Which five players could hit the trade market if their teams get off to a slow start to this season? Are the Utah Mammoth a worthwhile destination for Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Ryan Lambert recently listed five players who should be on the trade market if their teams get off to a slow start this season.

Nashville Predators center Ryan O’Reilly (NHL Images).

Ryan O’Reilly of the Nashville Predators topped Lambert’s list. The 35-year-old center is in the final season of his contract. The previous management treated him as though he had a no-trade clause, but Lambert suggested current GM Chris MacFarland consider moving him if the Predators stumbled from the gate.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacFarland has shaken up the Predators roster since taking over as GM earlier this summer. O’Reilly could be a prime trade candidate if they struggled through the opening weeks of this season, though MacFarland would likely ask him for a list of destinations.

Zach Whitecloud could be a valuable trade chip for the rebuilding Calgary Flames if they start poorly. The 29-year-old defenseman carries an affordable $2.75 million average annual value through 2027-28.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Flames reportedly have no intention of trading Whitecloud after acquiring him in January from the Vegas Golden Knights in the Rasmus Andersson deal. He quickly adapted to his new team and fit in well, so much so that they see him as a mentor for their young defensemen. That doesn’t mean he won’t be moved if a rival club makes an irresistible offer, but it’s unlikely the Flames will peddle him if they start poorly.

Seattle Kraken winger Jared McCann could be a trade option if his club decides to rebuild. The 30-year-old scoring forward is in the final season of his deal with a $5 million AAV.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: McCann, defenseman Vince Dunn, and goalie Philipp Grubauer are UFA-eligible next summer. They’ll be prime trade candidates if management decides to retool or rebuild.

Winnipeg Jets forward Gabriel Vilardi could become available if the Jets trade franchise goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. The 27-year-old winger is signed through 2030-31 with a $7.5 million AAV. He also lacks no-trade protection.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This season could be teardown time for the Jets’ roster if they struggle without Hellebuyck between the pipes. They might prefer hanging onto Vilardi, but we can’t discount the possibility that he’ll be among the players they could make available this season.

Alexis Lafreniere of the New York Rangers rounds out Lambert’s list. He believes it’s put-up-or- shut-up time for the 24-year-old winger, who has never really delivered on his promise since being chosen first overall in the 2020 NHL Draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Another inconsistent performance could see Lafreniere become available in the trade market. However, they’re unlikely to get a significant return given his erratic production and $7.45 million AAV through 2031-32.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: Ryan O’Hara recently wondered if the Utah Mammoth would be interested in Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck, provided the latter was willing to accept a trade to Utah.

O’Hara believed the Mammoth aren’t ready to go all-in on a big-ticket player like Hellebuyck. While they have the tradeable assets to make a competitive bid, they’re not yet a Stanley Cup contender, which has to be a consideration for potential destinations for the three-time Vezina Trophy winner.

He also felt that maintaining the current process of building their roster toward potential championship contention would be better than trying to accelerate the process by sacrificing assets for an elite goalie.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hellebucyk is reportedly willing to consider a wide selection of teams as potential destinations, but we don’t know how many. My guess is 10, since his no-movement clause becomes a 10-team trade list after this season. We also don’t know which clubs would be his preferred landing spots, which explains the guessing game about where he might go.

Until we know Hellebuyck’s, we can’t rule out the Mammoth making a bid for him. They possess plenty of trade capital, and GM Bill Armstrong has shown in recent years that he’s willing to make significant moves to acquire veteran talent.