Last year's draft host, the Pittsburgh Penguins, made one of the biggest splashes on draft day by shipping center Jordan Staal to the Carolina Hurricanes, a deal that stunned the home crowd.
This year's draft is in New Jersey, but Devils GM Lou Lamoriello didn't sound like a guy who was altering plans just because the draft is in his city.
"Our preparation for the draft is the same thing as if we're going to another city," he said when we chatted last week. "The only thing we do have to worry about is maybe our own scouts coming in and being at home and the distractions of being in our home town."
The Devils own the No. 9 pick in the draft, which opens up a world of options for Lamoriello. There is a pretty clear consensus on the top five players in the draft, but things open up after that. Some scouts believe there are a solid 40 first-round talents in this draft, which gives Lamoriello plenty of flexibility when it comes time to make his pick.
That might be part of the reason he's very open to trading it.