The National Hockey League's Trade Deadline is on Monday, April 12 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.


Who's Buying?

TSN Senior Hockey Reporter Frank Seravalli grouped each of the 31 NHL teams into categories ahead of the trade deadline while updating the TSN Trade Bait board on Monday, listing six teams as firm buyers going into Monday.

Seravalli listed the Toronto Maple Leafs, Winnipeg Jets, New York Islanders, Carolina Hurricanes, Colorado Avalanche and Florida Panthers, noting that with so few in the category, it should shift to a buyers' market before April 12.

Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas stated last month he was willing to move a top prospect in a deadline deal, adding the team was leaning more towards a rental to improve their forward group. Seravalli reports the "preference is for a versatile left winger who can play all over the lineup." He lists Mikael Granlund, Kyle Palmieri, Nick Foligno and Tanner Pearson as potential options for the Maple Leafs.

Seravalli writes it would be "shocking" if the Jets allow the deadline to pass without upgrading their blueline. He notes the Jets would also prefer a rental and points to David Savard, Jamie Oleksiak, Josh Manson, Brandon Montour and Nikita Zadorov as possibilities with Nashville Predators defenceman Mattias Ekholm potentially off the market. 

The Islanders are hunting to replace inured captain Anders Lee, the Hurricanes are believed to be looking for a right-shot defenceman and a depth forward, the Avalanche are searching for insurance and goal and possibly a depth on the blueline, while the Florida Panthers are hoping to find a defenceman to help fill the void left by Aaron Ekblad's injury.
 


Off the Market?

Seravalli listed the Nashville Predators and Arizona Coyotes as "neutral trade deadline teams" after shaping up to be clear sellers in early March. 

As a result, Ekholm has tumbled down the Trade Bait board to No. 10, while Granlund, a pending unrestricted free agent, is now at No. 7. The Predators are 8-2 in their last 10 and now occupy the fourth and final playoff spot in the Central Division with a three-point lead on the Chicago Blackhawks. 

In Arizona, general manager Bill Armstrong was reportedly open to potentially "significant changes" just a few weeks ago, but the team is 7-2-1 in their last 10 and have passed the St. Louis Blues for fourth in the West Division. Defenceman Alex Goligoski was reportedly available for trade in early March, but he's slipped to No. 15 on the Trade Bait board as the Coyotes consider keeping the pending unrestricted free agent for their playoff run.

Seravalli also listed the Minnesota Wild, Dallas Stars, Philadelphia Flyers, Los Angeles Kings, New York Rangers and San Jose Sharks as teams in the neutral category ahead of Monday's deadline.
 

 

In the North

While the Maple Leafs and Jets are firm buyers ahead of the deadline, Seravalli listed the Edmonton Oilers and Montreal Canadiens as "secondary, 'soft' buyers searching for specific need" over the next week.

The Oilers, who sit third in the North Division, are looking for right-shooting depth centre, while the Canadiens have been believed to be looking for defensive depth. Montreal, however, could see their plans change after losing forward Brendan Gallagher to a broken right thumb in Monday's 3-2 overtime win over the Oilers. Gallagher is expected to miss a few weeks, taking him out for most of the remaining regular season with the Canadiens' schedule currently set to conclude on May 11.

The Calgary Flames, Ottawa Senators and Vancouver Canucks were all place in the sellers category by Seravalli as they sit outside the playoff picture. Ottawa's Ryan Dzingel is the highest-listed player north of the border on the trade bait board, checking in at No. 20. He's followed by Flames centre Derek Ryan (No. 22), Canadiens winger Artturi Lehkonen (No. 24), Canucks pending UFA Tanner Pearson (No. 25), Flames centre Sam Bennett (No. 29), Vancouver's Jake Virtanen (No. 32) and Maple Leafs centre Alex Kerfoot (No. 33).