Calgary Flames
Buyers or sellers?
General manager Jay Feaster is not ready to throw in the towel on this season as the Flames continue to hover around the playoff cliff just as they have the past two seasons. Feaster still is trying to clean up the mess from the previous regime that left the Flames with a bunch of high-priced contracts that have the organization with only about $3.5 million in cap space to work with if it decides a piece or two is needed for the playoff push.
Needs
Calgary ranks in the bottom five in the league in goal scoring, so it could use some help up front, especially with Curtis Glencross, Lee Stempniak and Mikael Backlund likely out until at least mid-March. RW David Moss also remains out indefinitely. Stempniak and Moss are pending unrestricted free agents. If Feaster decides to look to the future, C Olli Jokinen and D Scott Hannan could be targets for a team seeking a veteran or two.
Surplus
As is the case just about every year, Jarome Iginla could be a hot commodity for a team seeking a proven scorer. And, like in other years, Iginla — who has a no-trade clause — plans on staying put to help the Flames reach the playoffs.
"I think we’re going to be a playoff team. I believe that,” Iginla told the Calgary Herald last week. “I don’t want to speak about the Eastern Conference, but the Western Conference is tight. I don’t think there’s any favorite front-runner. I think if you make the playoffs, you have a shot.”
Colorado Avalanche
Buyers or sellers?
If the Avalanche truly believe they are close to making a playoff push, the team could be a buyer. But for the long term, GM Greg Sherman may want to be a seller and focus on next season and beyond.
Needs
The biggest need in the Mile High City is another goal scorer because Colorado is in the bottom six when it comes to goals scored per game. C Matt Duchene is back skating with the club, but how effective will he be upon his return from a knee injury? A veteran forward who would be satisfied as a third- or fourth-liner could be worth a small deal in hopes of providing some spark. A No. 5 or No. 6 defenseman also could be in the cards for Sherman if he’s looking to get something out of this team. Despite being on pace for another 20-goal season, some have questioned if C Paul Stastny, at $6 million per year, has become the best player he’s going to be. Rugged D Shane O’Brien is having a career year and could fetch a nice prospect or draft pick in return.
Surplus
Money. Colorado is reportedly more than $43 million under the salary cap going into next year; however, it has 16 players who will be free agents next season, including restricted free agents in Duchene and C Ryan O’Reilly.
Edmonton Oilers
Buyers or sellers?
The Oilers have a good young nucleus forming with the likes of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Taylor Hall and Jordan Eberle, but GM Steve Tambellini could move just about anyone else on this roster. With the Oilers on the outside of the playoffs looking in, Tambellini could be very busy in the next couple of weeks.
Needs
RW Ales Hemsky has struggled this year with one goal in the past two months but will definitely draw some interest from other teams. With his inconsistency, the Oilers seem unlikely to give Hemsky, an upcoming unrestricted free agent, a long-term, multimillion-dollar deal.
Rumors have floated that veteran winger Ryan Smyth, another upcoming unrestricted free agent, could be a rent-a-player for a contending team if he’ll waive his no-trade clause. Smyth, who’d like to stay in Edmonton, still could return to the Oilers again next season. In return, Tambellini likely would seek help on the blue line, even though the team just re-signed Andy Sutton for another season. Securing another first-round draft pick or two would not be a surprise. The Oilers are about $12 million under the salary cap.
Surplus
The Oilers have a lot of young talent at AHL Oklahoma City that, because of the numbers game in Edmonton, may have a better chance of making the NHL with another club. D Cam Barker and tough guy Theo Peckham become free agents July 1; they could have new addresses before the month expires.
Minnesota Wild
Buyers or sellers?
This could be a huge week for the Wild to determine if they will be buyers or sellers. Entering Tuesday, Minnesota is 5-10-5 in its past 25 games and has fallen out of the top eight in the Western Conference. If the slide continues, GM Chuck Fletcher could be a busy man leading up to the trade deadline. After a 5-2 loss to Vancouver last Thursday, coach Mike Yeo questioned his team’s heart and desire. The Wild played better Saturday but still lost 3-1 to Columbus — their second loss to the lowly Blue Jackets in five days.
Needs
With Pierre-Marc Bouchard and Guillaume Latendresse potentially lost for the season with concussion issues, Minnesota needs to find somebody other than Dany Heatley who can routinely put the puck in the net. The Wild has plenty of cap space (nearly $24 million) to bring in a high-priced acquisition, but there has been rampant speculation Minnesota could save the money until free agency and go after a Zach Parise-type player. An offensive-minded defenseman also would be welcome in the State of Hockey.
Surplus
Minnesota potentially could move 35-year-old D Marek Zidlicky, who recently questioned his role on the team, and is due $4 million again next season. With Matt Hackett waiting in AHL Houston, the Wild could also be shopping backup G Josh Harding. Fletcher is not expected to trade away prized prospects such as C Mikael Granlund, C Charlie Coyle or D Jonas Brodin.
Vancouver Canucks
Buyers or sellers?
The Canucks are limited in what they can do with only about $775,000 of cap space to play with. Then again, with the talented and healthy lineup already in place, Vancouver GM Mike Gillis may not need more pieces to make another Stanley Cup run.
Needs
If there is a need, it might be on the second line where Ryan Kesler has been solid at center, but Mason Raymond and David Booth have been inconsistent on the wings. Raymond will be an unrestricted free agent and potentially could bring in an impact player in a salary swap.
Surplus
There will be plenty of buzz around backup goaltender Cory Schneider, but he is likely to stay put in the Pacific Northwest as a more-than-capable backup to Roberto Luongo. The duo has a combined 2.40 goals-against average.
