Bill Guerin reshapes the Minnesota Wild's trade strategy around the prize they just pried from Vancouver - Quinn Hughes - with every deadline whisper now tying back to keeping that elite defenseman locked in long-term. After coughing up Marco Rossi, Liam Ohgren, Zeev Buium, and their 2026 first-rounder, the front office hunts top-six center upgrades to complement Hughes' game-changing presence alongside Faber and Brodin.

Mason McTavish holds the keys to Anaheim's future down the middle, but teams like Detroit circle as Pat Verbeek fields calls and digs in on a long-term deal. Marco Rossi draws eyes too, with his steady climb reminding scouts of the two-way pivots who stick in top-six roles. These rumblings test the Ducks' resolve just as training camp ramps up, and one wrong move could reshape their rebuild timeline.

Whispers from front offices point to Mitch Marner settling in Vegas after that blockbuster sign-and-trade, but teams still circle with offers that could shake up the Core Four remnants in Toronto. Sam Bennett draws eyes from clubs hungry for his playoff snarl, while Marco Rossi emerges as a dark horse in extension talks that could lock down Minnesota's future. GMs huddle as the deadline looms, weighing cap crunches against the prize of adding elite pieces who deliver when the lights brighten.

The Vancouver Canucks confront a pivotal crossroads with forward Marco Rossi, who's battling a nagging lower-body injury that shelves him through the Olympic break. GM Patrik Allvin admits they're treading carefully now that Rossi's back on skates, but whispers in the front office suggest shutting him down entirely to protect his long-term value.