NHL Rumors: Latest Buzz on Potential Greg Pateryn Trade, Robin Lehner Talks

While many of the NHL's marquee moves have already been made at this point of the offseason, there are still players to be had for contenders looking to make important additions before the start of the 2019-20 campaign.

Potential roster movement begets rumors, and here is some of the latest buzz from around the league.

Wild Have Reportedly Explored a Pateryn Trade

Defenseman Greg Pateryn has played just one season for the Minnesota Wild, but the Central Division team has reportedly attempted to move him.

Michael Russo of The Athletic revealed as much on a podcast with TalkNorth, while Pro Hockey Rumors' Brian La Rose noted one reason why the Wild are looking to trade him is because of the veteran's contract, which will pay him an average of $2.25 million a year over the next two seasons. 

Pateryn is a third-pairing defensive player at this point, and that is a notable amount of money to commit to such a player. He also failed to build on his impressive 2017-18 season in his first campaign with the Wild, posting just seven points on one goal and six assists after he tallied 13 points with 12 assists in the previous season on the Dallas Stars.

What's more, Pateryn's plus-minus went from a plus-six in 2017-18 with Dallas, which was a career-high mark, to an ugly minus-11 in Minnesota, which was a career-low mark.

Potential suitors could be intrigued by the fact he is still just 29 years old and not far removed from his showing with the Stars and explore the trade market down the line this offseason. The Wild are apparently open to moving him, and a team willing the pay the price could be the beneficiary of a bounce-back effort in 2019-20.

Belief Islanders' Discussions with Robin Lehner May Have Gotten Personal

Goaltender Robin Lehner helped spearhead a turnaround from seventh place in the Metropolitan Division to the second round of the playoffs for the New York Islanders, but the team went a different direction this offseason.

The New York Post reported Lehner signed with the Chicago Blackhawks for one year and $5 million, while the Islanders inked Semyon Varlamov to a four-year contract.

Larry Brooks of the New York Post suggested "the hockey part of the decision" to give Varlamov a four-year deal instead of sticking with Lehner "does not make the slightest bit of sense."

However, he also added context to the situation, noting talks broke down between general manager Lou Lamoriello and Lehner before the goaltender ultimately signed with a Chicago squad that already has Corey Crawford.

Brooks reported: "There is belief throughout the industry … that something personal must have happened between the boss and the goaltender in the course of the talks."

That would help explain why New York no longer has Lehner after he won the William M. Jennings Trophy for fewest goals scored against in 2018-19.

He appeared in 46 regular-season games and posted a 2.13 goals against average and sparkling .930 save percentage before improving those numbers to 2.00 goals against and .936 save percentage in eight playoff games.

He is also just 27 years old compared to the 31-year-old Varlamov, who lost some playing time to Philipp Grubauer while tallying a 2.87 goals against average and .909 save percentage last season on the Colorado Avalanche.

Alas, New York's loss is Chicago's gain, giving the Blackhawks another viable goaltender alongside Crawford as they look to return to the playoffs in the Western Conference.