The NHL's Mar. 21 Trade Deadline is approaching and teams are making decisions on whether to buy, sell and decide which players can make the biggest difference and hold the greatest value. Check out today's trade rumours and speculation from around the NHL beat. And follow TradeCentre on TSN and TSN.ca through Deadline Day for all the updates.


Money In, Money Out

The Toronto Maple Leafs appeared to get some good news on the injury front Tuesday as Jake Muzzin took to the ice for their optional skate for the first time since suffering his second concussion in six weeks last month.

Muzzin's potential return, however, would end any talk of the Maple Leafs following the Tampa Bay Lightning's lead and using his LTIR status to spend over the salary cap before bringing the defenceman back for the playoffs.

TSN Hockey Insider Chris Johnston reports that keeping Muzzin and his $5.625 million cap hit sidelined has never been in Toronto's plans. He adds, though, that with the Maple Leafs up against the salary cap already, any deadline deal will require a contract to move off their books in order to bring one in.

"Yeah, certainly internally there are no indications the Leafs are operating in that manner," Johnston said of the Maple Leafs 'pulling a Kucherov.' "And really, Leafs management looks at Jake Muzzin returning to the ice as a positive step for his health as he recovers from his second successive concussion. And for the Leafs, that means they’re not going to use his LTIR space to acquire any extra cap hits at the deadline.

"Really right now the Leafs are looking at having about $500,000 that they could add in an annual cap hit that they could add at the deadline depending on what they do with some players before then. So it’s probably going to have to be some players before then, and so it’s probably going to have to be players out to bring someone in.

"And as for Jake Muzzin, the hope is that he’ll be back as soon as possible so he can get ready for the playoffs rather than sitting out until the playoffs."

Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas said last week his priority was to acquire an additional defenceman ahead of the deadline, adding that he expected to only make one more trade before March 21.
 


The Race for Chychrun

With eight teams pursuing him, there's a good reason Arizona Coyotes defenceman Jakob Chychrun sits No. 1 on the TSN Trade Bait board.

TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger reported Tuesday that the Florida Panthers, Los Angeles Kings, Boston Bruins, St. Louis Blues, Carolina Hurricanes and Anaheim Ducks are among the "primary suitors" for the 23-year-old.

A trade, however, is still not imminent with the price tag on Chychrun, who remained signed for three more seasons at an affordable $4.6 million cap hit.

"At this point eight teams are seriously in the chase for Jakob Chychrun. But again, we’ve reported so much on this. Based on the amount that Bill Armstrong and the Arizona Coyotes need to move the 23-year-old defenceman – good news for us here at TSN – this could come right down to the wire on March 21 based on the package required," Dreger said on Insider Trading. "Now, it’s Florida, it’s L.A., it’s Boston, it’s St. Louis, it’s Carolina, it’s Anaheim among the primary suitors. But again, we’re inside two weeks from the trade deadline. It could come down to March 21."

Trade talks have swirled around Chychrun throughout the season as the basement-dwelling Coyotes weigh their options. The left-shot defenceman has posted five goals and 19 points in 45 games this season after scoring 18 goals and posting 41 points in 56 games a year ago.

Selected 16th overall in the 2016 draft, Chychrun has 51 goals and 140 points in 335 career games - all with Arizona.

Moving Chychrun would likely see Arizona add to a stockpile that already includes eight selections in the first two rounds of this year's draft, including three first-round picks. 
 


Sharks in the (Trade) Water

The San Jose Sharks are working on a contract extension with centre Tomas Hertl, but no deal in place, the team will soon have to make a decision on whether to take offers on the pending unrestricted free agent.

"They are hopeful," TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun said of the Sharks Tuesday. "There’s been an offer, a counter offer and they’re going back and forth but it’s not done yet. And when teams have called over the past week asking about making an offer for Tomas Hertl, I’m told the Sharks’ response to teams was ‘Hey, we’re not taking offers right now, we’re trying to get this guy signed.’

"But here’s the other reality. The Sharks know they can’t go right to March 21 on this contract negotiation. They probably need an answer about seven days out so that if they can’t sign him, they pivot and properly explore the trade market for Hertl."

The 28-year-old has 22 goals and 42 points in 56 games this season while carrying a $5.625 million cap hit in the last of a four-year deal signed in 2018. 

While the Sharks have missed the postseason in each of the past two seasons, Hertl made a significant impact in their last playoff run, posting 10 goals and 15 points in 19 games during their 2019 run to the Western Conference final.

LeBrun adds that beyond Hertl, the Sharks are also receiving calls on pending restricted free agent Jake Middleton.

Middleton, 26, has played in 39 games this season after appearing in just 14 NHL games previously. He has three goals and eight points while averaging 18:53 of ice time per game.

"An under-the-radar name for the Sharks that’s garnering some interest? Defenceman Jake Middleton, who has partnered with both Erik Karlsson and Brent Burns at times this year," LeBrun added on Insider Trading. "He’s part of that penalty killing crew that’s ranked second in the NHL. He’s a restricted free agent at the end of the year, he’s making only $725,000, he’s a bit of an old school physical brand that teams headed to the playoffs like to stash on their roster.

"Among the teams that have kicked tires I’m told Tampa Bay, Boston and St. Louis."

The Sharks currently sit 12 points back of a playoff spot and appear set to miss the postseason for a third straight year.
 


Jet Selling?

With the Winnipeg Jets seven points back of a playoff spot in the crowded Western Conference wild-card playoff race, it's fair to wonder whether the team will be sellers at the trade deadline.

Dreger joined OverDrive on TSN Radio 1050 Toronto on Tuesday to discuss the Jets' approach to the deadline and the future of pending unrestricted free agent Andrew Copp.

Watch Dreger's full breakdown here: