Five NHL Teams That Could Still Do Big Business This Summer

Hockey fans, the dog days of summer have arrived.

Sunday's Alex DeBrincat trade to the Detroit Red Wings may have been the true kickoff point — an anticipated move by Ottawa Senators GM Pierre Dorion, which landed the sharp-shooting winger at the destination he was widely rumored to be seeking. The deal landed with a bit of a whimper, especially given the underwhelming trade return and a new contract for the Michigan native, which runs for just four years and comes in at a rather conservative $7.875 million per year. That's well below the $9-million qualifying offer he originally had on the table for next season.

As teams wriggle through one last summer of salary cap hell, there simply isn't much money still available in the system.

But just because the news cycle is slowing, don't feel like you venture too far away from your social media — or this website. Remember, Brad Treliving and Bill Zito caught us all napping last year when they announced the franchise-altering Matthew Tkachuk/Jonathan Huberdeau trade long after sunset on Friday, July 22. 

We thought we might see more blockbusters this summer. That hasn't happened yet, but it still could. And Treliving might even be at the epicenter of another earthquake.

Let's start there. Here are five NHL teams that may still shake up the hockey world this off-season. And there's one thing they all have in common: a relatively fresh pair of hands on the wheel.

The abrupt change in the GM's chair in Toronto has shifted the focus away from what was expected to be a key summer storyline — how are the Toronto Maple Leafs going to change up their team chemistry and remain cap compliant, with Auston Matthews and William Nylander now both one year away from free agency?

Treliving earned some plaudits from the fan base by adding gritty forwards Tyler Bertuzzi and Max Domi on good-value contracts. But the team is still over the cap ceiling unless there's a plan to move somebody out or place another player on long-term injured reserve alongside Jake Muzzin.

Ilya Samsonov has filed for salary arbitration, and his hearing date is coming up fast: July 21. That opens up a second potential buyout window for Toronto if it's needed for cap compliance.

For now, there's a sense of calm around Matthews' status. But no matter how many times he says he wants to stay in Toronto, tensions will rise if he starts the season without a contract extension. 

Treliving also probably wants to know what Matthews' number will be before he commits to Nylander. And just how much is the cap going to go up next season, anyhow?

Patience may be required. But after Treliving watched Johnny Gaudreau escape from his clutches a year ago in Calgary, he could be quick on the draw if he gets a chance to guarantee he won't face a similar PR nightmare in Toronto in a year's time. 

He's done it before. Don't rule out a stealthy, shocking deal while Torontonians are still falling asleep to the sound of the crickets in cottage country.

Back in Calgary, Treliving has been replaced by his old assistant, Craig Conroy. And the exodus that Gaudreau and Tkachuk started has continued.

Faced with the news that Tyler Toffoli wasn't planning to re-sign when his current contract expires at the end of this season, Conroy quickly shipped him out to New Jersey. But so far, there has been no movement with Noah Hanifin, Elias Lindholm or Mikael Backlund, who are also all one year away from UFA status.

Conroy may try to hold steady for now. He'll hope the vibe around the team improves this year under new coach Ryan Huska and that some of these franchise anchors decide they may want to stick around after all. But the Toffoli deal suggests he won't hesitate to get proactive if a decent opportunity arises.

The buzz persists around Erik Karlsson, making it seem like a matter of time before the 2023 Norris Trophy winner finds himself a new home on a Stanley Cup contender. 

So far, San Jose GM Mike Grier has stuck to his guns as far as his desired return and the percentage of Karlsson's $11.5-million annual cap hit that he's willing to retain over the next four seasons. 

The fact that Pittsburgh and Carolina are said to still be actively sniffing around, with some other dark-horse teams also potentially in the mix, bodes well for the Sharks. The Canes don't typically get caught in bidding wars, so they may still have some room to maneuver before presenting their absolute final offer.

Grier's work can't be judged until we see what he ultimately brings back for Karlsson. But his slow-play patience suggests nerves of steel that will serve him well anytime he's up against his rival GMs.

Don't get too fired up over the fact that the Ducks are currently the only team below this year's salary-cap floor of $61.7 million. Anaheim still has three important young RFAs to sign this summer, so that gap is only temporary.

Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale are coming out of their entry-level contracts and don't have arbitration rights. But both players are top-10 draft picks with buckets of potential, even if Drysdale did spend most of last season on the injured list with a shoulder issue. They could sign bridge deals now, but Anaheim GM Pat Verbeek might be better off over the long term if he locks them up on longer-term contracts akin to what we've seen Pierre Dorion do in Ottawa with players such as Tim Stutzle and Brady Tkachuk.

Troy Terry doesn't have the same pedigree — a fifth-round pick in 2015. But over the last two seasons combined, the 25-year-old leads the Ducks in goals (60) and points (128), with 101 of those points coming at even strength. 

Coming off a bargain deal with a cap hit of just $1.45 million per year, Terry has filed for arbitration. His production gives him a good case, and he's set to become a UFA in just two years, which puts him in an even stronger bargaining position.

Long story short: once those three players are under contract, the Ducks will easily be above the cap floor.

But even after signing Radko Gudas and Robert Hagg in free agency, Anaheim is still very thin on the back end. There's also still a chance that goaltender John Gibson gets moved to a more competitive situation. 

Like Grier to the north, Verbeek has also proven to be a patient GM since touching down in Orange County. The Ducks don't need to make a deal this summer, but they can jump if a favorable opportunity presents itself.

Chicago GM Kyle Davidson has already drafted Connor Bedard and spent handsomely to surround the prized prospect with some solid veteran leadership next season in Taylor Hall, Nick Foligno and Corey Perry. Davidson's viral man-on-the-street interview from Nashville gave the hockey world a fresh insight into the personality of the 35-year-old who worked his way all the way up through the Blackhawks' organizational ranks — and, yes, who's three years younger than Perry.

Bedard is a golden ticket to re-engaging a fan base after the departure of franchise legends Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, so it's worth Davidson's time to try to ice a competitive roster that gives those fans hope and keeps them tuning in and buying tickets. Still with about $17 million in cap space, Davidson has room to add more talent or continue to sell that space to teams with contracts they need to unload. 

Chicago has the flexibility to make more moves before training camp opens in September.