For my money, the coming offseason will be the busiest in the 100-year history of the NHL.
The combination of an expansion draft and a relatively stagnant salary cap are going to produce fireworks, mostly in June, as teams jockey for free agents and make key roster decisions.
During his season-ending news conference on Tuesday, I asked Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Lou Lamoriello about the trade market for defensemen, because his team will be among the many looking for top-four help this summer. The veteran executive made a point in his response to underline how much of a wild card the expansion draft will be, that perhaps there are players people aren't even thinking about now who might end up being available to other teams because of it.