NHL trade rumors: Top 3 teams to watch as trade deadline approaches
With less than three weeks to go before the NHL trade deadline, here are the three most interesting teams in the league.
Usually, the NHL trade deadline is the source of quite a bit of action. This year, though, will likely be different. Teams don’t have as much cap space as they usually do thanks to the flat salary cap. The quarantine rules could make trades between Canadian teams and American teams tricky, if not next to impossible.
That said, there will still be some action. Maybe not as much as most years, but at the end of the day, teams are going to be looking to improve. Whether they want to improve their roster short-term or long-term, the deadline is a great way to potentially add the final piece to a Stanley Cup puzzle or add a piece for a future one.
The next few weeks are going to be fascinating. There aren’t too many active sellers right now, but things could change mighty quickly. Let’s take a look at three teams everyone should keep an eye on as the trade deadline approaches. If these teams play their cards right, they could be major players come April 12.
3. Philadelphia Flyers
After starting the 2020-21 season 8-3-2, the Philadelphia Flyers have crashed down to earth, accumulating a 4-8-1 record during the month of March. Their .346% point percentage during March is the third-worst in the NHL, above only the Buffalo Sabres and Anaheim Ducks. Following a 4-3 loss to the New Jersey Devils on March 23, the Flyers are below .500 for the first time this season.
During a recent press conference, general manager Chuck Fletcher didn’t mince words when asked about his team.
Fletcher: "I think the makeup of our group is not right, I think that's a fair comment. I think we have to address that to get the right mix."
— Charlie O'Connor (@charlieo_conn) March 24, 2021
If Fletcher lives true to those words, changes could be coming. While the huge moves will almost indefinitely have to wait until the offseason, the Flyers can still make some moves to improve their long-term outlook at the trade deadline. Scott Laughton could be a tempting deadline target for several teams. Or if they turn things around, maybe they’ll enter the buyers market again.
The Flyers are going to do something at the deadline. What that entails depends on how they do in the next few weeks.