NHL Trade Rumors: 11 Players Who Could Be Dealt by Training Camp

As summer comes to an end and training camp rapidly approaches, many teams are fully assembled and ready for the season to begin. At most, these squads have an unfilled roster spot or two that will likely be given to deserving youngsters who earn a spot in camp. 

However, there are a handful of teams that are still looking to shed salary, fill in a major hole on their roster or acquire a big-name player capable of putting their club over the top.

Now that it's August, all of the top free agents have found new homes throughout the league or have left the NHL to continue their hockey careers overseas. This means that the likelihood of a few trades being made within the coming weeks is quite high, as general managers look to improve their teams before day one of the regular season. 

Here are 11 players who have been mentioned frequently in recent trade rumors and may be suiting up for a different club this year. 

Filip Kuba, Ottawa Senators

Just three seasons ago, Kuba was one of the league's best offensive defensemen, registering 40 points in 71 games for Ottawa in 2008-09.

Since then, the 34-year-old blueliner has failed to stay healthy. He played only 53 games in 2009-10 and 64 games last season.

Kuba has also struggled to be a factor on the scoresheet the past two seasons. He put up just 28 points in 2009-10 and followed that up with a lackluster 16 point campaign in 2010-11.

With puck mover Sergei Gonchar on board for the next two years and young rearguard Erik Karlsson developing into an offensive force, Kuba, who will be an unrestricted free agent next summer, will likely see limited ice time and be given a diminished role this season should he remain a Senator.

He is still an adequate third-pairing defenseman capable of manning the point on a second powerplay unit, so he has some trade value. Ottawa would be wise to move him in exchange for help on the wings.    

Scott Hartnell, Philadelphia Flyers

A high first-round pick from the 2000 entry draft, Hartnell has been a key contributor for the Flyers ever since joining the team in 2007. He was one of Philly's top scorers in 2008-09, when he tallied 30 goals and 30 assists for 60 points. 

However, he has failed to break the 50-point mark the last two seasons and has been a liability at times due to his inability to stay out of the penalty box. 

The gritty winger also happens to be part of one of the deepest groups of forwards in the NHL, so he plays second and third line minutes when he could easily be a steady second liner on most teams in the league and a first liner on a handful of squads. 

Philadelphia has enough scoring depth to part with Hartnell and still remain one of the league's top offensive teams, and they could certainly use the cap space. Dealing Hartnell for picks and/or prospects would be a smart move for the Flyers. 

Zach Bogosian, Winnipeg Jets

Bogosian was drafted third overall just three years ago and has already played 199 games in the NHL. 

The 21-year-old defenseman has yet to live up to the hype that surrounded him prior to being drafted, however, with just 59 career points. 

Labeled as an offensive defenseman, Bogosian has been passed up on the depth chart by three superior puck movers in Tobias Enstrom, Ron Hainsey and recent addition Dustin Byfuglien. As a result, his ice time has decreased and he sees little powerplay time, which has harmed his production.

He managed only 17 points in 71 games last season and may benefit from a change of scenery. The Jets could use a top six scoring winger or a shutdown defenseman, and dealing Bogosian, who still oozes potential, for a player that fills one of those holes could make Winnipeg a stronger team.   

Jason Chimera, Washington Capitals

A terrific energy player with speed and leadership, Chimera has been a consistent performer and ideal third line winger for his entire career. 

Though he has meshed well with Washington's group of forwards, he may struggle to see more than fourth line minutes this season due to the additions of Joel Ward, Troy Brouwer and Jeff Halpern, who will all challenge Chimera for ice time.

The Capitals are currently very low on cap space and will want to shed some salary before the season begins in October. Chimera's $1.8 million cap hit is a bit steep for a player who will likely be skating on the fourth line and ridding themselves of his contract would provide the Capitals with some much needed cap relief.

Even if he just returns a mid-level prospect or late pick, dealing Chimera would be addition by subtraction for Washington.  

Mike Komisarek, Toronto Maple Leafs

Komisarek was a defensive stalwart and fan favorite in Montreal prior to signing with the Maple Leafs in 2009. 

Since joining Toronto, he has battled injuries and has become a much less effective player on both ends of the rink. He has been a minus player the past two seasons and has tallied a total of just 14 points as a Maple Leaf.

With Luke Schenn, Dion Phaneuf and emerging shutdown blueliner Keith Aulie all penciled in to the lineup for the coming season, Toronto has no shortage of physical rearguards and might consider trading Komisarek and his $4.5 million salary to a team in desperate need of a defensive defenseman. 

Though his contract will undoubtedly lower his trade value, Komisarek could fetch the Leafs a mid-round pick or decent prospect, as well as a healthy $4.5 million in cap room. 

Andrei Kostitsyn, Montreal Canadiens

Kostitsyn has spent his entire career with the Canadiens, tallying 186 points in 326 games played in red, white and blue. 

The 10th player picked in the 2003, he has struggled with consistency and has failed, so far, to live up to his draft pedigree as a top 10 pick. 

Kostitsyn's best season was in 2007-08 when he registered 53 points in 78 games. Since then, he has been unable to reach the 50-point plateau and has seen his goal totals steadily drop.

Andrei's younger brother, Sergei, was once a Montreal Canadien but struggled to produce on a nightly basis and often seemed out of place. He wound up in Nashville and has benefited greatly from being given a fresh start with a new organization.

There exists a strong possibility that Andrei would regain his confidence and play hockey at the level he is capable of if given the opportunity to do so with another team. And it seems that he has outstayed his welcome with the Montreal faithful. Moving him to a team in need of secondary scoring may be best for both Kostitsyn and the Canadiens.  

Blake Comeau, New York Islanders

A budding power forward coming off a career-high 24 goal season, Comeau has been splitting time between the NHL and AHL for the majority of his professional career. 

He finally earned a full-time spot on the roster last season and showed that he is a gifted goal scorer and an effective top six winger with a 46-point campaign. 

Unfortunately for Comeau, the Islanders have no need for him in their top six, and recently acquired veteran forward Brian Rolston from the New Jersey Devils, who will likely be their third line right wing.

This may have been a precursor to another transaction that has yet to be made, and considering the fact that NHL fans and analysts alike expected Comeau to be New York's third line right wing this year, the next move made by the Islanders could be dealing Comeau for help on the blueline.

At only 25 years of age, he has yet to enter the prime of his career, making his trade value much higher than that of a player in his 30's. The Islanders would be able to land a second-pairing rearguard of a similar age in exchange for Comeau should they decide to move the power winger.  

Matt Carle, Philadelphia Flyers

Carle was originally drafted by San Jose in 2003 and has since suited up for three different teams in the NHL. 

After a promising 42-point rookie campaign, he suffered from a severe sophomore slump during his second season and managed only 15 points in 62 games. He was promptly dealt to Tampa Bay the following summer in a package for star defenseman Dan Boyle.

Carle played 12 games for the Lightning before being traded to Philadelphia in exchange for winger Steve Downie.

Since joining the Flyers, he has steadily upped his point totals each season, starting at 24 points in 2008-09 and notching 40 points last year.

Though he has returned to 40-point form and become a more consistent player, Carle may be a cap casualty on a team loaded with talented blueliners and in desperate need of cap room. Philadelphia may consider trading him for a solid prospect or high draft pick in order to shed some salary and upgrade their prospect pool.    

Scott Gomez, Montreal Canadiens

Undeniably one of the most overpaid players in the NHL, Gomez signed a lucrative long-term contract with the Rangers in 2007 and has yet to prove himself worthy of his $7.3 million price tag. 

Outside of one 70-point season in 2007-08, he has failed to put up more than 59 points in a season since signing the deal. 

Gomez, who was traded to Montreal in 2009, is coming off his poorest season to date, with just 38 points  in 80 games played last year.

He remains a capable two-way pivot, but if last season is any indication, he is not worth anywhere close to $7.3 million per year and shouldn't be seeing more than third line minutes at this point in his career. 

Still, a team desperate for depth at the center position and equipped with plenty of cap room might be willing to take on Gomez's contract and attempt to get him back to his pre-lockout form. Montreal would surely bite if a decent offer were to be made.  

Ales Hemsky, Edmonton OIlers

Hemsky has been an Oiler for the entirety of his NHL career and has been one of their go-to offensive weapons since joining the team in 2002. 

However, the shifty winger has been battling severe lower body injuries for the past few years and has only been able to suit up for a combined 69 games over the last two seasons.

During that period of time, Edmonton has added several highly-talented young forwards to the fold in Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle, Linus Omark and Magnus Paajarvi, as well as newly-drafted center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who will likely see top-six ice time this season. 

The addition of these players to a team in the midst of a rebuild renders the oft-injured Hemsky expendable, as the Oilers have set up a strong young core of forwards and must now shift their attention to defense.

A player with Hemsky's speed, craftiness and playmaking abilities would be a welcome addition to any playoff contender. Assuming that other teams are confident that Hemsky can overcome his injuries, Edmonton could receive a very good return for Hemsky if they decide to move him.       

Alexander Semin, Washington Capitals

Semin has been the subject of countless trade rumors this summer and, if he is in fact being shopped, is easily the top player currently available in the trade market. 

The Russian sniper has scored at just under a point-per-game pace throughout his career, with 354 points in 392 games played, and is one of Washington's "big three," the other two being Nicklas Backstrom and, of course, Alex Ovechkin. 

Though he is an integral part of his team's offense, Semin is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent next July and does not appear eager to re-sign with the Capitals, as no whispers of a looming contract extension have been reported as of today.

With Ovechkin, Backstrom, Laich, Knuble, Johansson and recently-acquired winger Troy Brouwer all in the mix, Washington could deal Semin and still ice a lethal and dynamic group of top six forwards.

There are many teams that would jump at the opportunity to add a scorer of Semin's caliber, so dealing him would net the Capitals a hefty return. If management believes they will be unable to re-sign Semin before he hits the open market next summer, trading him would be a terrific move.