The Lethbridge Hurricanes could make their biggest acquisition more than a week after the Western Hockey League's trade deadline.

As his team prepares for three games in four nights, Hurricanes general manager Roy Stasiuk is in a holding pattern while he awaits word from the Philadelphia Flyers on the future of 18-year-old defenceman Luca Sbisa.

Sbisa has played 38 games with the Flyers, two short of the mark that would trigger his eligibility for free agency when he turns 25. If the Flyers send him down he would have to wait another year, but he would be paid his NHL contract because he has played more than 10 games with the team. He will earn $875,000 this season.

Sbisa has been a healthy scratch four of the past five games. He has seven assists and is a minus-4 in his 38 games.

Sbisa appeared a long shot to make the Flyers this past fall, but injuries to defencemen Ryan Parent and Randy Jones created room.

"I don't expect (a decision on Tuesday) but anywhere from tomorrow or another 10 days after that, so in between that time-frame we should know one way or another," Stasiuk told Sportsnet.ca on Tuesday.

Stasiuk has kept in contact with Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren and, to a lesser extent, Sbisa this season. Holmgren couldn't be reached by Sportsnet Tuesday afternoon.

Through 38 games with the Flyers, Sbisa has seven assists and a minus-4 rating. Sbisa was a healthy scratch for Philadelphia the last three games and four of the previous five as the team contemplates his immediate future.

"As far as Luca goes, there's no doubt he loves it in Philadelphia," Stasiuk said. "Like most young players his first wish would be to remain with the big club. To Luca's credit, as always, he's a very realistic young man and he also knows that he could not only help our hockey team but he could continue to develop at this level as well."

In just one season with Lethbridge, Sbisa had six goals and 33 points with a plus-19 in 62 games. However, it wasn't until the playoffs where Sbisa went from desirable prospect to blue chip potential where he helped guide the upstart Hurricanes to the league championship series before losing in four straight to the Memorial Cup champion Spokane Chiefs.

With a team featuring many returning players from last year's Eastern Conference championship team, Sbisa could be joining a team worthy of competing for the WHL title once again. Lethbridge has underachieved to an extent this season, currently sitting third in the Central Division and sixth in the Eastern Conference with a record of 23-21-2-2.

In an interview with Sportsnet.ca prior to the Jan. 10 WHL trade deadline, Stasiuk said he had been receiving positive reinforcements from opposing teams before adding power-forward Kyle Beach through trade on Jan. 6.

"In fairness to the other teams, they've been encouraging me along the way here," Stasiuk said on Jan. 6. "Some of the messages I'm getting are, 'Boy, we're scared when you guys finally figure it out - how good you can be.' And that was prior to (adding Beach). I feel the same way as some of the other teams that we play against that we're better than we've been showing."

There's no question the addition of Sbisa to the Hurricanes' lineup would be a major boost. Sbisa, the 19th overall selection in the NHL draft, would join fellow 2008 first round NHL picks Beach (11th overall to Chicago) and Zach Boychuk (14th overall by Carolina).

Sbisa's addition could be the ingredient needed for the Hurricanes to realize their potential this season. While teams like the Kelowna Rockets and Sarnia Sting in the Ontario Hockey League prepared for the departure of stars Luke Schenn and Steven Stamkos, Lethbridge may have been less prepared for the loss of Sbisa. To compensate for his loss, Stasiuk made a trade to bring depth on the blue line by adding Eric Mestery for forward Mitch Fadden in November.

The realization Sbisa could be returning helped prompt the team to trade for Beach.

"In reality when we moved forward with the Kyle Beach trade we had it in the back of our mind that it was a real possibility (that Sbisa returns)," Stasiuk said.

"I think what it would do for the kids, for our organization, our entire staff in terms of confidence and general new spirit; a revived spirit would be huge for us."

Possessing a heavy wrist-shot and pinpoint accuracy, Beach has been a welcome addition to the team in Lethbridge. In six games, Beach has scored six goals and two assists with a plus-4 rating.

Boychuk played once upon his return from the world juniors, where he won gold with Team Canada. He remains sidelined with an ankle injury sustained during the world juniors in Ottawa, Ont.