What’s the reasoning for the Canes to do this?

No to all of this.
1. Ceci is a Pylon
2. That's a lopsided trade in favor of Edmonton
3. That Bertuzzi deal is awful and an overpay by about $2.5m

to get a cheap replacement for Pesce will rebuilding their prospect pool, ownership doesn't like to spend money

Team needs grit to win in the playoffs, grit costs money

think ur overvaluing those prospects in the return. none of them really have much nhl upside. You'd need a bourgeault or holloway to meet their end of the bargain

Oilers take that and run. My bet is Bertuzzi signs for neighbourhood of 6 mill and Klefbom’s done or else we would resign him. Get another 3 LD.

They spend to the cap each season.

Pesce>>>Ceci.

Anything else?

That isn't trade though its 2 years if ceci or 2 months of a less then 30 points a year defensemen

I was thinking more in the realm of Brendan Lemieux, or Ryan Reaves than somebody like Tyler Bertuzzi.

Exactly, Ceci is a cap dump. Why would CAR want his cap hit for an extra year?

Pesce is a better defenseman in all facets of the game. The point of dealing him would be to get better elsewhere, not bring in a worse defender.