As the NHL Trade Deadline of 3pm on February 27 nears; rumors, rumors and more rumors will be discussed in blogs, on radio, on television and on twitter. As this deadline approaches, teams will define themselves as buyers or sellers and as a result will start to identify who they want to pursue and who they are willing to part with.

The major difference this year compared to prior years is that teams have more cap space than ever. To give you an idea – according to capgeek.com, 26 of 30 teams could add a player today who has a full season cap hit of $3.85M or more. One trend that will likely continue is that more trades will materialize in the month leading up to the deadline, as opposed to on the actual deadline day.

Here is my list of 20 players who will most likely be dealt between now and February 27. Note that none of this is based on inside information or anything like that; this is a purely speculative list…so no wagering please!

Francois Beauchemin (Anaheim Ducks)
Beauchemin is a Stanley Cup winner who brings experience and grit to a playoff team. He is no longer a top 4 defenseman, but he would be very good value on a third pair. The asking price won’t be through the roof either.

Bobby Ryan (Anaheim Ducks)
Ryan would fetch a huge return for the Ducks, which is really the only reason they would be looking to move him. As teams get more desperate to add a top line forward, someone (the Leafs?) may throw an offer Bob Murray’s way that he can’t refuse.

Lubomir Visnovsky (Anaheim Ducks)
Armed with a no-trade clause, Visnovsky would have to approve any trade; but it’s hard to imagine he would turn down a chance to win his first cup at his age (35). His contract is expensive, but teams are desperate for D and there are not many top 4 guys available.

Derek Roy (Buffalo Sabres)
Should the Sabres continue to struggle, GM Darcy Regier may find it hard to resist trading his #1 center, who is coveted by a number of teams. Imagine what a team like Chicago would pay to have Roy slot in as their second-line center behind Toews.

Cory Sarich (Calgary Flames)
Sarich requested a trade earlier this year. He didn’t move because his contract is expensive and he wasn’t playing. Now he has played 30 games this season and teams have cap space to add him. He slots in as a good #7 D for a playoff team.

Tuomo Ruutu (Carolina Hurricanes)
Ruutu is a valuable commodity because he can play any forward position, he is on an expiring contract and he adds a combination of grit and the ability to score goals. Any playoff team looking to add a depth forward to their top 3 lines would benefit by adding Ruutu.

Tim Gleason (Carolina Hurricanes)
Gleason has always been underrated, but teams looking to add a good #4 or #5 defenseman know that Gleason would be a great fit. There has been rumored interest from Philadelphia, Boston and Chicago already.

Sammy Pahlsson (Columbus Blue Jackets)
Everyone remembers Anaheim’s famous third line of Niedermayer-Pahlsson-Moen during their 2007 cup run. Pahlsson is in the final year of his contract and would be a valuable addition to a playoff team needing a fourth-line center / penalty killer.

Vinny Prospal (Columbus Blue Jackets)
Like Tuomo Ruutu, the benefit of adding a player like Prospal is that he can slot in anywhere in your top 9, as he can play every forward position. He has had a decent season with 30 points in 44 games, making him a very attractive playoff rental.

Ales Hemsky (Edmonton Oilers)
There is no one on this list with more raw skill than Ales Hemsky. Many teams are looking to add a top 6 forward, so if Hemsky can stay healthy and produce between now and the deadline, he will fetch a nice return for the Oilers.

Andrei Kostitsyn (Montreal Canadiens)
Kostitsyn is having a decent season in Montreal, but he is a UFA at the end of the year and it’s unlikely he will re-sign with the Habs. Teams that want to add some scoring to their top 9 without paying a major price should give Pierre Gauthier a call about Kostitsyn.

Travis Moen (Montreal Canadiens)
While I believe the Canadiens should re-sign Moen, his value on the market may be too good to pass up. He is putting up good offensive numbers for a third-line player, and he has a history of performing well in the playoffs.

Hal Gill (Montreal Canadiens)
Gill is not having a good year in Montreal, but his ability to elevate his game in the playoffs would have a number of teams bidding for his services. A team would get the most value out of him if they slot him as a #6 D-man who eats minutes on the PK.

Ryan Suter (Nashville Predators)
Suter is a UFA at the end of the year, and if Nashville is unable to re-sign him (they have been trying for a while), they will have no choice but to trade him. Suter is a top pairing defenseman who easily land Nashville a first-round pick and a top prospect. The emergence of Ryan Ellis and Roman Josi would make dealing Suter easier to swallow for GM David Poile.

Ray Whitney (Phoenix Coyotes)
The 39 year old winger is on pace for 25 goals and 65 points this season; making Whitney a player who will be highly sought after as the trade deadline nears. He does have a no-trade clause, but you have to think he wouldn’t mind another shot at a Stanley Cup before he retires.

Antero Niittymaki (San Jose Sharks)
Niittymaki, the only goalie on this list, has not played this season due to an injury and due to the stellar play of backup Thomas Greiss. If a playoff team loses a goaltender to an injury, Niittymaki will be available and the asking price would be minimal.

Dominic Moore (Tampa Bay Lightning)
Moore has already played for 8 teams in his NHL career, and a ninth team is likely coming soon. Think Sammy Pahlsson, add more offensive upside and you have Dominic Moore. He is the one UFA on the Tampa Bay Lightning that will generate a lot of interest.

Jeff Schultz (Washington Capitals)
It appears that the Capitals are starting to turn their season around, and they are doing it without Jeff Schultz who has sat out a ton of games as a healthy scratch. Schultz is 25 years old, has a very digestible cap hit of $2.75M, is 6’6/230 lbs and only 2 seasons ago he posted a +50 plus/minus rating. I don’t understand what happened here, but he is clearly in need of a fresh start. I can’t think of too many teams that would have no use for Schultz.

Alexander Semin (Washington Capitals)
Another dispensable player on the Capitals roster is the enigmatic Alexander Semin. He has not done much this year and it seems evident at this point that Washington would sacrifice Semin’s skill to shore up their defense or add some more jam up front.

Johnny Oduya (Winnipeg Jets)
In the year of the defensemen, if Winnipeg falls out of a playoff spot (I think they will) there will likely be some interest in Oduya. He logs over 19 mins per game, but he will be too expensive for the team to re-sign. Like Beauchemin, he is not a top 4, but he would be a good third-pairing guy.

I believe it was Scotty Bowman who once said something along the lines of “there are 2 kinds of coaches; those that have been fired and those that will be fired.” In today’s NHL, with as much parity as there is, expectations are high in every city to make the playoffs every year. Every game is so important that a bad 5 to 10 game stretch can get a coach fired nowadays.

Yesterday, Bruce Boudreau and Paul Maurice were let go by their respective teams. Earlier this month, Davis Payne was fired as head coach of the St. Louis Blues after only 13 games. Naturally, when coaches are being disposed of like this, it begs the question – who is next? Here are 5 coaches who are definitely on the hot seat, and I would not be surprised if multiple names on this list ended up on the unemployment line by the end of the season.

Scott Arniel – Columbus Blue Jackets
The Blue Jackets had high hopes this year, but a horrible start has them in last place. They are 6-14-3, and while injuries/suspensions can be used as an excuse, several top players have performed well below expectations. It is often said that the job of a coach is to get the most out of his players, and Scott Arniel is not accomplishing that right now.

Jack Capuano – New York Islanders
The Islanders were not supposed to be a great team, but they were expected to be a much-improved squad. The major problem on Long Island is that too many of their young players have had their development become stagnant. In an effort to salvage the rebuild, a coaching change might be necessary. Snow is adamant that no coaching change is imminent, but he also said that about Scott Gordon.

Randy Carlyle – Anaheim Ducks
The Ducks were a team that most experts had as a playoff lock in the West. They have one of the best first lines in the league; a solid D corps; and an elite goaltender. Yet this team has lost 5 in a row and they have gone 2-12-4 in their last 18 games. Bob Murray needs to shake up his team with a major trade (cue Bobby Ryan rumors) or by firing Carlyle.

Joe Sacco – Colorado Avalanche
If I had to bet money, Sacco is the guy who I would expect to be the next coach fired. The Avs have won 4 of their last 16 games and having paid a large premium (including their #1 pick in 2012) for Semyon Varlamov, this team can’t afford another bottom 5 finish. Time is running out for Sacco to right this ship.

Brent Sutter – Calgary Flames
Expectations are always high with Canadian teams, so you had to think at least 1 of the 7 head coaches of those teams would appear on this list. Sutter can’t seem to generate any momentum with this team, having won 2 in a row only once this season. The question is – does Jay Feaster move struggling veterans out and give Sutter a chance, or does he fire Sutter to see if his struggling veterans can respond to someone else?

All the hockey talk today is about Lightning Coach Guy Boucher’s 1-3-1 forecheck (or lack thereof?) and how Peter Laviolette, the Head Coach of the Philadelphia Flyers, decided to beat it by doing nothing. You read that correctly – he told his players that if no one forechecks you, don’t do anything. This sarcastic and somewhat childish approach has people furious with Guy Boucher for taking the fun out of the game by having his team play an innovative variation of the trap.

I am probably in the minority, but my target for criticism is Peter Laviolette. He is an NHL coach, one of the 30 best in the world, and he really can’t come up with an answer for how to break down this system? Yes – the 1-3-1 is a very effective style of play, but like any system, it can be broken down.

First – take a look at the 1-3-1 diagram below. The defending players marked with an “X” are in the 1-3-1 formation. The bottom right D has the puck, the left D is in position for a D to D pass, and you have 3 forwards marked W, C and W.

STEP 1: MOVE TO THE MIDDLE
Knowing that the first X will NOT attack, you need to move to the middle to set up all of your options. Staying on one side of the ice will make it easy for the 1-3-1 setup to force a turnover.

STEP 2 – GAIN SPEED WITH CROSSING PATTERNS, CREATE 4 LANES
Have your 2 wingers pick up speed by crossing wide in the neutral zone past the dots, have your D and your C do the same thing except staying within the dots. 

STEP 3 – BEAT THE FIRST “X” WITH A SHORT PASS
The D is now approaching the first X, who can’t possibly cover both pass options (D to C & D to D – marked with arrows) so one will be available. A longer pass to one of the Ws will in all likelihood be intercepted, and even if it’s not, the player would be isolated with no support.

STEP 4 – QUICKLY USE 1 OF 4 AVAILABLE OPTIONS TO GAIN THE ZONE
Now that the “1″ in the 1-3-1 has been beat, its time to beat the “3″. In this situation, the D chose to pass to the C, who is now the puck carrier. The C will typically be confronted by one of the middle 3 defenders, who will be getting back pressure from the first X who was beat.

Option 1 is to pass to the left W.

Option 2 is a soft short side chip to create a foot race between the X back in the zone and the left W.

Option 3 is for the C to skate the puck in, although that is unlikely to be a viable option, because if the 1-3-1 is being played properly, he will not be able to gain the zone uncontested.

Option 4 is a soft corner dump to the side far side (or “area pass”) to create a foot race between the X back in the zone and the right W.

The key to this is timing and speed, especially for the dump-in options – you don’t want a situation where the Ws have not timed this properly and are as a result stationary at the blueline to prevent an offside when the puck was dumped in.

Earlier this afternoon, Pierre LeBrun of ESPN shed some light on the Kyle Turris holdout in Phoenix. His article confirms that Kyle Turris has requested a trade out of Phoenix, while also confirming GM Don Maloney’s stance that his rights will not be dealt. Turris is a former 1st round draft pick and is currently a restricted free agent. If he does not sign a contract by December 1, he will not be eligible to play in the NHL this season.

Fans can argue until they are blue in the face as to whether or not Kyle Turris is getting bad advice from his agent Kurt Overhardt. However, it is evident that Turris, for whatever reason, does not like playing in Phoenix and would rather sit out than play. It could be because of ice time, it could be because he doesn’t like the city, it could be because he doesn’t like his teammates. Who knows. Regardless, the agent in this situation has to support his client and do what he can to make him happy. If Turris was not happy with how this situation was being handled, he would have fired his representation already.

Now fast forward back to today’s article by Pierre LeBrun. Nothing he revealed in his article comes as a shock, but it’s the timing of this piece coming out and the wording of certain quotes that show how Kurt Overhardt is trying to gain leverage for his client.

“This has never been about money, we’ve been upfront with the club from Day 1 [...] We’ve respectfully requested that the player had the opportunity to move forward in his career by having a fresh start”

The most interesting part of the quote – the usage of the words “from day 1″. Turris has been an RFA for a while, so Overhardt’s timing of leaking this information is intriguing. The agent is using a tactic where he picks a time when the team is not doing well, with the intent of putting pressure on the team to make something happen. The Coyotes are in 12th place in the Western Conference with a 3-3-2 record, so there is already a sense that this may not be a playoff team. Think about it this way, if the Washington Capitals had Kyle Turris, with the Caps being 7-0, there is no way this news leaks out today from the agent because the reaction would be “let him sit out, the team is doing well”.

Here is another quote:

“I know that the Coyotes’ organization can benefit significantly by moving this asset [...] As a Group 2 free agent and speaking to several teams — which I won’t name — I know that there’s a number of clubs that have put forth significant offers to the Coyotes’ organization which include valuable assets which would benefit Phoenix.”

This is yet another brilliant pressure tactic by the agent. He is well aware that the team is struggling, so he reveals that Phoenix can obtain “valuable assets” in a trade for his client. Again, because the team is losing, passing up a chance to improve your roster out of principle, right or wrong, will be looked at negatively by the media and the fans. If this story broke in a market where the team was doing very well, the reaction of the fans/media would be “if you don’t want to play, keep sitting out. we’re doing fine without you.”

No one knows how this will play out. What is obvious is that in light of this story, the agent will gain major leverage for his client if the team were to continue to struggle over their next 5-10 games. My guess is that if the team loses the majority, Turris will be dealt in an effort to salvage the season. If the team wins the majority, Don Maloney will be perfectly content to stick to his principles and let Turris lose a year of hockey.

It wasn’t easy, but I’ve done it!

I’m not talking about fasting on Yom Kippur, I’m talking about having watched a minimum of 1 period of every NHL team over the past 5 days. Traditionally, I’ve always preached the same message at the start of a season: give your team 10 games before you start planning a parade or planning a draft lottery party. With that, I caution readers to take this blog with a grain of salt, as I break down my first impression on all 30 teams.

Anaheim: This team is going to be dangerous once their first line gets going, because they have some very talented 3rd/4th line players like Cogliano and Smith-Pelly.

BOLD PREDICTION: Jonas Hiller will be in strong consideration for the Vezina

Boston: A good team, but they’re going to need to trade for an offensive defenseman at some point.

BOLD PREDICTION: Tyler Seguin will lead the team in points

Buffalo: A very well rounded team that looks like a lock to win the Northeast this season.

BOLD PREDICTION: A minimum of 6 players will score 20+ goals

Calgary: I don’t care that it’s 2 games; this team is terrible.

BOLD PREDICTION: Brent Sutter will be the first coach fired

Carolina: A fun team to watch, but not a playoff team because their depth up front is lacking.

BOLD PREDICTION: Jim Rutherford will make a significant trade by the end of November

Chicago: A big part of their success this year will be due to the emergence of Nick Leddy as a legitimate top 4 defenseman.

BOLD PREDICTION: The Hawks will finish first in the Central Division

Colorado: Not a bad team, but they are missing some punch on offense and some depth on defense.

BOLD PREDICTION: Paul Stastny will be traded at some point this season

Columbus: Their offseason moves were nice, but there are still major holes on defense and in goal that will keep them out of the playoffs.

BOLD PREDICTION: This will be Steve Mason’s last season in Columbus

Dallas: I would be shocked if this Stars team made the playoffs, although I am surprised that at this point Sheldon Souray looks like a NHL-caliber player.

BOLD PREDICTION: Pencil Jamie Benn in for 30 goals

Detroit: They look like the typical/classic Red Wings with their strong puck possession play and good defense.

BOLD PREDICTION: For the first time in his career, Johan Franzen will hit 60 points

Edmonton: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is the real deal, and he will be spending the entire year in Edmonton.

BOLD PREDICTION: Oilers will miss the playoffs, but will finish top 10 in the conference

Florida: Everyone is quick to point to all the forward additions, but this team may have the most underrated group of defensemen in the NHL.

BOLD PREDICTION: Jacob Markstrom will start at least 30 games this year and will be their #1 goalie by the end of the season

Los Angeles: A very good team led by Anze Kopitar, who looks like he is on the verge of becoming one of the most dominant forwards in the league.

BOLD PREDICTION: They will lose in the first round of the playoffs again, and will then proceed to overhaul their defense in the offseason

Minnesota: It’s obvious that they are missing quite a few pieces, but they will probably have a decent record due to their weak division.

BOLD PREDICTION: By the end of the season, their “time on ice per game” leader on defense will be Marco Scandella

Montreal: As per usual, will either just make or just miss the playoffs.

BOLD PREDICTION: Max Pacioretty will lead the team in goals

Nashville: They’re not the most fun team to watch, but all they do is win.

BOLD PREDICTION: Jack Adams Trophy will go to Barry Trotz

New Jersey: The Devils are a much different (and better) team with the additions of Zach Parise (return from injury) and Adam Larsson (first round pick).

BOLD PREDICTION: New Jersey will miss the playoffs, mainly because of bad goaltending, and the end result will be Martin Brodeur retiring

New York Islanders: Al Montoya looks great, but they seriously need help on defense.

BOLD PREDICTION: He hasn’t scored yet, but John Tavares will come very close to 40 goals

New York Rangers: Even though they lost their first 2 games, this is a dangerous team that will make the playoffs.

BOLD PREDICTION: Lines change a lot, but I’ll go ahead and say that Dubinsky-Anisimov-Callahan will score more goals than Gaborik-Richards-Fedotenko/Wolski

Ottawa: The worst team in the East, by far.

BOLD PREDICTION: There will be plenty of Alfredsson/Spezza rumors, but the only big name to be traded out of Ottawa this year will be Milan Michalek

Philadelphia: The Flyers may not have the biggest names, but this is the team with the best depth in the league on defense and on their top 3 lines.

BOLD PREDICTION: Ilya Bryzgalov will win the Vezina trophy

Phoenix: The Ottawa Senators of the Western Conference.

BOLD PREDICTION: Will finish bottom 3 among NHL teams in goals for

Pittsburgh: The Pens have looked great, and that’s with Crosby and Orpik out.

BOLD PREDICTION: Assuming he plays 70+ games, Malkin will hit 100 points

San Jose: They overpaid, but people will soon understand why it was necessary for the Sharks to go out and acquire Brent Burns.

BOLD PREDICTION: Will represent the West in the Stanley Cup Final

St. Louis: Despite being in a tough division, the Blues will be the most improved team in the Western Conference and should be in the playoffs, come April.

BOLD PREDICTION: Alex Pietrangelo will finish top 5 in scoring among defensemen

Tampa Bay: Regarded as a well-coached team, the Lightning will be surprisingly inconsistent this year because of defense/goaltending, but will still manage to lock down a playoff spot.

BOLD PREDICTION: IF Brett Connolly stays with the Lightning past 9 games, he will be a leading candidate for the Calder Trophy.

Toronto: I thought it would be another bad year for Toronto, but they look better than I thought they would.

BOLD PREDICTION: When Brian Burke pulls off his yearly blockbuster trade, Nazem Kadri will be involved

Vancouver: Easily the best team in their division, and they are without Ryan Kesler and Mason Raymond.

BOLD PREDICTION: In a surprise move, the Canucks will move Cody Hodgson from C to RW, and he will then proceed to become a permanent fixture in their top 6

Washington: This is the best Washington team in the “Ovechkin era”, hands down.

BOLD PREDICTION: Will represent the East in the Stanley Cup Final

Winnipeg: For the amount of money they spend on defensemen, they have the most overrated group of D in the NHL.

BOLD PREDICTION: Not only will they miss the playoffs, but they will be the worst team in their division.

In the NHL’s salary cap era, there is one thing that almost every successful team has in common; and that is having at least a few quality young players that are still on entry-level contracts playing in the NHL. Drafting and cultivating prospects has never been as important as it has been over the last 6 seasons. That trend is not slowing down, and fans will continue to see teams promoting their top prospects (especially forwards) at an incredibly fast rate. The reason “especially forwards” was mentioned is because traditionally defensemen and goaltenders need more time to develop, as the adjustment to the pro game is more difficult.

Here is a chart ranking the 30 NHL teams based on the quality of their forward prospects.

Today marks the deadline for NHL teams to extend qualifying offers to their restricted free agents. Players who have not received an offer by 5pm, will automatically become unrestricted free agents and be free to sign with any other team by July 1. Typically, the players who are not retained are fringe/depth players, but given the salary cap, now money comes into the equation.

Below is a team-by-team list of players who are in danger of not receiving a qualifying offer.

Anaheim: Kyle Chipchura
Quality prospects waiting in the pipeline could result in Chipchura being let go.

Boston: N / A

Buffalo: N / A

Calgary: Brendan Mikkelson
Flames blueline is crowded with Pardy and Babchuk expected back.

Carolina: Troy Bodie
The career fourth-liner is very replaceable with younger and more skilled players.

Chicago: Jake Dowell
Rumors of John Madden coming back could spell the end of Dowell’s tenure in Chicago.

Colorado: Brian Elliott
Has not shown that he is capable of being an NHL regular.

Columbus: Anton Stralman, Sami Lepisto
The Jackets want a complete makeover on the blueline. Could start by cutting ties with both.

Dallas: N / A

Detroit: N / A

Edmonton: JF Jacques, Liam Reddox, Zack Stortini
Stortini is expendable, Reddox signed in Europe and Jacques is 50/50.

Florida: Steve Bernier, Nicklas Bergfors, Byron Bitz
Tallon wants to revamp his offense, and that will start with letting these 3 go.

Los Angeles: Oscar Moller
He signed in Europe, not sure if LA plans on retaining his rights.

Minnesota: N / A

Montreal: Benoit Pouliot, Alexandre Picard, Tom Pyatt
Pouliot is too expensive and inconsistent, Picard/Pyatt have been surpassed on the depth chart.

Nashville: N / A

New Jersey: Anssi Salmela
Devils have too many RFA defensemen and will need to let one go. My money is on Salmela.

New York Islanders: Jack Hillen
Has not received a qualifying offer. A bit surprising; but possibly making room for Calvin de Haan.

New York Rangers: Matt Gilroy
Has not received a qualifying offer. Too many better guys ahead of him.

Ottawa: N / A

Philadelphia: Dan Carcillo
Will be too expensive to extend a qualifying offer to Carcillo.

Phoenix: N / A

Pittsburgh: N / A

San Jose: N / A

St. Louis: N / A

Tampa Bay: Matt Smaby
Trade for Bruno Gervais suggests he’s done in Tampa.

Toronto: Matt Lashoff
Leafs already have 7 NHL defensemen, with Jake Gardiner in the AHL as well.

Vancouver: N / A

Winnipeg: Rob Schremp, Anthony Stewart
Jets may want to bring their own, new identity. Could mean Stewart and Schremp are done.

It sure seems like the NHL draft is the new trade deadline!

2 blockbuster deals were completed that rocked the hockey world today; one of which was Jeff Carter being dealt to Columbus; while the other seeing top prospect Brayden Schenn and rising star Wayne Simmonds traded from LA to Philadelphia in exchange for Mike Richards. While those are monster deals, the most plugged in hockey insiders all agree that this is only just the beginning. All 30 general managers are actively working the phones trying to get deals done, whether it is with pending free agents attempting to sign them, or with fellow GMs attempting to complete trades.

Here is collection of all the latest news, rumors and speculation by team.

Anaheim: Ducks are expecting to hear from Teemu Selanne by July 1 if he intends on returning for another year.

Boston: Peter Chiarelli is meeting with the agents for Tomas Kaberle and Michael Ryder to see if they can work out contract extensions. Bruins are also hoping to get Brad Marchand locked up to a long-term deal in the very near future.

Buffalo: As reported by TSN, the Sabres have a trade in place to acquire Robyn Regehr from Calgary. They are expecting his decision tomorrow. They are also in the market for a #2 center.

Calgary: The Flames have been busy with the Regehr/Buffalo trade, trying to re-sign Alex Tanguay before he becomes a UFA and they are also in the hunt for Ryan Smyth out of LA.

Carolina: It is no secret that GM Jim Rutherford is actively searching for a top 4 defenseman to replace Joni Pitkanen. They are also still holding out hope that they can re-sign Erik Cole and Chad Larose, but that won’t be until after July 1.

Chicago: There are rumors floating around that RFA Troy Brouwer is available for trade.

Colorado: The Avalanche are looking for a #1 goaltender, and have put the #11 overall pick in play to try to do just that. Targets include Jonathan Bernier and Cory Schneider. They are also rumored to be shopping Paul Stastny, especially considering the lack of #1 centers on the market.

Columbus: Following the blockbuster deal to acquire Jeff Carter, the Columbus Blue Jackets are not done dealing. They are looking for immediate help on the blueline, and could dangle Derrick Brassard as trade bait if the right deal becomes available. Some reports have Columbus interested in Edmonton’s Tom Gilbert. A buyout of Mike Commodore is imminent as well.

Dallas: The Stars tried to move Brad Richards but he refused to waive his no trade clause. It seems like Dallas will be relatively quiet, other than the potential re-signing of RW Jamie Langenbrunner.

Detroit: It seems like the Red Wings will wait to see who is available on July 1 before making a blockbuster trade for a defenseman. Jaromir Jagr remains a target of theirs but they are battling with Pittsburgh for him; and Jiri Hudler’s name remains on the trade block.

Edmonton: There are a lot of things cooking in Edmonton. Florida is trying to acquire the #1 overall pick in exchange for the #3 pick; they are shopping Tom Gilbert with Columbus showing some interest; they are in the running for Ryan Smyth; and TSN had Ales Hemsky’s name on their list of top 5 available players. They are also desperately trying to trade Sheldon Souray and will buy him out if they can’t.

Florida: Dale Tallon is expected to be active, as per usual. He is trying to acquire the #1 overall pick from Edmonton to draft Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. He is also in negotiations with UFA goaltender Tomas Vokoun, although barring a major breakthrough; Vokoun is expected to test the free agent market. With Mike Richards and Jeff Carter getting traded, it’s highly likely that interest in Stephen Weiss picks up around the league.

Los Angeles: The Kings made a huge splash by acquiring Mike Richards, but like Columbus, they too are not done. They are listening to offers for Jonathan Bernier, a Ryan Smyth deal to Calgary or Edmonton is imminent, and then they will need to acquire a LW to replace him. Pure speculation, but Ryan Malone out of Tampa Bay could be a fit.

Minnesota: The Wild are hosting the draft, so you know they will want to make some kind of splash. One player definitely in play is Brent Burns (a personal favorite of mine), with the Devils rumored to have shown a lot of interest. They are also expected to either trade Cam Barker in a salary dump move or buy him out by June 30.

Montreal: Pierre Gauthier has been very busy, most recently re-signing Andrei Markov to a 3-year deal. Gauthier is working on deals for defensemen Josh Gorges and Yannick Weber, and is planning on sending a 1-year offer to Roman Hamrlik (not sure why!). RFA Benoit Pouliot will in all likelihood be traded in the next 2 days, or the organization will not tender a qualifying offer and let him walk.

Nashville: The Predators filed for arbitration with Shea Weber to prevent offer sheets, and the 2 sides are working on a deal. David Poile is also trying to re-sign Marcel Goc, while Joel Ward will be testing the free agent market on July 1. Poile did acknowledge that teams were offering him first round picks for some of his young players.

New Jersey: It seems absurd, but Zach Parise trade rumors keep popping up. If this is true, you can bet that Brian Burke will be all over that. The Devils are also looking to re-sign Johan Hedberg to backup Brodeur; are talking to the Wild about Brent Burns and are also looking to dump a high-salaried player or 2, like Brian Rolston and/or Dainius Zubrus.

New York Islanders: If the Islanders do keep the #5 overall pick, the most likely selection is defenseman Dougie Hamilton. They will also shop Evgeni Nabokov to a team needing a backup goalie, although they may want to make sure he will agree to play for whatever team it is.

New York Rangers: The Rangers will be active this offseason, just not yet. It is well known that they will be making a big play for Brad Richards on July 1. Also; Matt Gilroy is not expected to be retained; they will look to sign a veteran free agent defenseman; and it is not clear how it will be done (trade/buyout), but both Chris Drury and Wojtek Wolski will not be back with the team at the start of the 2011-12 season. Drury, of course, is injured right now so he can’t be bought out in this June 15-30 buyout period. The Rangers are also close to re-signing Ruslan Fedotenko.

Ottawa: Other than the anticipated unloading of Filip Kuba either by buyout or trade, there is not much brewing in Ottawa. Bryan Murray even came out and said that Jason Spezza will not be moved, which virtually eliminates any possibility of a monster deal. This is entirely speculation but I could see Milan Michalek, Chris Neil and potentially Sergei Gonchar being shopped at some point this offseason.

Philadelphia: I don’t think anyone can project what the Flyers are going to do anymore! All I will say is if they wish to shake up/improve their team some more; they do have some good trade bait such as the #8 overall pick, Sergei Bobrovsky, Matt Carle & Braydon Coburn on expiring contracts and Kris Versteeg. I would be shocked if Ville Leino doesn’t re-sign with the Flyers by June 30. If I were a betting man, my money would also be on Philly letting Dan Carcillo walk.

Phoenix: With ownership and financial issues, it is doubtful that the Coyotes will be major players this summer. They will have to add some salaries via trade, and will simply have to focus on re-signing their own players. GM Don Maloney is in search for a goalie, but with these restrictions, he will have to be creative in how he goes about acquiring one.

Pittsburgh: The Penguins are going to be one of the more aggressive teams this summer, despite only having $8 million in cap space to work with. They are in talks with Jaromir Jagr and could sign him to a 1-year deal; and they are also monitoring the trade market very carefully. I wouldn’t be surprised to see any or all of Chris Kunitz, Brooks Orpik, Tyler Kennedy and Matt Niskanen dealt at some point.

San Jose: Devin Setoguchi signed a 3-year extension a few hours ago; meaning San Jose now has 6 forwards making $3M or more. With only $9M in cap space for 7 roster spots, and with the Sharks in need of help on the backend, it is very possible that one of Ryan Clowe/Joe Pavelski could be dealt for a defenseman. It hasn’t been rumored, but perhaps San Jose would look to see if a team would be willing to take $2 million dollar backup goaltender Antero Niittymaki off their hands.

St. Louis: The biggest question mark right now in St. Louis is what will happen with TJ Oshie. There are some reports that suggest there is no way he will be traded, and some that suggest the Blues have put out feelers (Ottawa being one of them) to see what they can get for him in a trade. Remember; there were some issues with the Blues organization and Oshie late last season, and they are certainly not averse to trading high-end players (see: Erik Johnson). Andy Strickland reported earlier that Matt D’Agostini is close to signing a 1-year deal, worth approximately $1.7M.

Tampa Bay: Steve Yzerman is busy trying to keep his team together, which includes contract negotiations with Steven Stamkos (he’s not going anywhere!), Ted Purcell, Eric Brewer and Dwayne Roloson. UFA Sean Bergenheim will not be signing a contract with Tampa Bay until he sees what’s out there on July 1. In anticipation of a long term/expensive deal with Stamkos, Ryan Malone and his $4.5M contract with 4 years left is being shopped around.

Toronto: You don’t have to be an insider to know that Brian Burke is about to do something big. He missed on Jeff Carter and Mike Richards, and Brad Richards refused to waive his no movement clause. Perhaps it will be Paul Stastny or on a smaller scale Stephen Weiss, but Burke will be looking anywhere and everywhere for a #1 center.

Vancouver: The plan in Vancouver seems to be to let Ehrhoff test free agency while they try to get Kevin Bieksa and Sami Salo signed to contract extensions. While nothing is documented as far as rumors go, you can bet that Mike Gillis will try to find a taker for Keith Ballard and his enormous contract. There will be plenty of offers for goaltender Cory Schneider, and depending on their confidence in Luongo, perhaps they move him for some depth up front.

Washington: The Caps could be one of the more intriguing teams to monitor this summer. In goal, with Neuvirth and Holtby under contract, Semyon Varlamov looks to be the odd man out; he could bolt to the KHL or perhaps be traded to a team looking for a goalie. On defense, they have 7 D signed, RFA Karl Alzner and top prospect Dmitri Orlov. There are some Mike Green rumors but I would think they would trade Tom Poti or Jeff Schultz before they traded Green. You never know! Up front, you can be sure there will be a ton of Alexander Semin rumors, but who knows what the Caps can land for an inconsistent scorer with an expiring contract.

Winnipeg: The Zach Bogosian rumors are still out there, but have quieted a bit since the organization moved and changed their GM and coach. Plenty of teams would be jumping at the opportunity to land him though. It is expected that team captain Andrew Ladd will be signed to a contract extension in the very near future.

With the Stanley Cup Playoffs now finished, the fun stuff really begins! It’s the NHL offseason. Players can be bought out until June 30, teams can make trades and have plenty of cap space to do so and free agency opens on July 1. Like almost every other year, team’s offseason plans are defined during and after the NHL draft, especially this year in Minnesota.

In what is regarded as a deep draft but not heavy on high-end raw skill, many teams have had discussions about trading up, trading down or even trading to get immediate help. There will likely be a flurry of trades made in the next week leading up to the 2011 NHL Entry Draft because of that.

The first round is set, the prospects are just about done going through interviews, and so now it is time to present ProSportsBlogging.com’s 2011 NHL Mock Draft that will take place Friday, June 24 at 7pm in Minnesota.

Cap space has become one of the best assets a team can have in the NHL’s Salary Cap Era. One of the easiest ways for a GM to give himself cap flexibility is to use roster spots on rookies that carry entry level deals, and that’s precisely what teams are doing. NHL rosters were loaded with rookies during the 2010-11 season, and the trend is expected to continue in 2011-12.

As fans start to piece together projected rosters, here is a list of 30 rookies who are poised to make an impact for their respective teams as early as next season.

Anaheim Ducks

Kyle Palmieri (RW)

Acquired: 1st round pick in 2009

2010/11: Syracuse (AHL); 62 GP – 29G-22A-51PTS

2011/12 projection: Palmieri will likely spend the 2011-12 season bouncing around Anaheim’s top 3 lines.

Key rookies in 2010-11: Cam Fowler, Brandon McMillan

Boston Bruins

Jordan Caron (RW)

Acquired: 1st round pick in 2009

2010/11: Providence (AHL); 47 GP – 12G-16A-28PTS

2011/12 projection: Depending on injuries, Caron, who plays any forward position, can spend one night on the fourth line as a checker, and the next night on the first line creating offense.

Key rookies in 2010-11: Brad Marchand, Tyler Seguin, Adam McQuaid

Buffalo Sabres

Zack Kassian (RW)

Acquired: 1st round pick in 2009

2010/11: Windsor (OHL); 56 GP – 26G-51A-77PTS

2011/12 projection: Kassian is listed at 6’3 and over 220 pounds. In his rookie year, he will probably see a lot of minutes on the third line in a shutdown role and on the penalty kill.

Key rookies in 2010-11: Tyler Ennis

Calgary Flames

TJ Brodie (D)

Acquired: 4th round pick in 2008

2010/11: Abbotsford (AHL); 68 GP – 5G-29A-34PTS

2011/12 projection: Brodie will spend the 11-12 season playing limited minutes at even strength while he polishes his defensive game. He will be expected to contribute on the PP.

Key rookies in 2010-11: Mikael Backlund

Carolina Hurricanes

Zac Dalpe (RW)

Acquired: 2nd round pick in 2008

2010/11: Charlotte (AHL); 61 GP – 23G-34A-57PTS

2011/12 projection: Dalpe will be counted on to play a top 6 role as soon as the 2011 season starts. He is already penciled in on the wing next to Ruutu and Skinner.

Key rookies in 2010-11: Jeff Skinner, Jamie McBain

Chicago Blackhawks

Jeremy Morin (LW)

Acquired: Trade with Atlanta

2010/11: Rockford (AHL); 22 GP – 8G-4A-12PTS

2011/12 projection: Morin was injured for much of 2010-11, but his raw skill is evident. Pressed up against the cap, the Hawks will need Morin to step into their top 3 lines and contribute right away.

Key rookies in 2010-11: Corey Crawford, Bryan Bickell, Nick Leddy

Colorado Avalanche

Joey Hishon (C)

Acquired: 1st round pick in 2010

2010/11: Owen Sound (OHL); 50 GP – 37G-50A-87PTS

2011/12 projection: Hishon is projected to start the year with the Avs in 2011, however, Colorado’s top 3 centers right now are Matt Duchene, Paul Stastny and Ryan O’Reilly. They will have to either trade Stastny as rumored, or move one of the 4 to wing to make room for their next young star.

Key rookies in 2010-11: Kevin Shattenkirk (traded to St. Louis)

Columbus Blue Jackets

Ryan Johansen (C)

Acquired: 1st round pick in 2010

2010/11: Portland (WHL); 63 GP – 40G-52A-92PTS

2011/12 projection: Johansen ripped it up in the WHL and was one of Canada’s best players at the World Juniors. For a franchise that has needed a center for Rick Nash since its inception, Johansen can finally be the answer.

Key rookies in 2010-11: Matt Calvert, Grant Clitsome

Dallas Stars

Scott Glennie (RW)

Acquired: 1st round pick in 2009

2010/11: Brandon (WHL); 70 GP – 35G-56A-91PTS

2011/12 projection: Dallas’ ownership is in flux, they traded James Neal and they are losing Brad Richards and Jamie Langenbrunner to free agency. That’s 3 spots in their top 9 that need to get filled with a limited budget. Having said that, Scott Glennie will be given every opportunity to play a lot of minutes in his rookie year.

Key rookies in 2010-11: N/A

Detroit Red Wings

Brendan Smith (D)

Acquired: 1st round pick in 2007

2010/11: Grand Rapids (AHL); 63 GP – 12G-20A-32PTS

2011/12 projection: With the loss of Brian Rafalski to retirement and a need to get younger, Brendan Smith will be counted on to play top 4 minutes on Detroit’s blueline almost right away.

Key rookies in 2010-11: Jakub Kindl

Edmonton Oilers

Anton Lander (C)

Acquired: 2nd round pick in 2009

2010/11: Timra (Sweden); 49 GP – 11G-15A-26PTS

2011/12 projection: Lander is a smart, two-way player who is physically ready to handle the rigors of an NHL season. Lander will likely be the Oilers’ third or fourth line center, while also chipping in on the PK.

Key rookies in 2010-11: Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle, Magnus Paajarvi, Linus Omark, Jeff Petry, Devan Dubnyk

Florida Panthers

Erik Gudbranson (D)

Acquired: 1st round pick in 2010

2010/11: Kingston (OHL); 44 GP – 12G-22A-34PTS

2011/12 projection: Gudbranson would have cracked the Panthers’ roster last year had it not been for a contract dispute. Expect Gudbranson to play north of 20 minutes per game right away and for him to be used in all situations.

Key rookies in 2010-11: Keaton Ellerby, Evgeny Dadonov

Los Angeles Kings

Brayden Schenn (C)

Acquired: 1st round pick in 2009

2010/11: Saskatoon (WHL); 29 GP – 22G-35A-57PTS

2011/12 projection: Brayden Schenn dominated in the WHL, was by far the best forward at the World Juniors and stepped right in as a key player for Machester at the end of the AHL season. While Anze Kopitar is LA’s first line center, Schenn and veteran Jarret Stoll will battle it out for the #2 spot.

Key rookies in 2010-11: Kyle Clifford, Alec Martinez, Jonathan Bernier

Minnesota Wild

Marco Scandella (D)

Acquired: 2nd round pick in 2008

2010/11: Houston (AHL); 33 GP – 3G-16A-19PTS

2011/12 projection: This would have been a paragraph abut Mikael Granlund, but he has decided to stay in Finland for another year.  Scandella got a taste of the NHL in 2010-11, and will definitely be a regular on the back end in 2011-12. Scandella won’t be a typical shutdown defenseman, nor will he be a typical puck mover; he’ll be somewhere in the middle.

Key rookies in 2010-11: Clayton Stoner, Jared Spurgeon

Montreal Canadiens

Alexei Yemelin (D)

Acquired: 3rd round pick in 2004

2010/11: Kazan (KHL); 52 GP – 11G-15A-26PTS

2011/12 projection: The Canadiens have waited a long time to get Yemelin over from Russia, and they finally have. He is expected to immediately step in and be an “all situations” defenseman. He is very physical, and can also put up some points, as shown last year in the KHL.

Key rookies in 2010-11: PK Subban, Lars Eller, David Desharnais, Yannick Weber, Ryan White

Nashville Predators

Blake Geoffrion (LW)

Acquired: 2nd round pick in 2006

2010/11: Milwaukee (AHL); 45 GP – 11G-26A-37PTS

2011/12 projection: Geoffrion finished the year with the Predators last year and was in the lineup for all 12 playoff games. A good all-around player, Geoffrion should get a regular shift on the third line, while easily filling a spot in the top 6 when injuries occur.

Key rookies in 2010-11: Matt Halischuk, Anders Lindback

New Jersey Devils

Adam Henrique (C)

Acquired: 3rd round pick in 2008

2010/11: Albany (AHL); 73 GP – 25G-25A-50PTS

2011/12 projection: Henrique is ready for the show, but the Devils will need to move a few older bodies with big contracts (like Brian Rolston) before a spot for Henrique opens up. New Jersey will not waste Henrique’s talent on a fourth line, so for him to make the team out of camp, it will need to be as the third line center at worst.

Key rookies in 2010-11: Mattias Tedenby, Jacob Josefson, Nick Palmieri, Mark Fayne

New York Islanders

Nino Niederreiter (LW)

Acquired: 1st round pick in 2010

2010/11: Portland (WHL); 55 GP – 41G-29A-70PTS

2011/12 projection: Niederreiter started the year with the Islanders in 2010, and was sent back to the WHL after 9 games. With his size and scoring ability, he will without question be on the top 2 lines for the Islanders, possibly alongside John Tavares.

Key rookies in 2010-11: Michael Grabner, Travis Hamonic, Matt Martin

New York Rangers

Tim Erixon (D)

Acquired: Trade with Calgary

2010/11: Skelleftea (Sweden); 48 GP – 5G-19A-24PTS

2011/12 projection: Erixon is an NHL ready defenseman who did not want to sign with Calgary and essentially forced their hand to trade him. The Rangers were the beneficiary and now have another elite D prospect who will in all likelihood be starting the year on Broadway.

Key rookies in 2010-11: Derek Stepan, Ryan McDonagh, Michael Sauer, Mats Zuccarello

Ottawa Senators

David Rundblad (D)

Acquired: Trade with St. Louis

2010/11: Skelleftea (Sweden); 55 GP – 11G-39A-50PTS

2011/12 projection: It was a toss-up between Cowen and Rundblad, so I went with the older prospect. Rundblad is the real deal; he is a big body presence and is a great puck mover as well. GM Bryan Murray has already said that Rundblad is expected be on the Senators roster out of camp, and will be counted on to be a key piece of Ottawa’s rebuild.

Key rookies in 2010-11: Bobby Butler, Zack Smith

Philadelphia Flyers

Matt Read (RW)

Acquired: Signed as FA

2010/11: Bemidji State (NCAA); 37 GP – 22G-13A-35PTS

2011/12 projection: The only reason Read is listed is because Philly has no other top prospects that are close to NHL ready. He did sign a 1-way deal out of college, which means he will in all likelihood be a member of the Flyers next season. He has always been a point producer, which he showed in an 11 game stint in the AHL where he picked up 13 points. Expect him to be a good depth player for the Flyers.

Key rookies in 2010-11: Sergei Bobrovsky

Phoenix Coyotes

Brett MacLean (RW)

Acquired: 2nd round pick in 2007

2010/11: San Antonio (AHL); 51 GP – 23G-27A-50PTS

2011/12 projection: With a tight budget and a bunch of UFAs leaving, a spot will open up for MacLean. He was a big scorer in the OHL, and has improved every year in the AHL. He could be good for 20 goals as early as next season.

Key rookies in 2010-11: Oliver Ekman-Larsson, David Schlemko

Pittsburgh Penguins

Simon Despres (D)

Acquired: 1st round pick in 2009

2010/11: Saint John (QMJHL); 47 GP – 13G-28A-41PTS

2011/12 projection: Pittsburgh is loaded on defense, but with the expected emergence of Simon Despres and a need for more depth up front, they will move a defenseman for a forward this summer. Despres is a big defenseman with a great skating stride who is ready for prime time and should have a smooth transition into the NHL.

Key rookies in 2010-11: Mark Letestu, Dustin Jeffrey

San Jose Sharks

Nick Petrecki (D)

Acquired: 1st round pick in 2007

2010/11: Worcester (AHL); 67 GP – 3G-11A-14PTS

2011/12 projection: Never known for his offensive ability, Petrecki is a physical force who enjoys pulverizing his opponents. He is definitely ready for the NHL in terms of size, the question is can he be reliable defensively. With a lot of cap space devoted to forwards, Petrecki will have every opportunity to earn a spot on San Jose’s blueline.

Key rookies in 2010-11: Logan Couture, Benn Ferriero

St. Louis Blues

Stefan Della Rovere (LW)

Acquired: Trade with Washington

2010/11: Peoria (AHL); 66 GP – 8G-8A-16PTS

2011/12 projection: Della Rovere is a pure energy player, who is a very effective checker and penalty killer. His simple game should allow for a quick and easy transition into the NHL. He could be a key part of an elite checking line down the road.

Key rookies in 2010-11: Nikita Nikitin, Ian Cole, Kevin Shattenkirk (trade from Colorado)

Tampa Bay Lightning

Brett Connolly (LW)

Acquired: 1st round pick in 2010

2010/11: Prince George (WHL); 59 GP – 46G-27A-73PTS

2011/12 projection: There were some big question marks when Connolly was drafted due to an injury, but he had a monster year in the WHL with 46 goals in 59 games. He recently signed an entry level contract and should contend for a roster spot, perhaps even on Tampa’s top 2 lines. With Stamkos and Lecavalier down the middle, Connolly is set up to have a successful rookie year.

Key rookies in 2010-11: Dana Tyrell

Toronto Maple Leafs

Jake Gardiner (D)

Acquired: Trade with Anaheim

2010/11: Wisconsin (NCAA); 41 GP – 10G-31A-41PTS

2011/12 projection: Gardiner is a great skater who put up impressive numbers offensively in college. I don’t know if Gardiner will make the Leafs out of camp, but I fully expect he will play at least half the year in Toronto, as they continue to rebuild their defense.

Key rookies in 2010-11: James Reimer, Nazem Kadri, Keith Aulie

Vancouver Canucks

Cody Hodgson (C)

Acquired: 1st round pick in 2008

2010/11: Manitoba (AHL); 52 GP – 17G-13A-30PTS

2011/12 projection: After a slow start, Hodgson finished strong and eventually earned a short callup with the Canucks. He is a smart player who makes those around him better. With Henrik Sedin and Ryan Kesler as the team’s top 2 centers; Hodgson and Malhotra will battle for the 3 and 4 spots, with Malhotra getting extra minutes on the PK and Hodgson on the PP.

Key rookies in 2010-11: Cory Schneider, Chris Tanev

Washington Capitals

Dmitri Orlov (D)

Acquired: 2nd round pick in 2009

2010/11: Novokuznetsk (KHL); 45 GP – 2G-10A-12PTS

2011/12 projection: Touted as the next Sergei Zubov, Orlov is widely considered to be the most NHL ready D prospect in any organization. While he should have no issue getting a regular shift with the Caps, they will likely need to ship out a defenseman to make room for him.

Key rookies in 2010-11: Michal Neuvrth, John Carlson, Marcus Johansson, Mathieu Perreault

Winnipeg

Patrice Cormier (C)

Acquired: Trade with New Jersey

2010/11: Chicago (AHL); 11 GP – 2G-3A-5PTS

2011/12 projection: Acquired in the Ilya Kovalchuk trade, Cormier has been a top end defensive center at every level. He did play a number of games in the NHL in 2010-11, but injuries limited him to an abbreviated season. While he does have the skill level to score 10-15 goals, his niche in the NHL will be as a go-to penalty killer and as a guy who goes up against opposing teams’ top players.

Key rookies in 2010-11: Alexander Burmistrov

NOTE: To qualify as a rookie, the player must not have played in more than 25 NHL games in any previous year nor played in six or more NHL games in each of any two preceding seasons, as well as being under the age of 26 on September 15 of the season in which he is eligible.