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.

Captain's Ransom

Montreal Canadiens captain Max Pacioretty has reportedly been put on the trade block, but Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun writes that the asking price for the five-time 30-goal scorer remains high.

According to Garrioch, Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin is looking "to hit a home run" in the return for the 29-year-old and the current ask from the Canadiens is a top forward a first-round pick. Bergevin did not answer any questions about speculation surrounding Pacioretty in his mid-season news conference on Sunday. 

Through 42 games, Pacioretty has 10 goals and 13 assists and is on pace to finish with less than 50 points in an 82-game season for the first time since 2010-11. Garrioch notes that Pacioretty's current production makes it unlikely any team will meet Bergevin's price.

Pacioretty has goals in back-to-back games for the Canadiens, who sit third last in the Eastern Conference at 18-20-4.

No Pressure

The New York Rangers have used the trade deadline in past seasons as in-house deadline for pending free agents to sign extensions with the club or risk being traded.

Michael Grabner is scheduled to be one of the Rangers key free agents in July, but Larry Brooks of The New York Post writes that he's under no pressure to sign before Feb. 26.

Embedded Image“[Rangers general manager Jeff Gorton] and I have had several conversations but we haven’t gotten into negotiations,” Grabner's agent Jerry Buckley told The Post. “I don’t have the sense that there’s urgency attached to this because of the deadline.

“There’s time between the end of the playoffs and [July 1] for us to talk and reach a deal. Michael loves New York and playing for the Rangers, and I have to believe the feeling is mutual. When the time is right, we’ll get down to negotiating.”

Grabner, 30, has 18 goals and 22 points in 42 games with the Rangers this season and is on pace to post his first 30-goal season since 2010-11 and top his 27-goal mark from last season.

He joined the Rangers on a two-year, $3.33 million contract in 2016 after he scored just nine goals with the Toronto Maple Leafs the previous season. Brooks reports Grabner's next contract could be in the range of four years at a total of $14 million - a $3.5 million AAV.

Time to Worry?

Both Brooks and Garrioch noted this weekend that the New York Islanders are beginning to get nervous about the status of pending free agent John Tavares. 

Embedded ImageThe Islanders currently sit 11th in the Eastern Conference, though they're only one point out of the final wild card spot. Garrioch writes that the Islanders won't consider trading their captain if they remain in the playoff hunt, and adds the centre's unwillingness to discuss his next contract only further complicates a potential trade.

As Brooks points out, New York has gone 5-11-2 since the beginning of December with the team being plagued by poor goaltending from Thomas Greiss and Jaroslav Halak. Brooks adds that the team should set Feb. 26 as a deadline for Tavares to re-sign or be traded by the team. He notes the Islanders can't afford to see Tavares walk for nothing on July 1.

In his ninth season with the Islanders, Tavares has scored 22 goals and posted 29 assists this season.