As the hockey season comes to a close with either the Vegas Golden Knights or Florida Panthers lifting the Stanley Cup, the remaining 30 NHL general managers are looking for ways to better their teams for a chance to compete on hockey's greatest stage.
With the coaching and GM carousel finally slowing down, the 2023 off-season is poised to be a big one.
Flyers' Danny Briere has already made the first splash of the offseason by moving defenceman Ivan Proverov in a three-way trade and, as Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reports, the rookie GM may just be getting started. Apparently on the docket: popular forward Scott Laughton.
"Look, they're turning their team over, they're going to have a lot of young players, you need good veterans around them," Friedman said of the 29-year-old Laughton. "In a perfect world, I think they'd like to keep Laughton, but — and this is but — if they get the right price, they'll consider it.
"Everybody's got a price."
Friedman also reported that many teams were speaking with Briere about the possibility of landing Laughton at Saturday's combine — with rumours that franchise goalie Carter Hart might be on the move as well, the Flyers might just be teetering toward a full-blown rebuild.
The Calgary Flames, with brand-new GM Craig Conroy, are also reportedly fielding offers for defenceman Noah Hanifin, who has just one year remaining on his contract with a cap hit of $4,950,000.
"Teams have begun to ask the Flames, 'what exactly are you thinking about here, what's the future,'" Friedman said. "Lowkey, I think Calgary could be just as interesting a team as Winnipeg over the next few weeks, depending on how all these players feel about their futures."
The Flames had a disappointing season, missing the playoffs after a stunning off-season for former general manager Brad Treliving, resulting in both Treliving and head coach Darryl Sutter parting ways with the organization.
The 2022 Draft saw five trades happen on the floor and as the 2023 Draft is just 17 days away, we can begin to expect some big moves.
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