Never mind that we’re only a handful of games into the 2014-15 season. It’s never too early to start predicting (and in some instances, drawing conclusions about) how teams and individual players will fare over the next 180 days or so. That’s part of the fun.

Since most NHL fans and media pundits lean more negative Nelly than Pollyanna, there has already been plenty to caterwaul about. Judging from some social media threads, the Buffalo Sabres and Carolina Hurricanes should win a combined 15 games before season’s end; the Colorado Avalanche will average 0.75 goals per contest; and the formerly mighty Boston Bruins are irreparably broken. Best of all, once these storylines change, a convenient collective case of amnesia will set in, and we’ll move on to grousing about the next set of sad stories.

Except perhaps where the Hurricanes (and Sabres, really) are concerned. Even the jolliest optimist would have difficulty foreseeing much good to come from Carolina’s 2014-15 campaign, other than a enhanced shot at winning the Connor McDavid-or-Jack Eichel sweepstakes. Which brings us to the latest Eric Staal trade rumors.

Several NHL insiders -- including the Toronto Sun’s Steve Simmons -- propose the Hurricanes might be open to trading their captain for the right price. Staal would be willing to waive his no-movement clause for the opportunity to join the Toronto Maple Leafs, a team with enduring interest in the 29-year-old forward.

Now whether the Maple Leafs would be willing to part with the hefty asking price for Staal -- rumored to be a package including forward Nazem Kadri, defenseman Jake Gardiner, and a first-round draft pick -- is a whole other bunch of bananas.

However, the potential fantasy ramifications of such a deal are quite interesting.