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.


Decision Time

Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas admitted Thursday that the team's deadline plans could sway on a medical update on Morgan Rielly next week.

Rielly, out since early January with a broken foot, was initially ruled out for a minimum of eight weeks. The defenceman is set to meet with doctors next week and Dubas did not rule out the possibility of keeping Rielly on long-term injured reserve until the playoffs (when the salary cap is not enforced) in order to free up his $5 million cap hit ahead of the deadline.

"It's really going to depend on Morgan just because of the cap space part of it," Dubas said. "I mean, we could add a defenceman just to say we did (but that is) probably not something we would do. We would want someone to move the needle for us in the long run not in the short run unless it was the perfect deal. I think it would have to be something in the long run. It is probably a long-term situation that we want to address."

The Maple Leafs lost another defenceman Wednesday in Cody Ceci, who Dubas said will be "out for a while" with an ankle injury. TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger reported Thursday that with Ceci now sidelined in addition to Rielly, the Maple Leafs are looking for help on the blueline.

"It definitely does," Dreger said on Inside Trading of Ceci's injury effecting the team's deadline plans. "I mean, they are in the market for another defenceman. Now there's some things that might factor in. You mentioned Cody Ceci. He's out with what I believe is a high ankle sprain. He'll be re-evaluated probably in a month, so it could linger beyond that. What about Morgan Rielly? He's expected to be re-evaluated in the near future, that could cause some impact and influence on a decision by Kyle Dubas as well.

"One of the key factors in a trade with the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday night was the fact that the Kings retained salary, so the Toronto Maple Leafs are in good position with [Kasperi] Kapanen, with [Andreas] Johnsson, maybe Alex Kerfoot, to make a deal if there's the right deal."

TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun noted, however, the Maple Leafs were not interested in Alec Martinez as they negotiated Wednesday's trade with the Kings for Jack Campbell and Kyle Clifford.

Kapanen, Johnsson and Kerfoot all signed extensions with the Maple Leafs this past summer, with Johnsson and Kerfoot signing four-year deals and Kapanen inking a three-year contract. 

Kapanen has 10 goals and 30 points in 53 games this season. Signed at a $3.2 million cap hit, the 23-year-old was scratched from the team's overtime win on Saturday after being late to a meeting.

Johnsson has seven goals and 20 points in 39 games this season. The 25-year-old carries a $3.4 million cap hit through the 2022-23 season.

Kerfoot, also 25, has eight goals and 21 points in 49 games with the Leafs this season, having been acquired from the Colorado Avalanche in July. He carries a $3.5 million cap hit.

The Maple Leafs (28-19-7) sit one point back of the Florida Panthers for third in the Atlantic Division. Toronto will host the Anaheim Ducks on Friday.
 


End Coming Soon?

Larry Brooks of the New York Post believes it's unlikely the Rangers will trade Henrik Lundqvist at the deadline, but his future with the team beyond on this season is in doubt.

Brooks believes the Rangers will start using a rotation of Igor Shesterkin and Alex Georgiev, who he adds the team has no desire to trade, down the stretch, relegating Lundqvist to a third-string role. He adds the Rangers could make a clean break with the 37-year-old by buying out his contract in June, clearing $3 million in space for next season, while adding a $1.5 million cap hit for the following year.

Shesterkin, recalled last month from the AHL, has a 4-1 record since joining the Rangers with a .922 save percentage and a 2.61 goals-against average. Georgiev, 23, is 12-10-1 this season with a .909 save percentage and 3.12 GAA.

Lundqvist, the Rangers' franchise leader in every manager goaltending category, has a 10-11-3 record this season with a .907 save percentage and a 3.13 goals-against average. He started just two games in January before making back-to-back starts to open the month of February. 

A 15-year NHL veteran, Lundqvist is signed through next season at a cap hit of $8.5 million and owns a full no-move clause in his contract.
 


Desperation Time?

The Buffalo Sabres have just one win in their past six games and general manager Jason Botterill admitted earlier this week that the team's owners are frustrated with their current performance. 

Botterill has been in search of forward help throughout the past two months, but TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger reports that the pressure on the team could lead him to move one of his top defencemen to help spark the franchise.

"We know in Buffalo that Jason Botterill is continuing his search for a forward. I mean, man it's a tire fire in Buffalo right now, so Botterill may have to get really creative. Rasmus Ristolainen's name has been out there for a while. Again, not being shopped per say, but I'm going to throw another defenceman in the mix and that's Brandon Montour. This will be a real tough move for the Buffalo Sabres if they have to make it. He's been playing well. It's a difficult one to make before the trade deadline. And the only way they'd consider moving Montour or Ristolainen, is if Botterill secures a top-six forward back. So, stay tuned."

Defenceman Zach Bogosian, who requested a trade earlier this season, is currently the lone Sabre listed on the TSN Trade Bait board. 

With Thursday's shootout loss to the Detroit Red Wings, Buffalo now sits 10 points back of the Florida Panthers for third in the Atlantic Division. The Sabres will visit the New York Rangers on Friday.
 


Canucks eyeing Simmonds?

The Vancouver Canucks have been without Micheal Ferland since December due to an upper-body injury, but the team could soon have the forward back in their lineup.

If the Canucks are concerned about Ferland's long-term health, though, TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun believes the team could circle back on a target from last summer.

"It might," LeBrun said of Ferland's status affecting the team's deadline plans on Insider Trading. "Certainly the expectation is that he'll go to Utica soon and get that next step in his progress, but believe me when I say that the Vancouver Canucks about a week away from the trade deadline are going [to] want to ask themselves this question. Where's Micheal Ferland? Do we trust that this player will be with us for a stretch run and the playoffs because if there is some hesitancy I'm told the Canucks have brought about another name in their internal discussions - Wayne Simmonds of the New Jersey Devils. And I can tell you, Vancouver had a lot of interest in Wayne Simmonds last summer when Simmonds opted to stay in the Metro and sign with the New Jersey Devils. He'd be a player they'd go for if they have concerns about Ferland long term. Right now the play is, let's just hope Ferland is OK."

Simmonds, 31, signed a one-year, $5 million contract with the Devils last summer and is slated to become an unrestricted free agent once again this July. He has five goals and 19 points in 53 games with New Jersey this season. 

The Philadelphia Flyers traded Simmonds to the Nashville Predators at last year's deadline for Ryan Hartman and a conditional fourth-round pick. Simmonds, who had 16 goals and 27 points in 62 games at the time of the trade, posted just one goal and three points in 17 games upon joining the Predators.