The National Hockey League's Trade Deadline is on Monday, Feb. 24, and teams will be making decisions on whether to buy or sell and decide which players can make the biggest difference and hold the greatest value. Check out the latest trade rumours and speculation from around the NHL beat.

 


Wild World

The Minnesota Wild made their first move ahead of the trade deadline on Monday, sending Jason Zucker to the Pittsburgh Penguins for a package that included Alex Galchenyuk, Calen Addison and a conditional first-round pick.

Bill Guerin, however, may not be done there as TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger reports the first-year general manager is willing to listen on two of his top defencemen.

"Speaking of trade talk, Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin is in the middle of all of it," Dreger said on Insider Trading. "Big splash this week with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He's still willing to listen on veteran defenceman Matt Dumba and also Jonas Brodin. Now the expected return for either one of those defenceman is a top line centre. And if the best offer is a No. 2 centre, then it has to be with something else. A No. 2 plus.

"It's a complicated process with Mikko Koivu as well, an expiring contract, 36-year-old veteran of the Minnesota Wild. Sources say he's leaning toward staying in Minnesota. Bill Guerin wants to respect whatever Mikko Koivu's wishes are."

Guerin said on Tuesday that he was not afraid to make more moves if the Wild slip in the standings before the Feb. 24 deadline. The team is four points back of the Arizona Coyotes for the final wild-card spot, but have three games in hand.

“I can promise you this: If there is quit, there will be more trades,” Guerin said. “I wholeheartedly expect this team to compete for a playoff spot. We’re right there, and if there’s any signs of anybody taking their foot off the gas, that will be an indication.”

Dumba had four goals and 19 points in 56 games this season after reaching at least 10 goals in each of the previous four seasons - including last year when he played just 32 games. The 25-year-old, who is signed through 2022-23 at a $6 million cap hit, is listed at No. 11 on the TSN Trade Bait board.

Michael Russo of The Athletic reports Guerin has already been offered "some potentially intriguing pieces for Dumba," though he won't move either player unless the return is substantial. TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun noted Tuesday that the Carolina Hurricanes are among the teams who have "kicked tires" on Dumba.

Brodin, who has one goal and 22 points in 56 games this season, is on pace to top his career-high (25 in 2016-17) in points this season. The 26-year-old is signed through next season at a $4.17 million cap hit.
 


There's No Replacing McDavid

The Edmonton Oilers are not expected to have Connor McDavid back until after the trade deadline and how the team plays without their star centre could impact how general manager Ken Holland approaches Feb. 24.

TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun reports in The Athletic that Holland has spoken to at least a dozen teams over the past week as he continues to look for a top-nine forward. He adds, however, that Holland won't be rushed into a trade by the McDavid injury and could instead be more prudent and wait to see if his team remains in a playoff spot without McDavid before striking a deal.

The Oilers, who won their first game without McDavid on Tuesday, currently sit second in the crowded Pacific Division, but have just a three-point cushion in the wild-card race on the Winnipeg Jets, who currently sit outside the playoff picture.

LeBrun notes the Oilers are believed to have interest in Ottawa Senators centre Jean-Gabriel Pageau, but Holland is unlikely to move his first-round pick unless it's conditional and the Senators will likely want a better a return than that. As for Jesse Puljujarvi, who's currently listed at No .39, LeBrun believes the Oilers are more likely to wait until June to move him when there will be a more robust market.
 


One or the Others?

The New York Rangers have opened extension talks with Chris Kreider, but TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie said Tuesday that reaching a deal with the pending unrestricted free agent could force the Rangers to put other players on the market.

"Well, there have been contract negotiations between Matt Keator, the agent of Chris Kreider, and general manager Jeff Gorton of the New York Rangers," McKenzie explained on Insider Trading. "And because they've had these talks finally and gotten it going, there seems to be maybe this growing sense of optimism that Chris Kreider would come off the trade bait board and might sign an extension with the New York Rangers. I think optimism is too strong of a word. Is it possible? Sure. But, it's also going to be difficult for the Rangers to meet what Chris Kreider is looking for. So, what we got is duel tracks. You've got the contract negotiations going on over here. You've got trade talk going over here and it still could very much go either way.

"What we do know is that if Chris Kreider stay,s then some combination of Pavel Buchnevich, Ryan Strome and Tony DeAngelo - restricted free agents - would have to go if not by the deadline, then in the off-season."

Kreider is No. 1 on the trade bait board as he plays on an expiring contract with a $4.625 million cap hit. The 28-year-old has 22 goals and 40 points in 54 games this season. 

The Rangers have $64 million in salary committed towards next season's cap with Strome, DeAngelo, Brendan Lemieux and Alexander Georgiev all up for new deals as restricted free agents. Strome, who has 13 goals and 34 assists in 55 games this season is four points away from setting a new career-high, while DeAngelo is in the midst of a breakout campaign with 13 goals and 42 points in 55 games after posting four goals and 30 points in 64 games last year.

In addition to Kreider, Rangers forwards Jesper Fast and Greg McKegg are also scheduled to hit unrestricted free agency in July.