Let’s start here: It’s premature. Talk of a possible Eric Staal trade has already started and another loss by the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night won’t slow it down. The Hurricanes' season is only four games old -- long enough to indicate that they’re not going to be particularly good, but not so long that it’s time to pack it up and deal the face of the franchise.

The trade talk is also inevitable. Staal has one season remaining on his contract after this year that comes with a salary-cap charge of $8.25 million. If the Hurricanes want to maximize value on Staal, this is the time to start considering a deal. Especially if they’re going into full-on rebuilding mode.

They can learn from the Ottawa Senators and Vancouver Canucks, who waited too long to trade Jason Spezza and Ryan Kesler. The offer the Anaheim Ducks made at the trade deadline for Kesler was stronger than what the Canucks ultimately received, in part because the Ducks would have been getting an additional postseason out of Kesler.

It’s also complicated.

For one, Staal has a complete no-move, no-trade clause.

“It’s going to be up to him,” said one NHL source.