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

After a crazy day on Friday, it's hard to imagine that Saturday could possibly top all of the happenings around the NHL. Don't hold your breath if you are hoping for that level of madness.

But don't be surprised if quite a few players get moved, either. Below, we break down the biggest trade rumors still making the rounds.
 

Cam Talbot

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With Henrik Lundqvist one of the league's top goalies and a mainstay in New York, Cam Talbot remains one of the team's best trade chips. They certainly seem to be shopping him around the league, per Larry Brooks of the New York Post:

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Sources report the Rangers general manager has granted interested parties permission to speak with Talbot’s agent, George Bazos, to gauge the goaltender’s interest in their respective cities. Talbot is one year away from free agency, operating under a $1.45 million contract that cannot be extended until January under collective bargaining agreement regulations.

The Sabres, Oilers, Sharks, Stars and Flames are in the mix for Talbot, for whom the Blueshirts have received offers of, according to one informant, “multiple second-rounders and a high second-rounder plus a prospect.”

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The Stars may be expanding their search, however, per Craig Custance of ESPN the Magazine:

Still, of all the players likely to be moved on Saturday, Talbot has to be among the favorites. One would imagine he won't re-sign with the Rangers, and there is never a shortage of teams in need of a solid goalie. He's the most valuable goalie on the market, which Brooks notes also includes "Ottawa’s Craig Anderson and Robin Lehner, Vancouver’s Eddie Lack and perhaps L.A.’s Martin Jones."

The Rangers may be in need of trading Talbot as much as another team wants him so he doesn't leave for free in a year, however. Teams may be aware of that and slow playing the Rangers right now. It will be fascinating to see how this plays out.

Phil Kessel

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Phil Kessel's name was a popular one on Friday, but the Toronto Maple Leafs never moved him. The Pittsburgh Penguins may take care of that soon enough, however, per Pierre LeBrun of ESPN:

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The Pittsburgh Penguins were rumored to be interested in Kessel and yes that’s true, but I think veteran general manager Jim Rutherford is going to slow play it and make the deal come to him and not the other way around. If at all. He wants a top-six winger for sure, whether that’s Kessel or Patrick Sharp or Jeff Skinner, there are lots of possibilities out there. But Rutherford is not going to be in a rush and force a deal.

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Rutherford basically said as much: “It's hard to read the market now,” he told Jason Mackey of TribLive.com. “There's going to be enough players available. I think it's going to be important that we take our time until we get the player that we think fits for us.”

Still, Kessel would be a perfect fit for Pittsburgh, where he would be a wonderful complement to Evgeni Malkin on the team's second line. Kessel is the sniper and willing shooter that Malkin needs. And the Penguins have the young defenseman to make any potential deal, though they seem justifiably hesitant to move any of them.

Still, the opportunity to improve the team with a player of Kessel's scoring ability and the obvious fit with Malkin might make the Penguins more inclined to eventually shifting one of those defenseman. On the other hand, the team is likely hoping the longer Kessel goes without being moved, the softer Toronto's trade demands will become.

And so the staredown begins, with the Maple Leafs likely to float rumors of multiple teams' interest in Kessel and the Penguins likely to send low offers in the hopes that the Maple Leafs eventually bite. Don't be surprised if Kessel isn't moved on Saturday.

But don't be surprised if he ends up with the Penguins, either.