Trade rumour buzz continues apace as general managers congregate in Nashville for the NHL draft.
- It's been puzzling to me that a name like Mark Scheifele hasn't been getting a ton of traction in the NHL rumour mill. That's starting change as the centerman dominoes begin to fall, namely Pierre-Luc Dubois, Ryan Johansen and Kevin Hayes. Among the teams that have been linked to Scheifele thus far are the Bruins, Blue Jackets and Red Wings, but any team looking for an elite center likely has Scheifele at or near the top of their list.
- The market for Connor Hellebuyck continues to be softer than the Jets would have hoped, but the Devils remain near the front of the pack of teams with interest. Convincing Hellebuyck to take less will be important for the Devils to make it work, and they're not in a rush to make a deal with free agency approaching. New Jersey can run it back with Vitek Vanecek and Akira Schmid if no deal can be reached with Winnipeg, although the former's playoff performances have left a lot to be desired.
- Alex DeBrincat Watch rolls along with little end in sight. The Red Wings' interest appears to have faded since reports suggested they were the clear frontrunner, but remain in the mix. The Stars, Hurricanes and Blues all have varying levels of interest, while the Golden Knights and Panthers are keeping tabs. The Senators are willing to be patient and maintain DeBrincat's rights into next season.
- There's some chatter that the Flames are Panthers are talking trade. Among the pieces rumoured to be involved are Anthony Duclair, Nikita Zadorov and Noah Hanifin.
- The Leafs' contract negotiations with William Nylander continue on into the draft, with an apparent sizeable gap between the two sides. New GM Brad Treliving is believed to have engaged in trade talks with other teams about Nylander as a contingency plan for extension negotiations going sideways. Treliving has maintained optimism about signing an extension, but there's still a lot of work to be done.
- Meanwhile, it's become apparent to most that Auston Matthews is intent on signing an extension with the Leafs some time in July, although it's not likely to come immediately on July 1st. Rumours suggest the deal will be either 4 or 5 years at somewhere just north of $13 million per, which would make him the highest paid player in the league.
- And just something to keep an eye on: teams have kicked tired on Knights goaltender Logan Thompson, who comes with a very reasonable 766k cap hit.
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