 goals and 23 assists for 39 points, while Lindstrom has two assists in 21 games with Tingsryds AIF of the Swedish Elite League.

For the Hurricanes, Dadonov is the key player in this transaction. He has shown flashes of brilliance at the NHL level, but was never very consistent with the Panthers. He has plenty of scoring upside and some puck-control skill, so the change of scenery might do him some good. However, if Dadonov is unable to improve his game, it's possible he could head back to his native Russia in the off-season. Jenks has a little offensive upside, but for now, he will remain in the minors to improve his overall game. For the Panthers, Lindstrom is the key player in the deal. He has some offensive upside and could see some NHL action down the road. Matsumoto gives the team some depth at center, and could see some time in the NHL if injuries continue to mount for the Panthers.