NHL Rumors: Latest Trade Talk on Scott Hartnell, Gabriel Landeskog

While all eyes are focusing on the NHL free-agency period that begins on Friday, there are an additional number of names that could be available on the trade market. 

The Columbus Blue Jackets look like they'll be busy after telling teams that they are willing to retain salaries so that they can "dump" players, according to James Mirtle of The Globe and Mail. 

That includes 15-year veteran Scott Hartnell, who recorded 23 goals and 49 points in his second season with the Blue Jackets and is as good an agitator as he is a scorer:

Hartnell is expected to make $5 million next season with a cap hit of $4.75 million, per Spotrac. At 34-years-old and signed through the 2018-19 season, Hartnell's contract is becoming a burden on a Blue Jackets team with some serious salary-cap issues. 

With just a little over $68.5 million of active salary currently slated for next season, the Blue Jackets have just under $4.5 million to play with this offseason.

This is a team that didn't make the postseason for a second-consecutive year, so the Blue Jackets need to make a change. With a tight salary cap, they won't be able to do so in the free-agent market. 

That's why Hartnell, along with Fedor Tyutin and Jared Boll, have been mentioned in trade talks, per Mirtle.

Moving West of Columbus, there were "rumblings" over the past year that Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog has been part of trade talks, via TSN's Frank Seravalli. 

In the four seasons where he played at least 70 games, Landeskog has recorded 20 goals every time while exhibiting a blend of speed and power fitted to lead the Avalanche:

But on a team that needs defensive help, Landeskog is the kind of player who could fetch a top-pairing defenseman who helps the Avalanche lower its 240 goals-allowed number from last season. 

For those waiting for Landeskog to be shipped out, Mirtle reported on Thursday that this may finally be the time that a trade is made:

But Bleacher Report's Adrian Dater doused those trade rumors:

With a lot of salary-cap space already attained—they have over $20 million to work with in free agency—moving Landeskog wouldn't be a financial move. But it might be a necessary sacrifice to help Colorado acquire a piece that is needed more than a center. 

Stats courtesy of Hockey-Reference.com, unless otherwise noted. Salary and contract details courtesy of Spotrac, unless otherwise noted.