Cap Spike and Thin UFA Market Set Up an NHL Trade Frenzy

The offseason market is shaping up like a classic NHL mismatch between rising payroll room and not nearly enough help available in free agency. When the cap climbs but the UFA board stays thin, general managers start doing what they always do - they turn the phones into a second home. That does not always mean blockbuster noise, but it does mean contenders and cap-strapped teams begin circling the same names fast.