This is the time of year for secrecy. For speculation. For reading the tea leaves. The protection of information gets intense enough that GMs go out of their way to avoid tipping off any intentions.



Take Columbus GM Jarmo Kekalainen, for example. He might be the executive under the most scrutiny this year, with high profile players like Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky in trade conversations. So sometimes, when scouting players he’s interested in, the Blue Jackets GM will grab a ticket and sit with fans to escape notice.



“I like to go under the radar,” Kekalainen said during a Tuesday phone conversation. “Sometimes you might not see me on the (press box) list. I’ll be in the stands. Nobody knows me. Put a hat on, a toque on, wear regular clothes and go in the stands.”



Every general manager has their own strategies, their own ways of operating during one of the most important, stressful times of the NHL calendar. From how...