The NHL offseason's initial thrill has come and gone, but that doesn't mean the excitement is entirely over. While most of the top-end free agents have signed, there's still a handful of blockbuster trades that could transpire. The flat salary cap makes trading difficult, but we'll identify six intriguing players who could still get dealt this offseason:

Shayne Gostisbehere

Gostisbehere has fallen out of favor with the Philadelphia Flyers. He was seemingly placed in Alain Vigneault's doghouse early into the 2019-20 season and couldn't get out. The 27-year-old was a healthy scratch at times and tallied a career-low 12 points in 42 games.

The Flyers reportedly made Gostisbehere available for a trade earlier this offseason, but fellow blue-liner Matt Niskanen shockingly retired a week later. It's unclear if Niskanen's retirement means Gostisbehere may stay put. However, Philadelphia's lone addition on the back end in free agency, Erik Gustafsson, plays a similar offensive game to Gostisbehere.

Gostisbehere was a Calder Trophy finalist in 2015-16 and is just two years removed from a 65-point season, so there should be some interest. His contract - three years left at $4.5 million per season - is reasonable, too. He needs to go to a team where he can use his biggest strength: quarterbacking a top power-play unit.

Potential landing spots: Boston Bruins, Winnipeg Jets, Los Angeles Kings

Patrik Laine

The Jets were seriously considering moving Laine before the draft and free agency, and a more recent report suggested Laine's camp believes a trade would "probably" be mutually beneficial for the team and player. Laine has expressed displeasure with his second-line role in the past.

Pursuing teams would need to offer more than just prospects and draft picks. Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff can't give Laine away for unknown parts. He has to get at least one proven player in return - ideally a top-six center or a top-four defenseman.

Laine is in the final year of his bridge deal, which carries a $6.75-million cap hit. Any interested teams would need to afford him this year and be prepared to hand him a massive extension next offseason. The 22-year-old is one of the most gifted shooters and already has annual 50-goal potential.

Potential landing spots: Buffalo Sabres, Carolina Hurricanes, Minnesota Wild

Jake Gardiner

Gardiner's transition to the Hurricanes didn't go as smoothly as expected last season. Despite signing a four-year, $16.2-million contract, the former Toronto Maple Leafs blue-liner was relegated to third-pairing duties for most of the campaign. A $4.05-million cap hit is quite expensive for a D-man who averaged just 16:40 of ice time per game in 2019-20.

Carolina has cheaper defensemen who can fill Gardiner's role, so the 30-year-old was reportedly placed on the trade block last week. He has defensive deficiencies, but he's an effortless skater who makes a good first pass. He would provide an upgrade as a top-four defenseman for many teams.

Potential landing spots: Florida Panthers, New York Rangers, Jets

Rasmus Ristolainen

It feels like Ristolainen has been on the trade block for an eternity, but the Sabres haven't found a taker for the 6-foot-4 defenseman. Perhaps new GM Kevyn Adams can do what his predecessor Jason Botterill couldn't.

The Sabres have a logjam on the right side of their blue line. In addition to Ristolainen, Buffalo also has Colin Miller, Henri Jokiharju, and Brandon Montour vying for minutes. Having one of them play on the left isn't ideal.

It might be tough to find a partner for Ristolainen, who, despite being a consistent 40-point producer and having enviable physical traits, is, frankly, not very good. His possession numbers have been horrendous throughout the years, and his $5.4 million for two more seasons is a lot to take on in a flat-cap world for a player with question marks.

Potential landing spots: Flyers, Chicago Blackhawks, Jets

Alex Killorn & Tyler Johnson

We've grouped these two for obvious reasons. The Tampa Bay Lightning have just under $3 million in cap space and need to sign three key restricted free agents: Anthony Cirelli, Mikhail Sergachev, and Erik Cernak. GM Julien BriseBois must create cap space, and moving Killorn and Johnson are his best chance at doing it.

Killorn should have some value in the trade market. His $4.45-million cap hit for three more seasons isn't a bargain, but it's a tolerable contract for the two-way winger. He seems to be the odd man out since he has a 16-team no-trade list, whereas teammates Ondrej Palat and Yanni Gourde - expendable players making similar money - have full no-trade clauses.

While it's possible a sweetener needs to be added to move Killorn, it's a guarantee one is necessary to trade Johnson, who's already cleared waivers with no takers. Johnson, who has four years left on his deal with a $5-million cap hit, has a full no-trade clause, but he's already told the team he'd be willing to work out a move. One year removed from a 29-goal season, a cap rich team will surely step up and take Johnson if it means getting a good draft pick or prospect.

Potential landing spots: Detroit Red Wings, Ottawa Senators, Panthers

(Cap source: CapFriendly)

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Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo is prepared for the emotions he'll experience when he faces the St. Louis Blues in future years.

"It'll be emotional for sure, it always is when you get into those situations, it definitely won't be easy," Pietrangelo told NHL Network on Thursday. "Look, I met my wife here, she's from here, we got family here, there's so many things that attach us to this city. At the end of the day, I still have a job to do when I do come and play. It's gonna be emotional for a long time, not just the first time I play. It's gonna be emotional every time I come here."

The 30-year-old has spent his entire NHL career with the Blues since they drafted him fourth overall in 2008. He became team captain in 2016 and helped guide the club to a Stanley Cup victory in 2019.

He signed a seven-year, $61.6-million contract with the Golden Knights as a free agent this offseason.

Pietrangelo knows, however, that once the puck drops, it'll be all business against his former team.

"I grew up here, I grew up as a player, I grew up as a person. I still got family and friends here, I'm sure they're going to be at the games, too," Pietrangelo said. "So all that comes into play but I'm sure once the game gets going, these guys don't let me get off easy and it'll be a wakeup call for me."

He appeared in 758 games with the Blues, racking up 109 goals and 341 assists. Since his rookie season in 2010, Pietrangelo ranks seventh among all defensemen in points.

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The New Jersey Devils signed defenseman Dmitry Kulikov to a one-year contract with a value of $1.15 million, the team announced Thursday.

The veteran blue-liner spent the last three seasons with the Winnipeg Jets. He appeared in 51 games during the 2019-20 campaign, recording two goals and eight assists while averaging 20:01 of ice time per contest.

"Kulikov is an experienced, physical left-shot defenseman who skates well," general manager Tom Fitzgerald said. "His ability to play both the right and left side brings value to our defense corps."

The 29-year-old was selected 14th overall in the 2009 NHL Draft by the Florida Panthers. He's skated in 677 career games, tallying 35 goals and 135 assists.

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The Dallas Stars have re-signed forward Denis Gurianov to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $2.55 million, the team announced Thursday.

Gurianov was a restricted free agent and played a crucial role in the Stars' run to the Stanley Cup Final this summer. He finished second on the team with nine postseason goals, totaling 17 points through 27 games.

The 23-year-old also paced the Stars in regular-season tallies, netting 20 -including seven on the power play - across 64 contests.

Gurianov posted gaudy possession numbers in 2019-20. The 6-foot-3 winger had a Corsi For of 55.99%, and the Stars owned an expected goals for percentage of 59.23 with him on the ice at five-on-five, according to Natural Stat Trick.

Dallas selected Gurianov with the 12th overall pick in the 2015 NHL Draft.

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The Calgary Flames signed forward Dominik Simon to a one-year deal worth $700,000, the team announced Thursday.

Simon, who underwent shoulder surgery in April, didn't receive a qualifying offer from the Pittsburgh Penguins, and he became an unrestricted free agent on Oct. 9.

The 26-year-old recorded seven goals and 22 points over 64 games with the Penguins in 2019-20. He's amassed 19 goals and 64 points while averaging 13:14 of ice time across 173 NHL contests.

Calgary holds $2.58 million in projected cap space with a roster of 19 and only one outstanding restricted free agent in defenseman Oliver Kylington.

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The Vancouver Canucks re-signed forward Jake Virtanen to a two-year, $5.1-million contract, the team announced Thursday.

Virtanen was a restricted free agent and had an arbitration hearing set for Oct. 28.

More to come.

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