I personally think you have to sell Zucc as the centerpiece, I would not put Spooner with him unless it got you something really good (which I doubt, honestly). Spooner is not going to get you a 1st in my mind, but maybe Gorts proves me wrong.
I think we are more in agreement then most on here. The Canes have oodles of prospects, but most are B level, other then Necas nothing amazing (other then D, like Fluery, and Bean they seem to grow nothing but D down there). I like Zykov because he is already an RFA, 23 (just turned) and finally starting to blossom, he was already traded once (originally an LAK pick). I think at worst it is a good chance to upgrade from Spooner, and at worst, we never planned to keep Spooner for long anyway, and he is a younger body.
And that leads me to my next point....
And neither would they, they don't need Skjei, they are flush with good young D. They also don't want to deal Pesce, they would rather deal Faulk at this point, he is older, and has tailed off the past year.
They have also outright said they want a superstar (or their doors blown off) for #2OA, they are not trying to trade it, they are fishing to see if they can get a player like EK in a deal. Also on this, if they get EK, who knows what that means for what D would become available via trade, I still think it is only Faulk.
Also, something no one else here has considered. They have 1 NHL goalie, and you are all thinking they have to dump him because his first year under a not great coach didn't work out, and that will help you get #2OA. They really have no backup plan right now. They are not really keen on bringing Cam Ward back, and the FA crop is nothing to get excited about.