Insider Picks The 1 Player Who Will Generate The Most Trade Calls This Summer

There are all sorts of names swirling around the rumor mill as we get ever closer to the NHL Draft and Free Agency. From UFAs to RFAs; from big-name players on expiring contracts next season, to young players looking for a fresh start. Goaltenders, defensemen and forwards—there's a great range of players who will be generating trade discussions this summer.

But according to Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli, there's one player who stands above the rest for a number of reasons. The player, he says, who will be getting the greatest number of trade calls is Boston Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark.

Linus Ullmark will be a wanted man this off-season.

Presented by @bet365ca #NeverOrdinary #bet365 pic.twitter.com/WEEPKd9DPR
— Daily Faceoff (@DailyFaceoff) June 16, 2024

Seravalli notes several reasons why it makes sense that Ullmark will be the most likely to be dealt over the next few weeks:

The Bruins have a scarce amount of draft assets and young prospects (and desperately need to add to their coffers, which a trade of the recent Vezina Trophy winner would do).
They're limited in cap space (Ullmark is set to make $5 million on his expiring contract next season).
"They need to pay (Jeremy) Swayman," Servalli said. The co-Jennings Trophy winner from last season stepped up to a full co-No. 1 role this season, even surpassing Ullmark, and in fact, played all but one of the Bruins' 13 playoff games this spring. "Swayman is basically the guy," Seravalli said.
Simply put, in summary: The Bruins "have to do it."

There have been a number of teams already noted to have great interest in an Ullmark trade, including the New Jersey Devils, the Carolina Hurricanes and the Ottawa Senators. We might also throw the Los Angeles Kings in the mix, though it's been strongly rumored that Ullmark used his no-trade clause to nix a trade to the West Coast at the deadline back in March.

Ullmark, for his part, still maintains he wants to remain with the Bruins, and has a 16-team no-trade list (that drops to 15 teams as of July 1st).