The National Hockey League's Trade Deadline is on Monday, Feb. 26, 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.


The Market for Smith

Bruce Garrioch of The Ottawa Citizen reports the Calgary Flames are believed to among the suitors for Senators forward Zack Smith.

Smith, 28, is signed through the 2020-21 season at a $3.25 million cap hit. He told the Citizen on Wednesday he's doing his best ignore the rumours around his name.

“I’m not a guy that goes home, watches games or listens to the radio or follows it that much,” Smith said. “I try to keep my head out of it, but you hear stuff around, mostly when you guys come (to interview him).

“You can’t worry too much about it. I can only control how I play. The unfortunate part of not winning games and the team being in this position is players tend to get moved or changes are made. That’s part of the game. The only thing I can control is my game. If we start winning games, you don’t have to worry about that as much.”
 


Needing A Spark

Buffalo Sabres forward Evander Kane has gone 10 games without a goal and has posted just one point over that span. Also, the 26-year-old has just one goal and three points in his last 15 games.

As Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News writes, the Sabres have moved Kane back to Jack Eichel's wing in hopes of resurrecting his season and likely boosting his trade value.

Kane and Eichel spent most of October and November on a line together before being split up and Kane is hoping the reunion will create a spark.

"Hopefully we'll generate some more offence," he said Wednesday. "I haven't created much offensively the last little bit and when I have, they haven't gone in. I've hit some bars. Obviously it's not fun when you're not producing but it's part of a long year."

Kane, who has 16 goals and 36 points in 50 games this season, is at No. 1 on the TSN Trade Bait board, though he insists the speculation in is not affecting his game.

"It's two totally different things," he said. "All I can really focus on is each day, each and every game and try to be the best player I can be. It's not something I try to block out. I try to embrace it and realize it's part of my every day right now."
 


Core in Place?

Arizona Coyotes general manager John Chayka believes the team has the right pieces in place and just need time to develop.

Chayka, who traded a first-round pick last June for Derek Stepan and Antti Raanta, said he doesn't expect to make any major moves before Feb. 26.

“I’ve had numerous discussions on a lot of different players,” he told Arizona Sports 98.7. “If there’s a chance to make our team better I’ll do it, but in the past there was a lot of need for guys to get a fresh start or to infuse youth. There were some underlying changes we were trying to make. I don’t think that’s the case any longer.

“I think the core players are in place and they need some time and some experience surrounded by the right players. We’ve got some pieces in place that we like. Now, we’re just seeing if there are some things we can tweak to try and improve. There is nothing underlying that I think needs a significant change.”

The Coyotes have five pending unrestricted free agents on their roster in Raanta, Brad Richardson, Zac Rinaldo, Luke Schenn and Kevin Connauton Chayka said that despite Raanta's expiring contract, he's not looking to move the goaltender, who owns a .919 save percentage this season.

"That’s just people making a guess based off his contractual status and he’s at a good cap number but I haven’t had a single realistic discussion on him,” Chayka said of Raanta. “We’re in need of a good goalie and he’s a good goalie. That’s where I’m at.”
 


No, Not You

While there has been speculation the Toronto Maple Leafs could have their eyes on Vancouver Canucks pending free agent Erik Gudbranson, TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun believes Leafs have their eyes a different Canucks defenceman.

LeBrun wrote on Twitter on Tuesday that he believes the Maple Leafs have always been more interested in Chris Tanev than Gudbranson on the Canukcs offer. LeBrun notes however, that Tanev, 28, is not believed to be available.

TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie reported earlier this week the Canucks are working to re-sign Gudbranson, meaning he could also be off the trade market by deadline day.