Seattle Kraken forward Yanni Gourde and fellow teammate Oliver Bjorkstrand are at the center of trade discussions with the Tampa Bay Lightning. The potential trade hinges on a $3.5 million salary cap gap, leaving Seattle or a third party responsible for covering part of the salary. Meanwhile, the Utah Hockey Club is actively seeking to upgrade their roster, possibly offloading Matias Maccelli. The St. Louis Blues are likely to keep their roster intact, as Brayden Schenn prefers to stay, though he has intrigued other teams. Lastly, the Columbus Blue Jackets are exploring options for a middle-six forward but are hesitant to offer long-term contracts as they negotiate with Ivan Provorov.