NHL Trade Rumors: Latest Buzz Surrounding Patrick Sharp and More

We're just two days into NHL free agency, and signings and trades have spread like wildfire across the league as teams piece together their rosters for 2015-16. But the moves are far from done as the first weekend of free agency looms.

Most of the marquee names on the trading block have already changed settings, as former Maple Leafs star Phil Kessel was shipped to the Pittsburgh Penguins, while the Washington Capitals announced that they landed T.J. Oshie from the St. Louis Blues.

But that could be just the start of a wild couple of days in the NHL, with other names destined to be on the move very soon.

Take a look below at three names being discussed in the rumor mill.

Patrick Sharp

Chris O'Meara/Associated Press

Through a few days of free agency, Patrick Sharp is still a Chicago Blackhawk. But it still appears that his dance with the Stanley Cup marked the last time he'll wear the Blackhawks jersey on the ice.

The Boston Bruins were one of the likeliest landing spots for quite some time, but they appear to be out after some of their early free-agency moves. Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun-Times noted a few other teams that are in the mix:

With so many other notable names being shipped around the league and Sharp still in Chicago, it was fair to wonder what was taking the Blackhawks so long to deal him. James Mirtle of the Globe and Mail got to the bottom of that:

The Blackhawks have benefited from Sharp's championship experience, winning three Cups in his tenure, but they simply can't afford to keep him any longer. His $5.9 million yearly salary, as noted by Spotrac, pushes the Blackhawks toward a salary-cap ceiling with which they're already flirting.

Considering they surprisingly traded Brandon Saad to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday, the Blackhawks' cap issues could be more serious than initially thought. That's all the more reason to believe that Sharp will eventually find a new home.

Tyler Bozak

Jay LaPrete/Associated Press

Now that Kessel is gone, things in the Toronto front office inevitably point toward the elephant in the room: Tyler Bozak.

He's been largely underwhelming in his development into the team's top center, and for that reason Mike Babcock's new coaching staff could decide he's not a fit. The Arizona Coyotes reportedly expressed interest in Bozak at the start of free agency, according to TSN's Darren Dreger.

Somewhat successful in his Maple Leafs career on the same line as Kessel, it's fair to question whether Bozak will have the same production without playing alongside an offensive star. Bruce Arthur of the Toronto Star said as much:

The Maple Leafs were trying to get a second-round pick for Bozak prior to the draft, according to Sportsnet's Damien Cox, but they're much more likely to land prospects or talent now that the draft is over. If Bozak can come close to producing the 49 points he's put up in each of the past two seasons, he could prove to be a steal.

Kevin Shattenkirk

LM Otero/Associated Press

Following a tweet from Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal prior to the NHL draft, rumors have swirled about Kevin Shattenkirk and whether his future is indeed in St. Louis or not. But now that the Blues have made some sweeping changes at the start of free agency, he appears to be safe.

The trade of Oshie led some to wonder whether it would lead to more for Shattenkirk, but that doesn't seem to be the case. The Blues themselves affirmed he won't be on the move, as Dreger stated:

That confirmed the report from ESPN's Craig Custance on Shattenkirk's end of things:

Just about any way you slice it, dealing away Shattenkirk would be a foolish move for the Blues. He put up 44 points in just 56 games last season, proving to be much more a part of St. Louis' successes than their failures. 

Now that Oshie is gone, the importance of Shattenkirk in the offense will only grow—thus making it all the more important to keep him in the fold.