The Chicago Blackhawks hoisted the Stanley Cup on Monday night, ushering in the National Hockey League's offseason.
5 Reasons Blackhawks Won The Stanley Cup
The Original Six franchise is set to parade the Cup around the Windy City on Thursday and by the time the puck drops on regular season action again in October, there will undoubtedly be a lot of changes throughout the league.
The season is barely over yet and there have already been plenty of trade rumors swirling around the league as teams begin to plan for the 2015-16 campaign.
3 Possible Destinations For Phil Kessel This Offseason
Here are three likely candidates to be dealt this offseason
Phil Kessel, Toronto Maple Leafs
With president Brendan Shanahan and new head coach Mike Babcock looking to rebuild the team and dump some salary to change the culture of the Maple Leafs, Phil Kessel seems like he could be on the move this offseason.
Kessel is not a fan of the media scrutiny he's received in Toronto, but his $8 million annual cap hit, which pays him until he's 34, could prove difficult in the club trying to move him.
Kessel also has a limited no-trade clause, but he is willing to waive it for eight teams, including the Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota Wild, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers.
Kessel, 27, had 25 goals and 35 assists for 61 points last season.
Ryan O'Reilly, Colorado Avalanche
Ryan O'Reilly's name popped up a lot in trade rumors toward the deadline last March, but nothing ever came of it. Now, his name is once again circulating around in speculation and it appears the Avalanche may pull the trigger on a deal if it can bring back a top-four defenseman.
O'Reilly could be a great fit for a team in need of a top-six center, but his contract situation is questionable as his negotiations with Colorado for a long-term, high-priced deal haven't gotten very far and he just finished the first year of a two-year bridge pact that pays him $6 million annually.
It is possible that Colorado deals him without a new contract in place, but a new team would have to be willing to risk working something out with him without the security that it will definitely happen.
O'Reilly, 24, played all 82 games for Colorado last season and had 17 goals, 38 assists and 55 points.
Robin Lehner, Ottawa Senators
The Senators have plenty of goaltending depth with the emergence of Andrew "The Hamburglar" Hammond -- who took the hockey world by storm this season -- and with veteran Craig Anderson also in the fold.
Robin Lehner has plenty of potential and reportedly has interest from such clubs as the Buffalo Sabres, Edmonton Oilers, San Jose Sharks, Dallas Stars and even the Calgary Flames, so it makes sense that Ottawa could try to get something in return for him -- especially due to their depth between the pipes heading into the 2015-16 campaign.
Lehner, 23, went 9-12-3 last season in 25 starts with a 3.02 goals-against average and a .905 save percentage and he is 30-36-13 in his career through 86 games with a 2.88 GAA and a .914 save percentage.
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