NHL Trade Rumors: Top Reports Surrounding Noah Hanifin, Marian Gaborik and More

The NHL will be turned on its head when the free-agent frenzy begins July 1, but that may not be the only player movement on the horizon, as there is plenty of trade buzz fueling the rumor mill.

Since the 2017 free-agent class is considered fairly weak in terms of both top-end talent and depth, teams may be forced to explore the trade market even more heavily than usual in an effort to make improvements ahead of the 2017-18 campaign.

With both the trade and free-agent markets set to heat up, here is a rundown of the hottest trade rumors making the rounds in NHL circles currently.

Noah Hanifin

Young and highly skilled defensemen don't often become available via trade, but Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Noah Hanifin reportedly could be had for the right offer.

According to The Fourth Period, the Canes have taken calls on Hanifin, with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens emerging as two of his top suitors.

Additionally, the Colorado Avalanche reportedly asked for Hanifin in a trade for forward Matt Duchene, but Carolina has declined thus far.

The 20-year-old Hanifin was the No. 5 overall pick in the 2015 NHL draft, and he was been a regular part of the Hurricanes' lineup in each of the past two seasons.

In 2016-17, Hanifin registered four goals and 25 assists for 29 points in 81 games, while also recording a minus-19 rating for a Canes team that struggled defensively as a whole.

Hanifin is still coming into his own and has plenty of room for growth, but his potential is immense, and the tools are there for him to become a No. 1 blueliner in the near future.

The American rearguard will be due a substantial raise when he becomes a restricted free agent next offseason, but due to the fact that he is still developing, he could potentially be signed to a relative bargain deal.

It isn't clear what the Hurricanes are asking for in return for Hanifin, but if a team lands him, it could be similar to the situation that saw the Columbus Blue Jackets trade for Seth Jones before he blossomed into an unquestioned top-pairing defenseman.

Marian Gaborik

Veteran winger Marian Gaborik has been a player on the decline over the past couple of seasons, so it comes as little surprise that the Los Angeles Kings would like to get out from under his contract.

According to The Fourth Period, the Kings have been working to find a taker after becoming frustrated with Gaborik's effort level last season.

The 35-year-old veteran registered just 10 goals and 11 assists for 21 points in 56 games last season after putting up 22 points in 54 games during the previous campaign.

He was once a perennial 30-goal scorer and even topped the 40-goal mark on three occasions, but those days appear to be long over for the Slovak.

Gaborik is three seasons removed from scoring 27 goals and four years removed from producing 22 points during a 26-game playoff run.

He would be worth his contract with those type of numbers, but he hasn't come close to replicating them over the past two seasons.

Per NHL Numbers, Gaborik has four years remaining on his current deal at an annual cap hit of $4.875 million.

It is difficult to imagine any team taking him on unless L.A. is willing to eat a sizable chunk of his salary for the life of his contract.

Andrew Hammond

With starter Craig Anderson in place and backup Mike Condon being retained, the Ottawa Senators currently have something of a logjam in the crease.

Because of that, Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun reported that the Sens are expected to attempt to move No. 3 goalie Andrew Hammond in a potential trade.

The 29-year-old veteran appeared in just six NHL games last season, and he struggled mightily to the tune of a 4.08 goals-against average and .837 save percentage.

In two seasons prior to that, though, Hammond was a solid performer, and he even willed Ottawa into the playoffs in 2014-15.

During that season, Hammond went a ridiculous 20-1-2 with a 1.79 goals-against average and .941 save percentage in 24 starts.

He dropped off the following season but was still serviceable with a 2.65 GAA and .914 save percentage.

Hammond is under contract for one more year at a cap hit of just $450,000, according to NHL Numbers, which could make him a valuable asset for a team in need of a backup goaltender.

It shouldn't take much to pry Hammond away from the Senators since they have little use for him, and if he can get on a hot streak at some point like he did two seasons ago, he will far outplay his modest contract.