NHL Rumors: Buying or Selling the Latest Trade and Free-Agency Buzz

The 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs are drawing to a close, and the NHL offseason will soon be underway. With the draft being held on Oct. 6 and 7 and the start of free agency set for noon ET on Oct. 9, the rumor mill is kicking into high gear.

Trade activity tends to pick up in the days leading up to the draft as teams have more salary-cap space to work with and a willingness to spend. Even with the salary cap remaining at $81.5 million for 2020-21, there will be clubs looking to shed salary while others seek to address specific roster needs.

Several noteworthy players, such as Winnipeg Jets wing Patrik Laine and Minnesota Wild defenseman Matt Dumba, are frequently popping up in trade chatter. Meanwhile, there's speculation over what could happen with pending free-agent stars like St. Louis Blues defenseman Alex Pietrangelo.

How much of this conjecture should we believe? Here's a look at whether you should buy or sell the latest trade and free-agent buzz.

Buy: Pittsburgh Penguins Will Trade Matt Murray

Nick Wass/Associated Press

Matt Murray rose to prominence in 2015-16, when he backstopped the Pittsburgh Penguins to the first of their back-to-back Stanley Cup championships. However, the 26-year-old goalie's tenure with the Penguins could be drawing to a close.

Murray and backup Tristan Jarry are restricted free agents with arbitration rights. With the Penguins having $75.4 million invested in 20 players for 2020-21, they can't afford both. Murray's two Cup rings would make him the more expensive to re-sign, while the 25-year-old Jarry had better stats in 2019-20.

TSN has had Murray atop its trade-bait board throughout September. On Sept. 10, Pierre LeBrun reported the Penguins and Edmonton Oilers had discussed Murray, but the latter balked at the asking price, which was possibly a first-round pick. One week later, the Ottawa Sun's Bruce Garrioch reported the Ottawa Senators were believed to be interested in Murray.

It appears only a matter of time until Murray is traded. The Penguins could keep angling for a first-round pick right up to the opening day of the draft. Failing that, the cap-strapped club could accept a lesser offer as long as they don't have to take back much salary in return.

Sell: Boston Bruins Shopping Tuukka Rask

Matt Slocum/Associated Press

Tuukka Rask's sudden departure from the Boston Bruins for family reasons during the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs caught hockey fans by surprise. It's also raised some conjecture over the 33-year-old goaltender's future with the Bruins.

Rask has one year remaining on his contract with a $7 million cap hit and a 15-team trade list. On Sept. 23, TSN's Frank Seravalli reported many observers were wondering whether Bruins general manager Don Sweeney was quietly checking Rask's value in the trade market.

Perhaps Sweeney is willing to get a head start on replacing Rask if he feels the veteran goalie won't return with the Bruins next summer. There could be some interest from playoff contenders seeking even short-term help between the pipes.

Rask, however, was a finalist for the 2020 Vezina Trophy and co-winner with backup Jaroslav Halak of the William M. Jennings Trophy for the fewest goals allowed in 2019-20. If Sweeney feels the Bruins' championship window remains open next season, better to stick with the goalie who backstopped them to the 2019 Stanley Cup Final.

Buy: Minnesota Wild Will Trade Matt Dumba

Paul Vernon/Associated Press

Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin has had a busy September. On Sept. 11, he sent a conditional draft pick to the Pittsburgh Penguins for center Nick Bjugstad. Four days later, Guerin signed defenseman Jonas Brodin to a seven-year contract extension. On Sept. 17, he shipped center Eric Staal to the Buffalo Sabres for center Marcus Johansson.

The Brodin signing sparked speculation suggesting Matt Dumba had become a trade candidate. On Sept. 15, The Athletic's Michael Russo reported teams were calling about the 26-year-old defenseman. He pointed out Dumba is the only one of their top-four defensemen lacking a no-movement clause. That means the Wild could lose him in next year's expansion draft if they don't protect all four blueliners.

On Sept. 23, TSN's Frank Seravalli listed Dumba at No. 2 on his trade-bait board. The Wild have $25.2 million invested in Dumba, Brodin, Ryan Suter and Jared Spurgeon, and Seravalli suggested moving Dumba would free up cap room to bring in a center.

Trading away Staal and the decision not to re-sign longtime captain Mikko Koivu leaves the Wild in need of an established first- or second-line center. Dumba could become a valuable trade chip to address that issue.

Sell: Arizona Coyotes Re-Signing Taylor Hall

Michael Ainsworth/Associated Press

The Arizona Coyotes gambled on Taylor Hall when they acquired him from the New Jersey Devils in December. They could lose the 28-year-old left winger for nothing to the unrestricted free-agent market on Oct. 9.

Hall is expected to seek a substantial raise over his current annual average value of $6 million. The Coyotes, however, have $80.4 million invested in 17 players next season. On July 20, Arizona Sports' Matt Layman cited reports indicating Hall met with team ownership to discuss a new contract. The two sides agreed to open negotiations following the playoffs.

A lot has happened since then. The Coyotes upset the Nashville Predators from the qualifying round of the return-to-play tournament but were eliminated from the first round by the Colorado Avalanche. On Sept. 17, Arizona Sports cited reports the club missed bonus payments to several players, though all have since been paid. They were also said to be behind on payments on the Gila River Arena.

Meanwhile, the Coyotes hired former St. Louis Blues assistant general manager Bill Armstrong as their new GM. During a Sept. 23 interview with NHL.com's Brian Compton, Armstrong said his club would have to get "very creative" to re-sign Hall. Given the club's financial issues, Hall will likely be testing the free-agent market on Oct. 9.

Buy: Winnipeg Jets Will Trade Patrik Laine

Jeffrey T. Barnes/Associated Press

TSN's Frank Seravalli surprised hockey fans on Sept. 1 by listing Winnipeg Jets wing Patrik Laine at No. 5 on his trade-bait board. While it's not a certainty Laine gets traded, Seravalli believed the 22-year-old would be the most logical trade chip to address the Jets' roster needs.

Laine was still at No. 5 when Seravalli updated the board on Sept. 23. The same day, his colleagues Darren Dreger and Pierre LeBrun said the Jets were serious about moving the young winger. Dreger indicated they need a No. 2 center and more depth among their top-four defensemen. LeBrun, meanwhile, linked Laine to the Columbus Blue Jackets and Carolina Hurricanes.

A key factor is Laine's contract status next summer, when he's due to become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights. The youngster could seek a big raise over his $6.8 million salary-cap hit if he regains the 44-goal form he displayed during his sophomore campaign in 2017-18. That could make him too expensive for the Jets to re-sign.

Winnipeg won't just give away Laine or rush into a deal if it's serious about gauging his value in the trade market. The Jets will take their time as they seek a substantial return that addresses part or all of their significant roster issues. If the right deal is found, Laine will be playing elsewhere next season.

Sell: St. Louis Blues Will Sign-and-Trade Alex Pietrangelo

Billy Hurst/Associated Press

After 12 NHL seasons, the St. Louis Blues and Alex Pietrangelo could be parting ways. The 30-year-old defenseman is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on Oct. 9. On Sept. 18, TSN's Darren Dreger reported contract discussions had broken off, with the club advising their captain to test the market.

While there's still time for both sides to work something out, it appears Pietrangelo and his representatives will shop around for a new club when free agency begins. However, The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun believes the Blues could be open to a sign-and-trade scenario, re-signing Pietrangelo and then trading him if they can find an acceptable return.

Under that framework, the Blues re-sign Pietrangelo to a league-maximum eight-year contract. That would make him more attractive to clubs interested in his services, as they can only sign him for seven years as an unrestricted free agent. That extra year could also result in a lower annual average value as the dollars would be spread out a little more.

LeBrun acknowledged such moves are rare. There are so many variables at play, including finding the right return for the Blues and for interested clubs to ensure they have sufficient cap space to absorb Pietrangelo's new contract. It's not impossible, but the scarcity of such deals makes a Pietrangelo sign-and-trade unlikely.