Cam Ward is peaking at the best possible time.

The Carolina Hurricanes goaltender has earned at least a point in his past 10 starts by posting a record of 6-0-4, tying his career high set from March 14-April 7, 2009 (9-0-1).

The run of strong play extends back to the beginning of 2016, and was interrupted twice as Ward missed six games with a concussion and another two with a leg injury suffered during a win over the New York Islanders, in which he played long enough to be credited with the victory.

Ward is in the final season of a six-year, $37.8-million deal signed with Carolina back in 2010, and approaches the trade deadline as an impending unrestricted free agent, and therefore a candidate to be dealt.

At the same time, the Hurricanes are somewhat surprisingly hanging around in the Eastern Conference wild-card race, sitting two points behind both Tampa Bay and Pittsburgh, albeit with more games played.

Ward's string of success means general manager Ron Francis will have to decide whether to ride it out in hopes of qualifying for the postseason or sell his goalie to the highest bidder prior to the Feb. 29 deadline should trade opportunities present themselves.

For Ward, who carries a .910 career save percentage, staying hot down the stretch can only bode well for his future, in Carolina or elsewhere.

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P.K. Subban would prefer to let his numbers do the talking.

The Montreal Canadiens defenseman was his usual dominant self Friday, collecting two assists in his club's 3-2 shootout victory over the Philadelphia Flyers.

Related: Canadiens halt 3-game skid with shootout victory

But after receiving blame from head coach Michel Therrien for the club's 3-2 loss to the Colorado Avalanche 48 hours earlier, the former Norris Trophy winner said his production should pre-empt criticism.

Subban sits fourth among all blue-liners with 46 points this season.

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The Carolina Hurricanes pulled out a 5-2 victory against the San Jose Sharks Friday thanks in large part to a two-goal performance from Jeff Skinner.

His big night gives the club reason to celebrate, but behind the scenes, it adds to a conundrum.

At 23 years of age, following a couple of roller-coaster seasons, Skinner's future with the Hurricanes appears hazy.

Since a remarkable rookie campaign in 2010-11 that saw Skinner pile up 31 goals and 63 points, the Hurricanes have been waiting for him to duplicate that production.

Outside of 33 goals in 2013-14, Skinner has failed to show the same offensive firepower.

However, with 21 goals through 59 games this season, the former Calder Trophy winner has already eclipsed his goal and point totals from one year ago, and is on pace to finish just shy of the 30-goal mark.

The Hurricanes currently find themselves just outside the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, a place very few envisioned them in entering the season.

The team is supposed to be in a rebuild, and heading toward the trade deadline, Skinner may be a good bargaining chip for the Hurricanes as teams look to bolster their clubs with goal-scorers.

The situation is tricky, however, as Skinner is just 23 and under contract through the 2018-19 season with a cap hit of $6 million.

That cap hit could scare off potential trade partners, while the possibility of seeing Skinner return to his former self must remain in the minds of Carolina's management.

A deal could provide the club with draft picks or prospects, but Skinner could turn out to be exactly the kind of player they're searching for.

General manager Ron Francis isn't likely to make a rash decision, but with the possibility of having either a stud or dud on his hands in the same player, no choice appears to be the easy one.

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