Adam Proteau whips up three fun NHL blockbuster trades between the Jets and Senators, Rangers and Canucks, and Flames and Bruins.

Although the NHL’s Stanley Cup playoffs are taking up much of the spotlight in the hockey world, there’s always time and interest in potential trades. Here are a few fun proposals that could help each of the teams involved.

To Ottawa: Connor Hellebuyck (G)

To Winnipeg: Shane Pinto (F), Ridly Greig (F)

The Senators have the making of a playoff-caliber team in the 2023-24 campaign, but the major hole in Ottawa right now is in net. They’d clearly fill that need with a trade for Hellebuyck, who said after Winnipeg’s playoff elimination that he’s not interested in a rebuild with the Jets. The Senators would be loathe to give up two young talents such as Pinto and Greig if they couldn’t get Hellebuyck to sign a contract extension that would begin in 2024-25. But an up-and-coming team like Ottawa would be a terrific opportunity for Hellebuyck to have a legitimate chance at a deep Cup run, so we believe Hellebuyck would welcome a deal to the Sens.

Winnipeg is at a crossroads with their lineup at the moment, and once they trade center Pierre-Luc Dubois – something that feels like it’s absolutely going to happen this summer – they could bring in two youngsters in Greig and Pinto who can be part of the long-term solution there. The Senators have a deep group of forwards, so Pinto and Greig would have more opportunities to excel with the Jets.

This trade would give the Sens a first-rate netminder, and it would give Winnipeg some foundational components up front for the next decade or longer. Everybody would win here, and that’s the type of trade that GMs will bite on.

To Vancouver: Alexis Lafreniere (F), K'Andre Miller (D)

To NY Rangers: Brock Boeser (F), first-round pick

We didn’t think the Rangers needed to make drastic moves after New Jersey eliminated them in the first round, but the parting-of-ways between them and now-former coach Gerard Gallant makes it obvious Blueshirts GM Chris Drury was extremely disappointed in the Rangers’ season. If they're not bringing back trade acquisitions (and soon-to-be UFAs) Vladimir Tarasenko or Kane, they could use a proven commodity on the wing like Boeser and unload underperforming No. 1 overall draft pick Lafreniere in the process.

Miller, in particular, would be tough to surrender in any deal, which is why Vancouver would have to include a first-rounder in this deal. But any cap space the Rangers have left over could be used on someone like pending UFA D-man Dmitry Orlov. That makes the deal more palatable for the Blueshirts, who are in win-now mode and who could use a pair of veterans like Boeser and Orlov replacing Miller and Lafreniere.

The Rangers would probably have to move another veteran forward – or perhaps, flip the first-round pick they’d get from Vancouver – to free up enough cap space to make this move, but there is an appetite for improvement in Manhattan, and this would be a way to achieve that goal. Meanwhile, the rebuilding Canucks could add two long-term pieces in Miller and Lafreniere – not home-run elite players but definitely two youngsters with upside. That’s another case of win-win with both teams in this trade.

To Boston: Elias Lindholm (F)

To Calgary: Taylor Hall (F)

The Flames have already made some huge moves on the management side, parting with GM Brad Treliving and firing coach Darryl Sutter, but we suspect there are going to be follow-up roster alterations in Calgary, and Lindholm could be a key piece for the Flames to dangle to win right now. 

Lindholm has one season left on his current contract at $4.85 million per season, and he effectively would be brought into Boston as a replacement for the possibly-retiring Patrice Bergeron.

Hall is not the same player he was in his Hart Trophy-winning year of 2017-18, but if Lindholm isn't interested in signing an extension in Calgary, moving him for an above-average scoring threat like Hall – who makes $6 million in each of the next two seasons – would be a cost-certain transaction. And Hall will get more ice time with the Flames than he has received on a deep Boston squad.

It also would be a terrific public-relations move to bring Hall back to his hometown city of Calgary. This is another trade that would address issues on both teams, and both the Bruins and Flames are positioned to win right away, so landing veterans on both sides of this deal would make it work.