NHL Trade Rumors: Latest Trade Buzz Following Stanley Cup Final 2016

Think the NHL doesn't have a silly season of its own? 

With the Pittsburgh Penguins owners of the latest Stanley Cup, the entire league now shifts toward the fast-approaching draft and the free-agency period after, a deadly one-two punch now a major staple of any sport's offseason.

And this iteration of the wild stretch is a doozy, with names such as All-Star defenseman P.K. Subban, Scott Hartnell and others sitting as the headline acts.

It's not simple to keep up with such a process, so let's take a look at the latest buzz to know below.

The P.K. Subban Situation

Michael Dwyer/Associated Press

It's not simple to wrap the mind around the Subban drama.

First, one has to understand the 27-year-old star's no-trade clause doesn't go into effect until July 1, so if a deal is to happen, it's going to be quite soon.

With a sense of a timeline in place, it's easier to get to the core of this, which is simple—it seems other teams are calling and creating the Subban situation much more than the Montreal Canadiens are creating it.

Take a note by Darren Dreger of TSN, for example (via Chris Nichols of Today's Slapshot):

"

What I know is this. Very recently, I reached out to a couple of general managers who I know have had some contact with [general manager Marc] Bergevin over time. One in particular, a Western Conference general manager, flat-out said he asked Bergevin about the availability of P.K. Subban. Now, this is probably in the last two, three weeks, maybe a bit longer than that. And he was flat-out told that he wasn’t going to be available.

"

Montreal doesn't seem to have much of a reason to cough up Subban, barring a monster deal.

Will a monster deal come? Maybe. It's not hard to see the line of logic from other general managers here—Subban is a younger talent who was publicly frustrated with his team's performance. He scored just six goals last year, only the second time over the past six seasons he's failed to reach double digits.

Should a team believe Subban will act as an improvement on a defensive front and a better situation will revitalize his offensive contributions, it sounds like Montreal will have some difficult decisions to make.

Scott Hartnell Back in the Spotlight

Matt Slocum/Associated Press/Associated Press

Remember the slight rumblings around Hartnell near the trade deadline? They're back.

Though he owns a no-trade clause, it sounds like the 34-year-old left winger has waived this right with the Columbus Blue Jackets, perhaps to help the team find a deal and get him out of dodge.

Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman provided the development: "There were some Scott Hartnell rumblings around the trade deadline, but nothing came to fruition. The ask was high. There is something going on now, though. According to sources, Hartnell, who has a no-move clause, has agreed to waive it for several teams."

A deal likely didn't go through before because an inquiring team would not only have to cough up a price the Blue Jackets liked, but also find a way to fit his salary and then go to him and ask if he'd like to waive the clause in the first place.

Now potential trade partners, at least those on a list crafted by Hartnell himself, only have to worry about his contract, which has him at a base salary of $3 million or more over each of the next three seasons, according to Spotrac.

Some might scoff at Hartnell's age and price, but rest assured teams looking for surefire production won't come close to such a reaction. The 2000 first-round pick has scored 20 or more goals and 49 or more points in five out of his last six seasons, the exception a 32-game 2012 season.

So no, don't expect the situation around Hartnell to quiet.

Martin Hanzal on the Block?

Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press

Good luck trying to predict the moves the Arizona Coyotes make this offseason, but especially what happens with star center Martin Hanzal.

According to a new report, the team has covered all options with Hanzal, both asking for his trade list and perhaps looking to ink him to a new deal.

"Some teams have asked about [Hanzal]," Friedman said, according to Sportsnet's Joe Pack. "They're going to talk about a contract extension but they've also asked to find out his list of teams he would be willing to go to."

Hanzal might wind up as the centerpiece of a re-tooling for the Coyotes, a team that struggled to a 35-39 finish last year. Now going on the age of 30, Hanzal improved in his second season with the Coyotes, scoring 13 goals and a career-high 41 points, making him an attractive trade chip if the two sides cannot work out an extension.

The biggest problem for teams looking to acquire Hanzal is his injury history. He hasn't played in more than 65 games in a season since 2009, though he made a point in April to suggest his back issues are a thing of the past. 

“I had no issue with my back at all this season, which is great. I had some small injuries. With my style of game I play, it’s normal,” Hanzal said, according to Sarah McLellan of AZCentral.com. “But obviously, you want to stay healthy and play as many games as you can.”

If the price is right, suitors might find themselves willing to take the risk, making this one of the more underrated situations to watch in the coming weeks. 

Stats and information courtesy of NHL.com unless otherwise specified.