With some big names supposedly available on the trade market — Erik Karlsson, Phil Kessel, Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Noah Hanifin, to name just a few — the potential fireworks at and around the draft could very well overshadow July 1 and the opening bell of free agency.

The Bruins, of course, are expected to be kicking tires on the trade front as hard as anyone, to see if they can find a left defenseman to their liking or possibly fill other holes that could pop open (right wing, third-line center).

If all fails on the trade front, there is expected to be a little extra change available for free agency. Deputy commissioner Bill Daly recently estimated the salary cap for 2018-19 could go as high as $82 million, while Don Sweeney said at the combine he expects the number will be right around $80 million.

The B’s current projected cap hit is just over $66 million (according to capfriendly.com), with some work to do. They need a backup goaltender, whether it be unrestricted free agent-to-be Anton Khudobin or an outside replacement. They have to sign defenseman Matt Grzelcyk and center Sean Kuraly (both restricted free agents), unless either is used as a trade chip — Grzelcyk would seem the more likely on that front. And they have to come to a final decision on the UFAs Rick Nash and Riley Nash. Given the right term and money, Rick Nash (barring a trade) remains the team’s best option at second-line right wing. But with Trent Frederic and Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson waiting in the wings to at least compete for the third line center spot and Riley Nash coming off a career year, the veteran could very well find a better deal elsewhere.

Even with those dollars to allocate, the B’s should have some money to play with in free agency. They can’t be throwing around David Backes-like deals. Next offseason, they’ll have to pay Charlie McAvoy, Brandon Carlo, Danton Heinen and Ryan Donato, with Jake DeBrusk up the following summer.

But there could be a left defenseman available who could help short-term and not break the bank. It would be highly debatable if most (or all) of these would improve the team if you inserted them for Torey Krug or Grzelcyk. Be that as it may, here are a few options:

Calvin De Haan, 27, Islanders. The 6-foot-1, 198-pound de Haan is a good second-pair defenseman who picked the absolute worst year to have a season-ending shoulder injury in December that required major surgery. That no doubt would give any team pause before it gave de Haan a big money, long-term deal. A one-year deal to prove himself could be in the B’s wheelhouse.

Thomas Hickey, 29, Islanders. The 6-foot, 188-pound Hickey might be gettable for $3 million or under, but the term could be the killer. He’d make a good pair with Carlo or Kevan Miller, though.

Ian Cole, 29, Blue Jackets. The 6-foot-1, 219-pound Cole has the size and won two Cups with the Penguins before falling out of favor. He, too, could be looking for more commitment than the B’s want to give.

Kevin Connauton, 28, Coyotes. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound defenseman has done a decent job of reviving his career in the desert after being waived by Columbus three years ago, popping in 11 goals last season. It will be interesting to see how a player like this will be received on the open market in a down year for free agents at his position.

Luca Sbisa, 28, Golden Knights. The well-traveled Italian had a nice playoff run with Vegas after being limited to 30 games for the Golden Knights that ended badly. His turnover and subsequent failure to defend the side of the net turned into the Caps’ Cup-winning goal.

Michal Kempny, 27, Capitals. The trade from Chicago very well may have been a career-saver. The Caps relied fairly heavily on the Czech-born Kempny during their Cup run and he’ll certainly want to earn more than the $900,000 he got paid last year. How much is the question.

John Moore, 27, Devils. Nothing flashy here with the 6-foot-2, 210-pound Moore. Just a solid defenseman who can eat up minutes. Had a solid year with the Devils and could get a half-decent deal

All in all, it’s not a great class at the position, but if the Bruins can’t land the guy they want on the trade market and are determined to get bigger on the left side, they should be able to find a placeholder in this bunch until one of their high draft picks breaks through.

WAHLSTROM’S LEGEND GOES WAY BACK

By the time the top players are taken in the NHL Draft later this month, there will be few secrets left about these teenagers who’ve been tracked, interviewed and physically challenged. But Oliver Wahlstrom is more semi-famous than the rest of them.

A child raised in the social media age, Wahlstrom made a name for himself when he was a 9-year-old participant representing his Maine team in NESN’s Mini 1-on-1 competition between periods of a Bruins’ telecast. He stunned viewers with an amazing trick shot — he lifted the puck up on his stick blade, did a spin-o-rama and scored a lacrosse-style shot. It was a bit of YouTube magic that has stuck with him to this day.

“A lot of people ask me about that and it’s fun to have that with me still. It was a cool moment,” said Wahlstrom at the scouting combine last week, adding teammates still want to see him dust off the move. “Almost every penalty shot I take, they’ll be like ‘Hey do it!’ Just joking around. I’d be like ‘Nah, I’ve got to score and win this game.’ But I have it with me for the rest of my life. I’ll cherish that and it’s cool.”

Wahlstrom is no one-trick pony. In 62 games with the U.S. National Development team, the 6-foot-1, 205-pound right wing led the team in both goals (48) and points (94). Wahlstrom is committed to go to BC, though the team that drafts him may have something to say about that.

He’s ranked seventh among North American skaters and, not lacking in confidence, he likens his shot to that of Winnipeg star Patrik Laine.

“I think my game is being a big, strong power forward with a lot of skill and creativity, but I think my shot’s my biggest asset. Humbly, I feel my shot is the best in this draft and I work on it every day,” said Wahlstrom, who believes he should crack the top five. “I feel I’m right up with those guys. If you look at how I produced this year, I feel like I’m right up there with them. They’re awesome players and tremendous guys. I know a few of them.

“But hey, that’s just how I was born and raised, to be the best. But I’m excited for this draft to see where I end up.”

As much as he’s accomplished in his amateur career, he still discovered at the combine that he can’t escape that Mini 1-on-1 clip. Not that he wants to.

“Yeah, Edmonton pulled up that clip,” said Wahlstrom about his interview with the Oilers. “We had a few good laughs about it. It was fun having a loose environment like that. It was cool.”

GOLDEN MOMENTS

In the end, the Washington Capitals proved far superior to the Vegas Golden Knights. That does nothing to diminish the season the Knights had. It enhances it.

Vegas, stunningly, was an elite team from the drop of the puck in October. There were no secrets in their lineup. Jonathan Marchessault was a good little player, but he was no one’s star. Same goes for William Karlsson, Reilly Smith and the rest. Sure, the expansion draft rules were more favorable toward Vegas than expansion teams of the past, but no one looked at their roster back in the fall and saw a juggernaut.

A lion’s share of the credit goes to coach Gerard Gallant, who like his players was a reject from his former team, the Florida Panthers. It was up to him to make the collection of castaways a team, and he made it an excellent one. The Knights’ rub-out of a similarly superior (on paper) Winnipeg team in five games was enough to make this correspondent pick them over the Caps, but Washington’s combination of talent and desire was too much. The clock struck midnight.

Still, Gallant and GM George McPhee made the jobs of the next expansion team’s coach and GM awfully difficult.