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.
 

Enter Rebuild

While trade speculation around the Chicago Blackhawks has mostly revolved around goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury to date, it appears two franchise icons could be on the move in the future.

TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger notes that with general manager Kyle Davidson stating the team is entering a rebuild, conversations will soon take place with Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews regarding possible trades. Dreger adds, however, that seeing either player dealt before the trade deadline is unlikely.

"Beyond Fleury, the future of [forwards] Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane will soon be at the forefront. Both of those players have one year remaining on their long-term deals at $10.5 million per ," Dreger said on Insider Trading. "Davidson has declared that the Blackhawks are in a rebuild. His next move is to likely have a conversation, perhaps as early as this week, with Kane and Toews’ agent Pat Brisson to start mapping out what the future for these two stars looks like.

"Is it in Chicago or potentially elsewhere? They both have trade protection. It seems a stretch to suggest anything happens before the summer, outside of that conversation between Davidson and Brisson."

Toews, selected third overall in 2006, and Kane, drafted first overall in 2007, have both spent their entire careers with the Blackhawks, winning two Stanley Cups. 

Set to turn 34 next month, Toews has four goals and 19 points in 43 games this season after missing all of last year with chronic immune response syndrome.

Kane, 33, has 16 goals and 53 points in 50 games this season - on pace to average more than a point per game for the fourth consecutive season. 

As for Fleury, it appears he may not be on the move after all, despite being a pending unrestricted free agent.

"(Davidson's) talking about trading away assets for futures so you wouldn’t think a 37-year-old goaltender would be staying with that team given that scenario," TSN Hockey Insider Chris Johnston said. "But it does sound like, at this point in time, Fleury is leaning towards finishing out the season in Chicago. He’s on the final year of his contract and he has a 10-team no trade list, so technically the Blackhawks could still move him.

"But there seems to be an understanding when the Vegas Golden Knights traded him to Chicago last summer that they would do right by him. There’s a little bit of time for him to change his mind but at this point with less than three weeks from the deadline, he doesn’t seem inclined to move."

In addition to Fleury, Blackhawks forwards Ryan Carpenter and Sam Lafferty, defencemen Calvin De Haan and Erik Gustafsson and goaltender Kevin Lankinen are also slated to hit unrestricted free agency in July.
 


Staying Put?

As the trade deadline approaches, Claude Giroux has yet to inform the Philadelphia Flyers that he's willing to waive his no-move clause for a deal.

TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun reports the Flyers have spoken to interested teams and informed them that the price for Giroux, should he be moved, will be steep.

"We’re less than three weeks out and what I can tell you is that Giroux still hasn’t gone to [the] Philadelphia Flyers and said “OK, I’m ready. I’m ready to go.” That still hasn’t happened and that tells you how difficult and emotional this is for Giroux but I think sometime next week things will start to escalate," LeBrun said.

"In the meantime, what the Flyers have told some teams that have called is if Giroux is ready to move, you’re talking about a player that arguably could be the most impactful rental at this year’s trade deadline. There’s a price attached to that.

"If Nick Foligno as a rental went for a first and a fourth a year ago at the deadline, then Giroux is looking at a triple asset package for sure for the Flyers. A first, a young player, and a prospect or certainly at least two assets with higher quality. It’s a high price to get in on Giroux.

The Flyers captain carries a cap hit of $8.275 in the final season of an eight-year deal signed back in 2013. 

The Hearst, Ont. native has 17 goals and 39 points in 50 games this season with the Flyers, who are set to miss the playoffs for a second straight year.

Selected 22nd overall by the Flyers in the 2006 draft, Giroux has spent his entire NHL career to date with Philadelphia. He sits second in team history in games played, assists and points, behind only Bobby Clarke in all three categories. 

While Giroux's future with the team remains uncertain, the Flyers are hoping to reach a deal to extend pending UFA Rasmus Ristolainen, who was acquired last summer from the Buffalo Sabres.

Dreger reports that if the two sides can't reach a deal, however, the 27-year-old will likely dealt before March 21.

"The future of defenceman Rasmus Ristolainen in Philadelphia could be determined as early as this week," Dreger said on Insider Trading. "That seems unlikely, but there will be contract discussions with Ristolainen’s agent and Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher. They like how their defence looks moving forward into next season when healthy and they’d like Ristolainen to be a part of that.

"But if the contract doesn’t make sense, then there’s another name we know is on the market."

Ristolainen has two goals and 13 points in 46 games with the Flyers this season. When traded from the Sabres in July, Ristolainen drew a return of defenceman Robert Hagg, a first-round pick and a second-round pick.
 


Where to Add

While some have argued the Toronto Maple Leafs should look to upgrade their goaltending, TSN Hockey Analyst Mike Johnson believes the team's top need to acquiring a top-four defenceman to help fill the void left by Jake Muzzin's injury.

Johnson noted the Maple Leafs could still add a top-six winger to improve their scoring off the rush, but acquiring a defenceman should take priority ahead of March 21.

Watch Johnson's full breakdown on OverDrive below.