NHL Trade Rumors: Latest Buzz on William Nylander, Sergei Bobrovsky and More

Although the NHL trade market has predictably remained quiet during the early stages of the 2018-19 season, it wouldn't be a surprise to see the rumor mill start getting more active in the coming weeks with teams starting to surpass the 10-game mark of the campaign.

Most of the focus remains on Toronto Maple Leafs winger William Nylander, a restricted free agent who remains sidelined while the sides attempt to work out a new contract. A deal must be signed by Dec. 1 with the Leafs or another team to make him eligible for the current season.

So let's check out the latest speculation on Nylander and some other potential targets, though plenty of time remains before the trade deadline in late February.

Avs Unlikely to Make Major Nylander Push

The Colorado Avalanche are one of the few teams with the necessary resources, both in terms of trade assets and space under the salary cap, to make a run at Nylander.

Although the 22-year-old forward would provide a significant boost to the Avs' top six after scoring 61 points (20 goals and 41 assists) for Toronto last season, it doesn't sound like Colorado is prepared to meet the Leafs' asking price at this stage.

Mike Chambers of the Denver Post reported Nylander "likely will be traded by Dec. 1" in order to sign a contract and return to the ice this season, but he noted the Avalanche aren't prepared to move either of their prized young defensemen, Cale Makar or Sam Girard, to make a trade happen.

Colorado is also averaging 3.3 goals per game in the early going thanks to Mikko Rantanen, Nathan MacKinnon and Gabriel Landeskog all averaging more than a point per game. So there isn't a major sense of urgency to add another scoring weapon.

If the Avs' offense goes into a slump at any point over the next month, however, it will be interesting to see whether they circle back to consider Nylander. Of course, the Leafs hope the sides can agree to an extension in the near future to put the drama behind them instead.

Sergei Bobrovsky Potential Trade Chip Amid Sluggish Start

Bobrovsky is a two-time Vezina Trophy winner as the top goaltender in the NHL, but he hasn't played up to that standard so far this season. His lackluster start to the campaign was lowlighted by allowing eight goals in a blowout loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning earlier this month.

That's a problem for the Columbus Blue Jackets. Not only has he failed to provide stability between the pipes, but he's in the final year of his four-year, $29.7 million contract, and the struggles could impact his trade value if the front office tries to move him before potentially losing him to free agency.

Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun reported the Jackets don't want to let Bobrovsky leave without getting a return, a concern magnified after seeing the New York Islanders lose John Tavares to the Leafs, and a source told him they'll need to trade him soon in order to get any NHL-ready assets in return.

"If they want to get players back, they'd be better off to do it sooner rather than later," the executive said.

That would be a more realistic option if he was playing at his usual All-Star level. For now, Columbus likely has little choice but to keep him for a while with the hope he eventually returns to form to increase the number of potential suitors before exploring a trade.

Artemi Panarin Seeks Deal to Big Market

Columbus' outlook is much the same with Panarin, though he's been producing at his typical points-per-game pace so far. He's set to become an unrestricted free agent at season's end, and the Jackets can't afford to see him bolt to another team next summer without getting anything back.

Kevin Paul Dupont of the Boston Globe reported general manager Jarmo Kekalainen is planning to keep the dynamic winger until the deadline despite some "enticing offers" made so far.

The situation is complicated by Panarin's desire to land in a big market with a "robust" community from his native Russia, such as New York, Los Angeles or Chicago, per Dupont. He noted that hurts the Boston Bruins' chances despite Charlie McAvoy, Brandon Carlo and Jake DeBrusk as high-profile assets.

All told, Kekalainen will be tested in the coming months with trying to navigate the Bobrovsky and Panarin situations while still trying to maintain a playoff-level roster.

The key question may be whether he's willing to keep them both and make a Stanley Cup push knowing it could negatively impact the team in 2019-20 and beyond.