Snapshots: Laine, Dubois, Barzal, Kunin

Training camp is underway all across the league and with it comes vast speculation on the future of discontented young stars. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reached out to several front office executives for their take on the Pierre-Luc Dubois and Patrik Laine situations, which are seemingly destined for trades at some point down the line. Both Dubois and Laine have expressed a desire for a “change of scenery,” though both are under contract and reported to Columbus Blue Jackets and Winnipeg Jets camps respectively.

That speculation seems to all lead to one point, and that is the team trading the best player in a deal is usually the one that loses. Columbus and Winnipeg will both have an extremely tough time winning any trade that includes Dubois or Laine (although, swapping them directly has also been mentioned).

• At least Dubois and Laine have contracts, which can’t be said about Mathew Barzal as New York Islanders camp opened today. Barzal was on the team’s training camp roster but not on the ice, and Arthur Staple of The Athletic updates the situation with his report that talks continue between the two sides. Head coach Barry Trotz spun the news in a different direction, noting that while Barzal is out there is an opportunity for other players to impress.
• Barzal has a spot locked up whenever he returns, but an absence may not be so beneficial to Luke Kunin, who is still without a contract with his new team, the Nashville Predators. Kunin will not report to Predators camp without one, according to Adam Vingan of The Athletic, though the team remains hopeful a deal will be made soon. The 23-year-old forward arrived in a trade from the Minnesota Wild earlier this offseason after finally establishing himself as a full-time NHL player last year, scoring 31 points in 63 games.