from Mike Zeisberger of the Toronto Sun,

According to one Western Conference executive, there could be a few doozies pulled off in the NHL this summer, either at the entry draft itself or in the days leading up to the June 26-27 event in Sunrise, Fla.

“I think because of the (salary) cap, there are going to be some significant moves involving prominent players,” the exec said. “Some teams are going to be up against the cap, especially since it only goes up marginally for next season. Because they’ll have little wriggle room, you could see them dealing significant names for draft picks to create space while getting some sort of return.”

Dion Phaneuf? Patrick Sharp? Let the speculation begin - or, in many cases, continue.

“We’ll have to see how the trend goes, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see it go that way,” said New Jersey Devils GM Lou Lamoriello when asked about the theory concerning the potential increase in deals come the off-season.

Another factor that is expected to play a part in the projected active trade scene this summer: the quickly evaporating free agent market.

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