NHL Trade Rumors: Latest Buzz and Speculation Before Day 1 of 2015 Draft

The busiest stretch of the NHL offseason is on the horizon with the NHL draft commencing Friday and free agency starting July 1. That has inevitably led to the development of myriad trade rumors during the buildup toward those significant dates on the league calendar.

Every organization has different agendas it is trying to satisfy, from creating cap room to picking up draft picks and everything in between. Teams are operating with a blank slate now that the 2014-15 season has come to an end, which has opened the door for some intriguing trade buzz to come to the surface.

As the opening round of the 2015 NHL draft approaches, here is a rundown of some of the hottest trade rumors and speculation captivating hockey fans.

Rangers Holding Firm on Cam Talbot Asking Price

Andy Marlin/Getty Images

Goalie Cam Talbot showed the ability to be a future NHL starter when filling in for an injured Henrik Lundqvist this past season, and the New York Rangers are hoping to cash in by trading the promising netminder.

According to Larry Brooks of the New York Post, the Blueshirts are asking for a first-round draft pick in exchange for the 27-year-old stopper. Matt Larkin of the Hockey News backed up that report by revealing the Rangers rejected an offer of two second-round selections for Talbot.

Talbot was excellent last season in 36 games, as he went 21-9-4 with a 2.21 goals-against average and .926 save percentage. He will continue to be blocked by King Henrik, though, and he is an unrestricted free agent after the 2015-16 campaign, which means New York will almost certainly lose him for nothing if it doesn't trade him.

Despite that, TSN's Darren Dreger is still hearing that the Rangers keeping Talbot is a possible, albeit unlikely, result.

One team that is very much in the market for a goalie is the Edmonton Oilers, who will pick at No. 1 and No. 16 in the first round. Despite having multiple first-round selections, Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal doesn't envision the Oilers parting with the 16th overall pick for Talbot:

The NHL is changing in that organizations are seemingly less willing to invest heavily in goalies than they once were. Because of that, getting a first-round pick for Talbot may be a pipe dream for the Rangers.

Even if New York can't corral a first-rounder, though, it should do everything in its power to move Talbot since it is difficult to envision a scenario in which he plays for the Rangers beyond the 2015-16 season.

Coyotes Receiving Intriguing Offers for No. 3 Pick

The Edmonton Oilers and Buffalo Sabres will undoubtedly stand pat at No. 1 and No. 2 to select Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel, respectively, Friday night, but there could be movement at No. 3, as the Arizona Coyotes are entertaining offers.

According to Sarah McLellan of AZCentral.com, the Coyotes have received a wide array of different offers for the third overall selection in the 2015 NHL draft already:

Per Craig Morgan of Fox Sports Arizona, one of those offers would have sent a pair of first-round picks and a player to the Coyotes in exchange for No. 3.

General manager Don Maloney has yet to pull the trigger on a deal, but that doesn't mean he won't. Since both elite talents will already be off the board when the third selection comes up, there is certainly some incentive to trade out of the spot.

According to a radio interview with Arizona Sports 98.7 FM, via Dave Vest of the Coyotes' official website, Maloney expects the offers to get even better once the draft begins Friday:

"

In my experience, the best offers are going to be on draft day, on the floor. (That's where) we'll see who's really serious... And if we can get a couple of these deals to be tweaked a little more to the Coyotes' favor, then there is a chance we could trade that outright for younger players who could help us immediately. On the other hand, if we end up taking the pick and not doing anything, that's fine too because we know we're going to get a heck of a player.

"

Provided Arizona keeps the pick, it will have plenty of options, ranging from defenseman Noah Hanifin to forwards such as Mitch Marner and Dylan Strome. All of them have star potential, although they aren't relative sure things like McDavid and Eichel.

The one player who Arizona takes at No. 3 isn't likely to change the course of the franchise immediately, so acquiring multiple picks and players could actually be the best move in terms of accelerating the rebuilding process.

It is an extremely tough decision from Maloney's perspective, and it could ultimately determine if he remains with the franchise over the long haul or sees his tenure end in the near future.

Hurricanes Making Jeff Skinner Available

Gregg Forwerck/Getty Images

While Carolina Hurricanes forward Jeff Skinner is only 23 years of age, he has already had an up-and-down NHL career. The 2014-15 campaign was certainly a down season for him, and that could prompt the Canes to move him.

According to ESPN.com's Pierre LeBrun, Carolina is considering trading the speedy and skilled winger due largely to his lofty contract:

Skinner posted just 18 goals and 31 points last season in 77 games. Those represented the lowest totals of his career in non-lockout seasons.

He put up a career-high 33 goals one year earlier, though, and it should be noted that the Hurricanes team struggled as a whole in 2014-15, which likely contributed to Skinner's slide.

Skinner is a dynamic forward who is somewhat diminutive at 5'11" and 200 pounds, but he's extremely talented, as evidenced by the fact that he has twice topped the 30-goal plateau in five NHL seasons.

His contract is somewhat disconcerting, especially if 2014-15 wasn't a fluke, but there still figures to be interest in Skinner. Andrew Fillipponi of 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh laid out the reasons why he believes the Pittsburgh Penguins could make a run at the former first-round pick:

The Pens don't have a first-round pick this year, and although it is unclear if Carolina would ask for a first-rounder in return for Skinner, one can only assume that would be a logical starting point from general manager Ron Francis' perspective.

It seems as though the Canes are a long way from contending, and although Skinner could be part of the solution down the line due to his age, it certainly doesn't hurt to shop him around on the heels of his struggles last season.

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter