We’re betting management all across the NHL are working the phones right now, trying to get a deal done before the Olympic roster freeze on Friday at 3 PM ET. With action resuming on March 1st and the official trade deadline on March 3rd, there won’t be much time, so expect a couple of these deals to go through.
Ray Whitney
The Carolina forward is being chased by Los Angeles, and the Hurricanes are asking for a prospect and a draft pick for the 37-year-old who has 16 points and 28 assists in 57 games. Whitney would add scoring for the Kings, who missed out on Ilya Kovalchuk, and he would also add a veteran presence on a very young team that is exceeding expectations.
Paul Kariya/Keith Tkachuk
These two St. Louis Blues veterans are free agents this summer, and it seems like Tkachuk’s name also comes up in trade talks. But as Bill Guerin showed last year in Pittsburgh, veteran experience can be key in the playoffs. It’s just a matter of what the Blues want for the 37-year-old Tkachuk and the 35-year-old Kariya, who both have 28 points in 55 and 54 games, respectively.
James Wisniewski
The 25-year-old Anaheim defenseman is reportedly being shipped around as the Ducks don’t think they’ll be able to afford the raise he should get in arbitration this summer. Wisniewski is averaging a career high of 24:18 in ice time, and the word is his old club, Chicago, wants him back to provide stability at the back. Wisniewski would be an excellent fit for chemistry for Chicago, who is already though to be the NHL betting favorite in the Western Conference.
