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Greg Wyshynski, ESPNJun 27, 2024, 07:00 AM ET
CloseGreg Wyshynski is ESPN’s senior NHL writer.
The NHL offseason has more suspense than a Benoit Blanc mystery.
Every small trade could lead to bigger things. Every player who reaches free agency could stay or go — and if they go, they’re taking someone else’s roster spot that’s now seeking a new home.
But there are some transactions that can literally reshape the landscape for trades or free agency. These are the falling dominoes we’re all waiting to hear, leading to elaborate reactions from across the NHL to their magnitude.
Here are four scenarios involving superstar players that could reverberate all summer and into future offseasons. We’re not saying they’re going to happen, but we’ll explain why they could happen. And if they do? Buckle up.
There’s a part of me that wonders if the things that didn’t happen at the NHL trade deadline were like a trailer for the feature presentation of the offseason.
Already we’ve seen Linus Ullmark traded to the Ottawa Senators and Jacob Markstrom traded to the New Jersey Devils, two moves that were heavily rumored — and potentially rejected — at the deadline. Remember when everyone thought Elias Lindholm was going to end up on the Boston Bruins? They still have a need at center. Then there’s the other great “what if” of the deadline: Jake Guentzel to the Rangers.
The Rangers were in on the then-Pittsburgh Penguins star winger before the Carolina Hurricanes swooped in and made a deal for him. New York pivoted to a Plan B for a top-line winger, acquiring Jack Roslovic from the Columbus Blue Jackets in a deal that worked until it didn’t.
Their duo of Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad have needed a winger since Pavel Buchnevich was traded in 2021. If we’ve really being honest, they haven’t clicked super well with anyone since Mats Zuccarello was sent to Dallas in 2019.
Zibanejad has talked about wanting a winger that’s more of a playmaker than a sniper. The beauty of Guentzel is that he’s…
Source link : https://www.espn.com/nhl/insider/story/_/id/40440571/nhl-trades-free-agents-2024-draft-marner-stamkos-draisaitl-guentzel
Author : Greg Wyshynski
Publish date : 2024-06-27 12:25:26
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