5 impact NHL players who could get traded this offseason

Ottawa Senators general manager Pierre Dorion said last week that he'd be open to trading the team's seventh overall pick for an "impact player that can help (them) right away." New Jersey Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald shared that sentiment in early May, albeit before his team moved up from No. 5 to No. 2 in the lottery.

With teams evidently ready to get aggressive to improve, a few impact players might be available - and we're not talking about aging veterans or pending unrestricted free agents.

Below, we explore five young(ish), controllable players who could get dealt this summer.

Jakob Chychrun, Coyotes

Position: LD
Contract: 3 years, $4.6M AAV
Age: 24

This is no surprise. Chychrun was widely expected to move at the 2022 trade deadline, but a lower-body injury in March threw a wrench in those plans and ruled him out for the remainder of the season.

The Arizona Coyotes' steep asking price from earlier in the season (reportedly in the range the Buffalo Sabres received for Jack Eichel) may have played a role in why a deal was never made.

It seems more than likely Chychrun is dealt this summer, though. As he inches closer to the end of his bargain deal, his value will never be higher than it is now.

Yes, this is in spite of Chychrun coming off a down season in which he tallied 21 points in 47 games. The year prior, he finished 10th in Norris Trophy voting after registering 18 goals and 23 assists in 56 contests. However, his defensive metrics were still stellar despite playing for one of the league's worst teams.

Chychrun offers a coveted blend of size, mobility, and two-way prowess. If he isn't a bona fide No. 1 defenseman, he's one of the better No. 2s in the league. Given his position and contract, he's the most valuable player on this list.

Kevin Fiala, Wild

Position: LW/RW
Contract: RFA
Age: 25

It's going to be extremely difficult for the Minnesota Wild to re-sign Fiala this summer. After setting career highs in goals (33), assists (52), and points (85), the Swiss winger will look to cash in. His qualifying offer will be $5.1 million, but he could demand upward of $8 million per season on a long-term deal.

Thanks to the ballooning buyout cap hits for Zach Parise and Ryan Suter over the next three years, the Wild project to have just $7.4 million in cap space for 2022-23. Plus, they need to add a goalie to pair with Cam Talbot if they can't bring back Marc-Andre Fleury.

The Wild could clear cap space for Fiala if they move a high-earner like Matt Dumba ($6-million cap hit, UFA after next season) or trade away multiple players in the $1-million-to-$3-million range and replace them with skaters making the league minimum.

Regardless, it'll be a tall task. GM Bill Guerin said he doesn't know if the team can bring Fiala back. If the Wild don't act fast to trade him, they could lose him to an offer sheet they can't afford to match.

Patrik Laine, Blue Jackets

Position: LW/RW
Contract: RFA
Age: 24

Oh, to be a fly on the wall in contract negotiations between Laine's camp and Columbus Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen. If the Blue Jackets can't agree on a long-term deal with their top sniper this summer, they may be forced to deal him - despite Kekalainen's aversion to Laine-related trade rumors.

Yes, Laine is still a restricted free agent, but he can simply accept his $7.5-million qualifying offer (as he did last year) and walk right to unrestricted free agency in 2023. As a 25-year-old on the open market, Laine would be in line for a massive payday.

Other stars (Artemi Panarin, Sergei Bobrovsky) walked out the door in the past, but - unlike in 2019 - Columbus isn't in a position to go all-in right now. They can't risk losing Laine for nothing, and even trading him at the 2023 deadline would likely result in a worse return than they could get this summer.

It'd be a tough deal to pull off, though. Not only would a team have to come to the table with the necessary assets to pry Laine away, but they'd also have to be prepared to pay him long term.

Laine recorded 26 goals and 56 points in 56 games - a huge bounce-back campaign after a miserable 2020-21. Despite his tantalizing 50-goal potential, he tends to frustrate coaches with his inconsistency. Still, odds are numerous teams are willing to bet on his upside.

Conor Garland, Canucks

Position: LW/RW
Contract: 4 years, $4.95M AAV
Age: 26

The Vancouver Canucks have big decisions to make this offseason. Brock Boeser is an RFA, and Bo Horvat and J.T. Miller are one year away from becoming UFAs. All three players will get sizable raises.

As the captain, Horvat is almost guaranteed an extension this summer. If the Canucks were intent on trading Miller, it would've made more sense to do so at the deadline, when his value was higher. Boeser, though, could get dealt this summer (his qualifying offer is $7.5 million).

However, if the Canucks want to bring back all three, trading Garland is logical. Remember, it was the Canucks' previous regime that acquired Garland from the Coyotes last offseason.

Garland's first season in Vancouver was solid - 19 goals, 52 points in 77 games while averaging 16:24 per contest. He's an analytics darling, too. It feels like the diminutive winger still has a breakout season on the horizon, and that, along with his team-friendly cap hit, could make him appealing to teams looking for juice up front.

The Canucks, however, need help on the back end. If they trade Garland or Boeser, they'll likely either seek a defenseman in return or use the newfound cap space to sign one in free agency.

John Gibson, Ducks

Position: G
Contract: 5 years, $6.4M AAV
Age: 28

Gibson is the elder statesman on this list at 28, but his best years could be ahead of him.

The Anaheim Ducks netminder was elite from 2015-16 to 2018-19, averaging 53 starts per year, never posting a save percentage below .917, and saving a combined 91.5 goals above expected.

However, the last three seasons have been a different story. He hasn't recorded a save percentage above .904, and his goals saved above expected is minus-18.3.

The Ducks are undergoing a heavy youth movement, and Gibson will likely be past his prime by the time they're contending again. This would be the moment to trade him, especially with a weak UFA goalie class.

Gibson's recent decline might be due to the poor team around him, so a change of scenery could rejuvenate him. He showed flashes of his old self when he sported a .922 save percentage before the All-Star break, but that mark fell to .876 in the second half.

Still, there's almost undoubtedly a goalie-needy contender out there willing to bet that he can regain his old form.