NHL Trade Rumors [VIDEO]: Cam Ward Trade From Hurricanes Looming?

With the Winter Olympic break from NHL games rapidly approaching, trade talks have intensified throughout the league as the break ends just one week before the NHL trade deadline on March 5, and the most recent name coming up in speculation is injured Carolina Hurricanes netminder Cam Ward.

Ward, who is currently on the injured reserve with a lower-body injury but is expected to return to action next week, has been the subject of trade rumors, according to reports by TSN.

Ward is the third goalie to be referenced in trade talks after Wednesday saw the Edmonton Oilers make two deals--the first being dealing goaltender Devan Dubnyk to the Nashville Predators in exchange for veteran forward Matt Hendricks and then acquiring Los Angeles Kings goalie Ben Scrivens in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2014 NHL Draft.

TSN's Darren Dreger reported that the Hurricanes may shop Ward, but will be asking for a pretty steep price in return:

Cam Ward trade is possible, but Carolina requires great return to consider in-season. He should return to action next week.

— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) January 15, 2014

Ward, 29, was drafted by the Hurricanes with the 25th overall pick in the first round of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft. He is in his ninth year with the Hurricanes and has appeared in 19 games this season while posting a 6-7-5 record through a frustrating season that has seen him miss time due to various injuries, and he has a 3.15 goals-against average with a .895 save percentage.

With Ward sidelined, the Hurricanes have turned to Justin Peters and Anton Khudobin in his absence. Peters is 7-9-4 with a 2.38 GAA and a .922 save percentage while Khudobin is 6-2-0 with a 2.00 GAA and a .935 save percentage this season.

The Hurricanes (19-18-9, 47 points) are currently in seventh place in the Metropolitan Division and are 13th in the Eastern Conference, and the team could be prepared to trade Ward and go with the other two goalies.

Overall, Ward is 220-162-52 through 450 games with Carolina with a 2.76 career GAA and a .910 save percentage.