Travis Yost

It feels as though Connor Hellebuyck’s days in Winnipeg are numbered. Trade speculation is flying around the 33-year-old goalie, and for good reason. It’s rare a three-time Vezina Trophy winner becomes available, and acquiring this sort of goaltending outperformance could turn any playoff team into a Stanley Cup contender. The ask from Winnipeg in any trade is going to be extraordinary.

John Chayka and the Toronto Maple Leafs wasted little time making a big splash this off-season, announcing a major sign-and-trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday night to acquire defenceman Darren Raddysh. Raddysh subsequently signed an eight-year, $68-million contract with Toronto. There’s no doubt Toronto is a better team, perhaps substantially so, with Raddysh in the mix.

After an extraordinary run through the Western Conference, the Vegas Golden Knights were denied the ultimate prize by the Carolina Hurricanes in the Stanley Cup Final. But there is little time to dwell. A critical off-season for Vegas awaits, and at the epicentre of it all may be the NHL’s most intriguing restricted free agent in Pavel Dorofeyev.