Trade chatter has begun to ramp up with the offseason about to start for half of the teams in the NHL.
- Goaltending situations to keep an eye on in Buffalo and Ottawa this offseason. In Ottawa, Cam Talbot appears to have one foot out the door as extension talks went sideways. The Sens will now have to decide if a tandem of Anton Forsberg and Mads Sogaard is stable enough to get the job done or if a free agent veteran pickup is necessary.
- In Buffalo Devon Levi is expected to get a chance to take the number one job, leaving one of Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Eric Comrie as likely trade bait. With both under contract next season something has to give. For what it's worth, there were whispers around the trade deadline that Luukkonen was coming up in trade talks.
- The JT Miller Sweepstakes are expected to resume this offseason, with many eyes on the Penguins as a potential suitor. Rumours suggest a package involving Jason Zucker, who would be flipped for more assets, was discussed. The Islanders are among the other teams that have been linked to Miller in past months.
- The Canucks also made an earnest effort to move Brock Boeser at the deadline, who is believed to be eager for a return south of the border. Minnesota is believed to be high on his list, but with the Wild facing a massive cap crunch and Boeser coming with a $6.6 million ticket through 2025, the Canucks may need to look elsewhere. There should be no shortage of teams with interest, but the number of ones that can make it work financially could be a lot smaller.
- Further to the Alex DeBrincat buzz, GM Pierre Dorion told the media Monday that the team will qualify DeBrincat for a 1 year, $9 million dollar pact in the offseason if a long term deal can't be reached. If such is the case, it would likely indicate that the player has his sights set on free agency in 2024. Rather than letting the player walk for nothing, expect to hear his name in the rumour mill over the next year. But the Sens will likely do their best to avoid that situation at almost any cost.
- With the Flames eliminated major changes are expected to come on the ice, possibly behind the bench, and perhaps even in the front office. Almost nothing is off the table. Lots on the line for many of the teams battling for playoff spots as the regular season winds down. Stay tuned.
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