The NHL Stanley Cup playoffs are going on and that means the offseason is almost here for trade rumors and names like Evgeni Malkin, Jason Spezza, Brad Marchand, Ryan Kesler, Kris Letang, Cam Ward, James Reimer, Dion Phaneuf, Shea Weber, Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau, Dustin Byfuglien and Paul Martin all could come up as potential options to get traded in the summer of 2014.
There are a number of teams looking to make big moves after this season, including the Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings, Anaheim Ducks, Montreal Canadiens and Pittsburgh Penguins. The way the Penguins lost to the Rangers will make the team look at trades and while Malkin is unlikely to go, crazier things have happened. Kesler is one player that is likely to move and that comes after he was hit with tons of trade rumors at the deadline this year. Kesler will be 30 years old when camp picks up their year and he may not want to be on a team that is missing the playoffs again and he could look to get traded.
The Penguins could look at making some big moves after they lost in the playoffs, as Evgeni Malkin, Paul Martin and Marc-Andre Fleury could be on the move. The trade deadline this year showed that teams can be successful making deals in the middle of the season, as both the NY Rangers and LA Kings made huge pickups that helped get them to the finals. The Rangers traded away captain Ryan Callahan for Martin St. Louis with the Tampa Bay Lightning and that is one reason why they are into the finals right now.
The Penguins and Sharks are two teams to watch this offseason, as they could look at unloading some players based on how they performed in the postseason. The Penguins were eliminated by the Rangers after being up 3-1 and that means players like Kris Letang, Paul Martin, Marc-Andre Fleury or Evgeni Malkin could be moved, while the Sharks are still reeling from their loss to the Kings. The team allowed the Kings to come back from 3-0 down and now long tenured players like Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau could get moved.
The Bruins lost and they could have some changes as well, with Marchand one option that could move after a so-so performance against the Rangers and Penguins in the playoffs last year and that came after a 2012 performance that wasn't great either in the playoffs. Marchand is a good player and he had 25 goals this season, but he did not play well in the postseason and ended up getting the Canadiens fired up and while that doesn't make him the reason they lost, he could end up out of town this offseason.
Sidney Crosby is the best player in the league and that move is very unlikely, although teams would jump at it, while Malkin is considered to be one of the best scorers in the NHL and probably could net a huge package. The team is not likely to blow things up that much, but with Shero out and coach Dan Bylsma still being evaluated, all moves are on the table. The team has now been eliminated once again by a lower seed and this comes after they were considered a Cup favorite in the east.
Koivu is in an interesting spot for the Wild, as he is making $5.4 million next season before it jumps to over $7 and then $9 million the year after and that is one reason why they could look to make a trade. Phaneuf has come up numerous times in deals and while the Panthers and the Avalanche have been interested, so far no trades have gone down and that could change this summer if the Maple Leafs feel like they can get enough in return for the very good defenseman.
Phaneuf signed a contract but he could be on the move if the right deal comes along, while Koivu and Letang also could be targets from their teams for other clubs looking to make moves. The Penguins lost to a lower seeded team for the third straight season and with the way that the team played along with Sidney Crosby's performance, some major changes could be on the way. A Malkin trade would be dramatic, but some have called for it after the way the Penguins played in this postseason, as the team could turn him into a fantastic package since he is one of the best scorers in the league.
