The Ottawa Senators could scour this summer's trade market for a scoring center and a big-minute defenseman. Meanwhile, the Colorado Avalanche could be forced to make a cost-cutting trade in the off-season.
The Ottawa Senators' first-round exit raised concerns about captain Brady Tkachuk's future with the franchise.
However, Tkachuk and GM Steve Staios shot down speculation that he would be open to a trade.
Having settled the issue of Tkachuk's future, Staios will focus on improving the Senators' roster this summer to better their chances of staging a deep playoff run next season.
A report in Postmedia indicated that finding a scoring winger for Tim Stutzle's line and a big defenseman who can play top-pairing minutes should be atop Staios' "to-do" list.
The report claimed league sources believe St. Louis Blues right winger Jordan Kyrou is available. However, the asking price is said to be a "high-end player, a prospect and a first-round pick." Kyrou also has a full no-trade clause and could refuse to waive it.
Speaking of the Blues, it's believed the Senators inquired into the availability of defenseman Colton Parayko, who used his no-trade clause to spike a deal that would've sent him to the Buffalo Sabres at the March trade deadline.
With the Blues rebuilding, Parayko might be more open to a trade. As with Kyrou, there's no certainty he would accept a move to Ottawa.
Shifting our focus to the Colorado Avalanche, they are poised to advance to the Western Conference final following their 5-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild in Game 4 of their second-round series, giving them a commanding 3-1 series lead.
Nevertheless, Corey Masisak of The Denver Post is already looking ahead at what could be in store for the Avalanche during the off-season.
Despite the salary cap rising to $104 million for 2026-27, Masisak observed the Avalanche are projected to have less than $3 million in cap room. They have 17 active roster players under contract for next season, with all their core players signed for at least one more season. However, they must consider shedding some salary to free up room for other moves.
Masisak suggested Ross Colton as the most likely trade candidate. He has a year remaining on his contract with a cap hit of $4 million. The 29-year-old left winger has struggled since his career-high 40-point performance two years ago, and he began this post-season as a healthy scratch.
Colton's performance this season could make him a difficult sell in this summer's trade market. His 12-team no-trade list offers him some control over his situation.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.