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Craig Custance, ESPN Senior Writer 8y

Ten biggest takeaways from the 2016 NHL Draft

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Major events or deadlines can shift the trade market. Take, say, the conclusion of the NHL Draft.

There are teams on the prowl for defensemen, and there was an expectation that defensemen would be dealt during the draft. When we arrived in Buffalo, the focus was on P.K. Subban, but it shifted to Cam Fowler, then Kevin Shattenkirk, mixed with constant speculation that Minnesota might be willing to deal one of its defensemen.

Throw in the possibility that the Winnipeg Jets might move Jacob Trouba, and it seemed a deal was inevitable.

Nothing happened. As the tables were being packed up after the draft, we were still waiting for the monster deal on defense.

“The pipeline is jammed up,” one GM said.

“Maybe my asking price is too high,” Blues GM Doug Armstrong said of Kevin Shattenkirk after Day 1 of the draft. “Maybe I value him higher than other people.”

Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli is one of the GMs looking to add a top pair defenseman, and he said the conclusion of the draft has softened the market. He didn’t make a defenseman trade at the draft, but he made progress in talks.

“I had some discussions, so I furthered those along,” Chiarelli said after Day 2. “I thought it was actually a productive day.”

The price to acquire a defenseman was high when the general managers arrived in Buffalo, but Chiarelli had reason to be hopeful as the GMs left.

“The positions have softened,” he said. “What usually happens is that whenever there is a deadline or milestone, there’s a loosening up. The next one is July 1. We’re in the shopping period. There’s some movement there. We just have to grind away.”


Nine other takeaways from Draft Weekend:

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