This is a big weekend for the NHL, as general managers all meet to select the future of their franchises or make moves to impact the current roster. How can you not be overwhelmed with joy upon hearing your GM call out the name of some 18 year-old kid that could be the next big thing, or in a couple of years be taking your order at the local Tim Hortons? So, now to my Hat Trick. This week I change it up to the three most underrated story lines surrounding this weekend’s draft.

Hurricane Season:

The Carolina Hurricanes hold eleven draft picks this weekend, including three second round picks, and we all saw at this year’s trade deadline what second round picks can get you.  This is a team that is a year removed from the Eastern Conference Finals and four years removed from their Stanley Cup victory.  Carolina after the New year last season was 25-14-3. With the Southeast division so wide open after the Washington Capitals and in the salary cap era, it’s possible to go from being a non-playoff team to a Stanley Cup contender overnight; therefore, this weekend could be start of something good for the Caniacs.  Keep an eye on this team this weekend, for they can either package their extra picks to move up in the draft, or pick up necessary veteran pieces to upgrade their defense who were 26^th in the league in GAA (3.06).

Cap Tap Dancing:

Much has been printed about how the Stanley Cup Champions are in serious cap trouble, but there are other teams that are going to be interested in unloading salary for draft picks.  The Boston Bruins took on even more salary in the trade for Nathan Horton; now they will be asking some team to help them out by trading for backup goalie and former Vezina Trophy winner Tim Thomas, or even team leader Marc Savard.

Big changes were expected as the Calgary Flames failed to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2002-03 season.  Defensively they made the switch from Dion Phaneuf to Jay Bouwmeester, but now they have too much money tied up to their backline.  The team will try to move the likes of restricted free agent Ian White or veteran Cory Sarich, or they may try to get tough d-man Robyn Regehr to waive his no movement clause. But something will have to give as the Flames try to create some much-needed cap space.

Goalie Carousel:

With the news coming out that the Sharks are not retaining mainstay Evgeni Nabokov, the first domino has fallen in the great goalie debate.  Nabokov will now be the number one free agent goalie available with Marty Turco, Chris Mason, Dan Ellis and Michael Leighton falling in line after. 

Although we won’t know where these players will end up until July 1^st, the groundwork for some of their landing spots could be laid this weekend.  The teams in need of a starting goalie are San Jose, Washington, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay and Atlanta.  If those teams choose to trade for an available young goalie, then we know they are out of the running for the big free agent goalies available.