All eyes are on Jack Eichel and Seth Jones

Welcome to the annual summary of the most read articles of the last year!

Ah, July… It’s a fun time in the NHL where there is nothing short of crazy rumors and massive deals.

The 10th most read article on Daily Faceoff was by Frank Seravalli, who took a look at the 30 players most likely to be traded. Seventeen of them ended up being displaced. Here’s what Frank wrote about the top five:

1. @Jack Eichel
Center, Buffalo Sabers
Age: 24 years old
Contract: 5 years remaining at $ 10 million AAV
Scoop: The asking price for Eichel seems to be “fantastic” in every way. Teams are on high alert in the hours leading up to the first round of the NHL Draft. The Rangers, for their part, were calling teams to inquire about a Top 10 pick – which would be part of Buffalo’s request to enter Eichel Stadium. Buffalo wants a futures type transaction with multiple choices and perspectives. It’s still hard to imagine a scenario in which Eichel returns to the Sabers next season, but this weekend should be a strong indicator of the odds about it.

2. @Seth Jones – CHICAGO EXCHANGE ✅
Right-back, Columbus Blue Jackets
Age: 26
Contract: 1 year remaining at $ 5.4 million AAV
Scoop: There’s no question the Chicago Blackhawks are working hard to detach Jones from Columbus. The belief is that Chicago is not willing to part ways with Alex DeBrincat or Kirby Dach in a deal. Chicago’s leverage is that there are few markets where Jones is willing to sign for the long term – and which has the ability or interest to trade for him. Chicago is one of them. The difficulty for Columbus is that the teams don’t want to pay twice, both the acquisition cost to get it and the cost to sign it.

3. @Conor Garland – EXCHANGE IN VANCOUVER ✅
Right Wing, Arizona Coyotes
Age: 25
Contract: RFA (eligible for arbitration)
Scoop: There has been very little update since this June 28 news – The Coyotes haven’t treated Garland like the player who made their team’s hearts beat. Garland’s camp, led by agent Peter Cooney, submitted two contract proposals (as requested by the club) on May 20 and there has been no communication or dialogue since. « We just want Conor to be paid with respect like the main player he was for the Coyotes, » Cooney told the Daily Faceoff on Tuesday. It looks like it’ll be somewhere else, which isn’t a real shock considering Arizona nearly moved Garland in the days leading up to the April trade deadline.

4. @Vladimir Tarasenko
Right Wing, St. Louis Blues
Age: 29
Contract: 2 years remaining at $ 7.5 million AAV
Scoop: Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said Thursday he could consider a scenario in which Tarasenko would be in St. Louis to start next season. Really, what else was he supposed to say? By requesting a trade, Tarasenko is holding the cards with a full « no-trade » clause, but we’re told that’s not a problem in this case. He is ready to play almost anywhere. And with a recent report from The Athletic that offered more clarity on his state of health, it certainly looks like that shoulder shouldn’t be an issue stopping Tarasenko from returning to his usual 35-goal level.

5. @Darcy Kuemper – EXCHANGE IN COLORADO
Arizona Coyotes goalie
Age: 31
Contract: 1 year remaining at AAV $ 4.5 million
Scoop: Kuemper has established himself as the best goalkeeper available on the market. At least three teams have expressed interest in the veteran, including the Colorado Avalanche, Seattle Kraken and Toronto Maple Leafs, all of whom saw him as a primary target in goal. Camp Kuemper has made it clear to Arizona that they will not sign an overtime in the desert. Arizona’s claim was a first-round pick, but GM Bill Armstrong will likely be forced to readjust those expectations based on the return of a younger and cheaper Alex Nedeljkovic, who was under the control of the team and does not have the same injury. the story. Nedeljkovic brought back just one third-round pick plus pending UFA veteran Jonathan Bernier.

Zach Laing is the Nation Network’s chief news officer and senior columnist. He can be followed on Twitter at @zjlaing, or contactable by email at [email protected]