Flurry of trades, signings expected before NHL free agency
By STEPHEN WHYNO
AP Hockey Writer
Executives around the NHL expect plenty of movement before free agency opens Wednesday. Several top players including Calgary MVP candidate Johnny Gaudreau, Colorado playoff star Valeri Nichushkin and two-time Stanley Cup champions Ondrej Palat and Jan Rutta could still sign contracts prior to hitting the open market. A big star re-upping with his team has already happened a couple of times with the Pittsburgh Penguins signing Kris Letang and the Nashville Predators signing Filip Forsberg long term. Teams aiming to bring back players or make a splash in free agency are also looking to make trades to clear salary cap space.
