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Here is the July 24 edition of the NHL.com mailbag, where we answer your questions asked on X. Send your questions to @drosennhl and @NHLdotcom and tag it with #OvertheBoards.

What’s next with the Jacob Trouba situation? How awkward is the relationship with him and the front office right now and how much fence needs to be mended? Feel like this is still the elephant in the room with him likely on the team when camp starts. — @KevinStewart

Unless he’s traded before camp opens, Trouba will be with the New York Rangers and penciled in as a top-six defenseman, likely on the third pair with Zac Jones factoring in Braden Schneider on the second pair with K'Andre Miller and the top pair being Adam Fox and Ryan Lindgren, who remains a restricted free agent. If professionalism prevails, this won’t be an issue for Trouba or the Rangers throughout the season. 

Trouba has consistently shown that he is not selfish, prioritizing the success of the team over personal gain. His commitment to giving his all and striving for victory is unquestionable. Any deviation from this behavior would be highly surprising and would likely cause problems for Trouba himself. Throughout his NHL career, Trouba has maintained a high level of professionalism, and this is the standard that is expected from him in this particular scenario.

Does it make him uncomfortable to know that the Rangers were actively trying to trade him? Most likely. Is it a topic that everyone is aware of but avoiding discussing? Yes, but he’s not the first player in history to experience this situation, playing for a team that wanted to trade him. However, if Trouba directly addresses the situation when training camp begins, it won’t remain a taboo topic. I expect it to be a significant story on that day. He will likely be questioned about his relationship with general manager Chris Drury, his submission of a no-trade list, his thoughts on staying with New York or getting traded, and if he holds any resentment towards the team. Additionally, his teammates will be asked about their perspective on him.

Trouba’s past behavior and character suggest that he will be truthful without seeking personal glory over team success. His teammates will support him in this. If any news arises, as it inevitably will, it should not affect Trouba’s approach as the captain and a key defenseman for the Rangers at the beginning of the season. If it does, New York will face more significant issues.

The Dallas Stars have the most travel miles this upcoming season. The Pittsburgh Penguins have the least. How much of an advantage is there for teams in the northeast? Seems they don’t travel as much or cross many time zones. — @theashcity

I came across information on X that suggests the Stars, being the only team in Texas, the largest state in the continental United States, might have the highest travel demands in the NHL. This is especially true for the current season as they will be participating in the 2024 NHL Global Series Finland, presented by Fastenal, where they will be playing against the Florida Panthers at Nokia Arena in Tampere on Nov. 1-2. However, please note that I haven’t been able to verify this information yet.

The St. Louis Blues are the nearest team to the Stars in the Central Division, located approximately 630 miles away. The Stars will face them once during this season. On the other hand, Chicago and Minnesota are over 900 miles away, while Utah and Winnipeg are both over 1,200 miles away. The Stars will visit these four cities twice throughout the season. In total, the Stars will play 33 out of their 82 games outside of the Central time zone. This includes two games in Finland, which is eight time zones away from Dallas.

The wear and tear on the bodies of the Stars players by the end of the regular season is influenced by various factors. One significant advantage lies with the teams in the northeast, particularly those in the Metropolitan Division. Their minimal travel allows for more time spent at home, resulting in increased nights in their own beds and better control over sleep patterns. This advantage significantly impacts performance and recovery.

However, the Stars must be ready for the demands of traveling. Rest and recovery play a crucial role in enhancing performance, especially for professional athletes, and the medical community’s understanding in this area is constantly expanding. The team has a dedicated sports performance director who will strategize their travel plans, deciding when to fly out after road games and when to prolong their stay in a city to maximize sleep. Their practice schedule will be determined by their travel arrangements. Although the travel may be extensive, it is a common challenge for all Western Conference players. On the other hand, there is a geographical advantage for teams competing in the Eastern Conference.

Recently, the Washington Capitals gained an additional $3.9 million in cap space from the Evgeny Kuznetsov contract termination. They most likely will have Nicklas Backstrom and T.J. Oshie on LTIR. Do you see them adding a top six forward? Patrik Laine? — @samb999

The situation with Laine remains unchanged from two weeks ago when you asked me a similar question about the Capitals and a potential trade for him, comparing it to the Kuznetsov trade last season. Laine is still in the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program, so the Columbus Blue Jackets are unable to trade him until he is released. However, if the NHL receives confirmation on Laine’s playing status before the upcoming season, the Capitals could be interested in acquiring him, especially with the additional $3.9 million gained from Kuznetsov’s contract termination, which was a mutual decision between the player and the Hurricanes.

When the Capitals traded Kuznetsov to the Hurricanes, they kept 50 percent of his $7.8 million average annual value. This termination of his contract is significant news for the Capitals and their salary cap situation as it opens up the opportunity to bring in another impactful player. Additionally, Backstrom is expected to go on LTIR, and though it’s uncertain if Oshie will follow suit, if he does for the entire season, it would free up an additional $5.75 million for the team. However, the confirmation of Oshie’s situation may not come until later in training camp.

They’ve already added Pierre-Luc Dubois and Andrew Mangiapane. Both should be in the top-six mix. There’s ample cap space now to add to that group whether it’s someone like Laine through a trade with the Blue Jackets or another forward via a trade. The free agent market doesn’t house anybody of that ilk anymore.

What do you think Jeremy Swayman‘s next contract is going to look like? Who are the comps? — @rayguarino

Depending on the length of his contract with the Boston Bruins, Swayman has the potential to earn over $9 million per season. Despite being a restricted free agent, the Bruins have enough salary cap space to secure his signature. It is challenging to find a comparable player due to Swayman’s young age of 25. However, he has already achieved considerable success with 79 wins, a 2.34 goals-against average, .919 save percentage, and 12 shutouts in 132 NHL games. Last season, he played a career-high 44 games and emerged as one of the top goaltenders in the League, with 25 wins, a 2.53 GAA, .916 save percentage, and three shutouts.

Swayman’s situation is different than most as an unquestioned (now that Boston traded Linus Ullmark) No. 1 as an RFA. Juuse Saros is four years older, he signed an eight-year, $61.92 million contract ($7.74 million AAV) with the Nashville Predators on July 1 and was one year away from unrestricted free agency. Connor Hellebuyck‘s seven-year, $59.5 million contract with the Winnipeg Jets ($8.5 million AAV) was signed before last season, when he was 30 and one year away from becoming an unrestricted free agent. Thatcher Demko was 25 and a pending RFA when he signed his five-year, $25 million contract ($5 million AAV) with the Vancouver Canucks on March 31, 2021, but he wasn’t nearly as accomplished as Swayman at the same age. Demko only had 30 wins and 62 NHL starts at the time he signed. Andrei Vasilevskiy had just turned 25 when he signed his eight-year, $76 million contract ($9.5 million) with the Tampa Bay Lightning on July 29, 2019. Thought not yet a Stanley Cup champion, he was the 2019 Vezina Trophy winner. That was also before the salary cap flattened because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The cap is rising again, which benefits Swayman.

Swayman’s desired contract length of eight years could potentially lead to a salary below $9 million due to the increased value he would bring over time. However, it is still reasonable to consider a starting salary of around $9 million. On the other hand, if he prefers a shorter contract of five or six years, his salary could easily exceed $9 million per season, possibly reaching the range of $10 million AAV. As one of the NHL’s top goalies, Swayman is currently entering the prime years of his career, which further bolsters his value.

What are the odds the New York Rangers and Igor Shesterkin can’t come to an agreement on a new contract, and he is traded? Seems he’ll want way too much money and term? — @joe_kinloch

It is highly unlikely that this will happen. The chances of it occurring are slim to none. Alternatively, it would be quite surprising if it were to actually happen. The Rangers and Shesterkin are expected to reach an agreement for a contract that will commence at the beginning of the 2025-26 season, considering he still has one year left on his current contract. Shesterkin is widely regarded as the best and most crucial player for the New York team. At 28 years old, he is arguably the top goalie in the NHL. Despite having played only 213 regular-season NHL games, he still has many prime years ahead of him. Both he and the Rangers acknowledge this fact. Consequently, he will be compensated accordingly and rightfully so. It is unlikely that he will demand an excessive amount of money and a lengthy contract. Instead, he will seek what the market dictates, which is a substantial amount for a player of his caliber.

Once Shesterkin signs his next contract, it is highly likely that he will become the highest-paid goalie in the NHL. He may be waiting for Swayman to finalize his own contract in order to have a better understanding of the terms and average annual value (AAV). Given Shesterkin’s superior accomplishments as a goalie compared to Swayman, he will aim to surpass the terms and AAV that the Bruins goalie receives. Although it would be ideal for the Rangers to reach a deal with Shesterkin before the season commences, ensuring clarity about his future, there is no need to panic if this does not occur. Both the Rangers and Shesterkin have ample time to reach an agreement, considering he still has one year remaining on his current contract.

Will the Nashville Predators win the Stanley Cup this year? — @ed1167083460363

Too early to say. We still need to see where everything falls coming out of training camp. Player movement. Trades. Injuries. It all factors into favorites but the Predators are on the map as a potential Cup favorite based on their offseason with the additions of Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Brady Skjei. I’m not ready to make a Stanley Cup prediction in July, though.