While the NHL offseason included key moves, trades weren't exactly prevalent. Still, many of those names rumored to be dealt will go during the season, especially in the Eastern Conference where there is rumored to be a lot of potential action.
What fans saw most were free agent signings, professional tryout offers, and minor trades, the biggest trades out of the East were likely Jeff Skinner being traded to the Buffalo Sabres or Ryan O'Reilly being traded to the St. Louis Blues, depending on who you consider the bigger star. That said, a lot of the big names rumored to be on the move have yet to find new homes and it's only a matter of time before that happens.
In anticipation of some big upcoming trades, here are some names to watch for from some of the teams in the NHL's Eastern Conference.
Max Pacioretty
If things weren't ugly before in Montreal, they certainly are now. The awkwardness hit an all-time high when Pacioretty held his annual charity golf tournament and management wasn't going to attend. Under pressure to do so, they changed their minds only for the entire day to be clouded in an aura of mystery. Why aren't the two sides talking? Why is Pacioretty's agent, Allan Walsh calling out the team so often for not being able to see the right side of this thing and offer Pacioretty a deal to stay?
For some reason, Montreal no longer wants Pacioretty but Pacioretty doesn't want to leave. The Canandiens can't get fair value for him since he had a down season last year and the market for wingers isn't terribly strong. But, Pacioretty wants to be paid fairly for his high-end production.
Things are so awkward there's really no other option but to eventually move on and the Canadiens will likely dump the player prior to the trade deadline avoiding the risk of getting nothing back.
RELATED: MAX PACIORETTY AGENT CALLS OUT MONTREAL CANADIENS ADDING MORE DRAMA TO THE STAR'S DEPARTURE
Artemi Panarin
Panarin's situation in Columbus is odd. He has told the club they have until September 13, 2018, to work out some sort of deal with him but at the same time, he's refusing to negotiate an extension. He's publicly said he has no interest in committing long-term to a deal with Columbus right now (not that he wouldn't eventually) but that leaves the Blue Jackets in a tricky spot. If they wait until he's ready to talk deal, what if he chooses not to stay? By then, the club risks not getting much, if anything for him in return.
There are rumors Panarin would like to go back to Chicago or that he might be interested in playing with the New York Rangers but Columbus wants to be competitive for the playoffs and taking Panarin out of the lineup removes their top offensive weapon. It appears underneath everything that Panarin is destined to leave Columbus and as such, the minute the Blue Jackets can get a player back that can help them right away, a trade will likely happen.
RELATED: ARTEMI PANARIN RUMORED TO BE INTERESTED IN BLACKHAWKS RETURN
Justin Faulk
A defenseman out of Carolina, there have been rumors the Hurricanes were looking at moving Justin Faulk the minute new management took over. The team loaded up on blueliners in the offseason, adding names like Dougie Hamilton in trade and Calvin de Haan and Trevor van Riemsdyk in free agency. It's not that the team couldn't use Faulk, but he's dispensable now and the Hurricanes could use some help up front.
The longer Carolina waits, potentially the lesser the return so this trade might actually happen before the season starts if the Hurricanes can find a taker. Some thought Edmonton might be a good fit when Andrej Sekera went down but the Oilers added a couple of d-men since then.