Trade chatter will undoubtedly pick up this weekend and early next week with club representatives gathering in Las Vegas for the NHL Board of Governors meeting and Awards in Las Vegas.
There is an expectation after the Alex Goligoski deal to Arizona on Thursday that players bound for unrestricted free agency such as Kyle Okposo, Keith Yandle, David Backes and Steven Stamkos could have their negotiating rights moved before the league gathers for the 2016 NHL Draft in Buffalo, NY, but other deals involving restricted free agents and players with term remaining will also pick up as Friday approaches.
The Toronto Maple Leafs will select center Auston Matthews with the top overall pick, but GM Lou Lamoriello will also be looking to upgrade his club and could deal players currently on the roster to address those areas of need.
With the exception of 2015 top pick Mitch Marner, 2014 top pick William Nylander and defenseman Morgan Rielly, there is no one on the Maple Leafs roster that would be considered untradeable, which could make the next few weeks very interesting for Toronto fans looking for the club to continue their transition.
With that in mind, here is some educated guesswork on the odds of certain players being moved this summer:
Tyler Bozak - The 30-year-old center could be a victim of the numbers game with the selection of Matthews, the contract extension of Nazem Kadri and the potential free agent signing of Stamkos on July 1st.
Bozak has an affordable $4.2 Million salary for another two years and could draw interest with a free agent market not deep in centers.
Dealt - 80% Kept - 20%
James van Riemsdyk - The big winger would be a good fit to play on the wing with either Matthews or Stamkos, but with the Leafs stocked with forward prospects and the possibility of adding another in free agent Jimmy Vesey, Toronto could use JVR with two years left at $4.25 Million to acquire a top four defenseman.
Teams such as Anaheim and NY Islanders have depth on defense and could make that kind of deal, but the Leafs may choose to keep van Riemsdyk and hope he has a big offensive year to increase his value for a trade at the deadline or next summer.
Dealt - 30% Kept - 70%
Peter Holland - A former first round pick with a good skill set, but was moved from center to the wing last season and does not appear to be a good fit in Mike Babcock’s new system. Holland is a restricted free agent and could garner a mid-round pick or a player from another organization looking for a change of scenery.
Dealt - 85% Kept - 15%
Nazem Kadri - The 2009 top pick signed a six-year, $27 Million contract extension in April and seemed to thrive under Babcock, but if Toronto does add Stamkos and Matthews, it is possible that the veteran Bozak would be a better fit as a third-line center than the more offensive minded Kadri.
Kadri also may be more attractive on the trade market for a team looking for scoring and cost certainty and may be the price that Lamoriello has to pay to get a young defenseman or a goaltender.
Dealt - 20% Kept - 80%
Jonathan Bernier Another subpar year and a $4.15 Million salary next season could make it tough to move Bernier, but his expiring contract may make it possible for Toronto to send him the other way in a deal for a starting goaltender, such as Marc-Andre Fleury or Frederik Andersen.
Dealt - 50% Kept - 50%
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Listen to the latest episode of "Off The Post" with myself, Russ Cohen and Anthony Mingioni, as we discuss the upcoming draft and where some guy named Stamkos will go:
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