from Lyle Richardson at The Hockey News,

... A more likely trade target is defenseman Andrej Sekera, who is earning $1.75 million this season in actual salary ($2.75-million cap hit) and is eligible for unrestricted free agency in July. The 28-year-old blueliner is coming off a career-best 44 point performance last season. Sekera also led the Hurricanes last season in blocked shots (127).

Francis probably hopes to re-sign Sekera, but come July he could command over $5 million per season on the open market. If he declines to commit to a contract extension, the Hurricanes could move him.

Sekera will attract interest from clubs seeking defensive help right now. The New York Rangers lost two key rearguards in Ryan McDonagh and Kevin Klein over the weekend, while the Colorado Avalanche could benefit from the addition of an experienced two-way defender. He’s a left-handed shot, however, meaning he won’t help teams like the Anaheim Ducks, Dallas Stars or Detroit Red Wings, who seek a top-four right-handed blueliner.

Francis faces an uphill battle finding a hockey trade to reverse the Hurricanes early slide. Too many teams lack the cap space or the desperation at this time of the season needed to commit to a significant deal involving a swap of established roster players. Rival GMs calling Francis merely hope to profit from his club’s early-season misery.

more including addtional trade talk...