Trade talks involving Ottawa captain and center Jason Spezza are expected to pick up as NHL general managers get ready to gather in New York for their annual meeting during the Stanley Cup final.
As Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun reports, Senators GM Brian Murray will likely spend the majority of his time speaking to Western Conference teams, as he "hasn't really been willing to entertain much interest from the East."
The Anaheim Ducks, St. Louis Blues, Nashville Predators and Vancouver Canucks are all believed to have an interest in Spezza, but the sticking point may be a potentially unequal return in any deal involving Ottawa's top center.
"The issue the Senators are facing is they aren't going to get as good a player back if they deal Jason Spezza," a league executive told Garrioch. "You don't get No. 1 centres just anywhere. Guys who get those kinds of points are hard to come by.
"They'll get a No. 1 pick in the draft but that guy isn't going to help them anytime soon. He'll be an impact player down the road."
As previously reported, Ottawa will likely be looking for a first-round draft pick in 2014, a top six player who can help immediately, and a top prospect in exchange for Spezza.
The Senators - who pulled of a deal for Bobby Ryan with Anaheim last summer - are believed to have interest in Ducks forward Nick Bonino, who scored 22 goals and added 29 assists in 77 games in 2013-14.
