Less than two weeks later, on Thursday, Jan. 17, the Hurricanes pulled the trigger on a trade with the Minnesota Wild, and the next night, Niederreiter suited up for his 499th career NHL game and first with the Canes.

Nino Niederreiter's name was on that list, which was assembled on the first weekend in January in Buffalo as curtains fell on the 2019 World Junior Championship.

That list consisted of 10-12 names, names of players in the National Hockey League who the Carolina Hurricanes - their management team, professional scouts and video scouts - thought to target in potential trades, names of players who could perhaps benefit from a change of scenery.

The Trade Talks

On Sunday, Jan. 13, following the Hurricanes' 6-3 afternoon victory against the Nashville Predators, the management team reconvened on the fourth floor of PNC Arena.

With the Canes' desire to bolster their top-six group of forwards, Niederreiter's name was a popular discussion point and a unanimously agreed upon target.

"We've talked all year about goal scoring. Nino is proven over the years," Hurricanes President and General Manager Don Waddell said. "We felt like if we could get him and put him in an opportunity to succeed, he's a guy who's capable of scoring goals."

On Monday, Jan. 14, Waddell called Wild General Manager Paul Fenton, an old friend, to begin trade talks. Those conversations spilled into Tuesday, and by late in the day on Wednesday, the framework of a deal was taking shape.

"It always takes a little time," Waddell said. "Once we got into the meat of the discussion, I knew we'd be able to pull a deal together."

Of course, the final trade couldn't have been simpler: Niederreiter to Carolina, Victor Rask to Minnesota. No prospects. No draft picks. No salary hokey pokey. A one-for-one hockey trade.

"We were probably trying to complicate it for a couple days there. We were probably trying to make it either a bigger deal or add some pieces, and I think both of us just got to the point and said, 'Hey, my guy needs a change of scenery, your guy needs a change of scenery, let's just do this,'" Waddell said. "We probably could have done it on Monday, but we spent the next couple of days trying to go in different directions with the deal."

The Phone Call

Niederreiter and the Wild were preparing to host the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday. Morning skate. Lunch. Nap.

It was a normal gameday.

Until it wasn't.

In the early afternoon, as Niederreiter was settling down for a nap, his phone rang.

"At first, I wasn't planning on picking up the phone, but I looked over and saw the name Paul Fenton," Niederreiter said. "I knew something was up."

A call came shortly after from Waddell.

"I felt very welcome right away, and that was definitely nice to hear," Niederreiter said.

Tweet from @thelnino22: A new chapter has begun. I���m proud and happy to be a part of the @NHLCanes 🌪🌪🌪🏒 pic.twitter.com/QSoYoCtW5r

As news of the trade spread, texts flooded in from former teammates, new teammates and former teammates turned new teammates.

Hurricanes defenseman Calvin de Haan, who roomed with Niederreiter with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers in the AHL during the 2012-13 season, was one of the first to reach out.

"He's a big body. It seems like he's guaranteed 20 goals a year. That's not an easy feat in the NHL. He's a good player and a good guy," de Haan said. "I think it's probably a little easier transition for him if he knows a couple of guys. Everyone knows everybody to a certain extent whether you play against them or you're buddies with them. I've never really met a bad guy in hockey."

Eric Staal, who logged 909 games with the Hurricanes over 12 seasons, texted Niederreiter, as well.

"He always had high praise for the city and organization. From what he said, he loved it there," Niederreiter said. "I'm looking forward to getting a chance to experience what he did."

A Fresh Start

Niederreiter obviously wouldn't be playing against the Ducks that night, but the Hurricanes wanted him in their lineup to face off with the Senators the next.

So, he packed the essentials and boarded a flight bound for Raleigh just a few short hours later that evening.

"It's an emotional swing. You pack your bags as much as you can," he said. "You know you need your suit for the game, so that was the number one thing I packed."

Niederreiter touched down in Raleigh as midnight approached. His phone was running on fumes, desperately clinging to whatever small percentage of battery life a nearby outlet could provide, which made the rendezvous with Vice President of Communications and Team Services Mike Sundheim a little tricky.

"I was on the ground taking a knee charging my phone, so he couldn't really see me," Niederreiter laughed.

His head hit the hotel pillow as Thursday turned to Friday, the denouement of a whirlwind afternoon for Niederreiter and the prologue to a new chapter in his career with the Hurricanes, one that began with a simple list.

"It's a new beginning, a fresh start," he said. "It's a new chapter in my life, and I'm looking forward to it."