NHL Trade Buzz: Predators face 'crucial time' ahead of Deadline, GM says

Welcome to the NHL Trade Buzz. There are 10 days remaining until the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline (3 p.m. ET, March 3). Here's a look around the League at the latest deadline doings.

Nashville Predators

David Poile called the next 10 days before the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline "a very crucial time" in an appearance on 102.5 The Game in Nashville on Tuesday.
"Like an injury," the Predators general manager said, "we're day to day."
The Predators are seven points behind the Minnesota Wild for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference with two games in hand. They moved within three points of the Calgary Flames following a 5-4 shootout win against the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday; Minnesota won 2-1 against the Los Angeles Kings.
"It's a very important time in our season and then our future in terms of really evaluating our team, our individual players," Poile said. "It'll be really interesting to see how we rebound, again as individuals and as a team. The trading deadline is March 3. It's just a very crucial time and the decisions that we make for not only the rest of the year but it's certainly going to affect the future as to what we do or don't do the next 10 or 12 days."
Asked if it would be difficult to be a seller, given the contracts on the Predators, Poile said, "I think we have players that are very attractive to other teams. Yes, you are correct, I don't think it's just for the Nashville Predators and our contracts, but I think everybody is up against it from the [NHL salary] cap."
Poile said he has had conversations with Nashville's veterans about the appetite for a potential rebuild, though he said he preferred the word "reset" to rebuild.
"Are certain players on our team going to play better as we go forward with our team this year?" Poile said. "This inconsistency, is it a little bit of an anomaly or do we need to make changes with our hockey club?"

Pittsburgh Penguins

The Penguins could be looking to add ahead of the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline.
With a 4-2 loss to the New York Islanders on Monday, Pittsburgh is two points behind the Islanders for the first wild card from the Eastern Conference, and one point behind the Florida Panthers for the second wild card. They have four games in hand on each team.
"We'd like to improve our team," Penguins general manager Ron Hextall told The Athletic. "We'd like to add for sure."
Hextall said he would like to avoid players who are set to become unrestricted free agents after the season.
"It depends on the fit, it depends on the price," Hextall said. "I'm not willing to give up the world for rentals. But we're looking at everything and looking at the prices, and we'll see what makes sense for us.
"Obviously there's [salary] cap constraints, so we've got to be creative. Like a lot of teams."
Hextall is looking specifically at bottom-six scoring depth, saying "those pieces haven't quite fit."
The Penguins have lost three straight games and are 6-7-3 in their past 16.

Arizona Coyotes

The Coyotes are being very cautious with their top trade chip, defenseman Jakob Chychrun, general manager Bill Armstrong said Tuesday on Arizona Sports radio.
"We've got to make sure that as an organization, we're not just getting rid of somebody to get rid of somebody," Armstrong said. "We're moving somebody along that it's going to help the Coyotes, it's going to benefit us in years, whether that be picks or prospects. We're at that point. We're deadlocked in negotiations and here we go."
Armstrong acknowledged that the Coyotes are in the middle of a rebuild, about 40 percent of the way through, though they've played well of late, going 3-0-1 in their past four games.
Chychrun has been held out of the lineup ahead of the deadline and hasn't played since Feb. 10, but practiced Tuesday for the first time since Arizona announced he would be a healthy scratch for trade-related reasons.
Coach Andre Tourigny said no decision has been made on if Chychrun will play against the Calgary Flames at Mullett Arena on Wednesday (9:30 p.m. ET; SN1, SNW, TVAS, BSAZ, ESPN+, SN NOW).
"He's a member of the team," Tourigny said. "It's day to day. Today he's practicing with us. We'll see what the day brings and we'll go day to day. For now, it's what it is."
The 24-year-old has 28 points (seven goals, 21 assists) in 36 games this season. He has two years with an annual average value of $4.6 million remaining on his contract.
"We had some meetings about it to say, listen, as we're going through the process -- this is our last chip in the rebuild -- we're going to get maximum value for you," Armstrong said. "So it's important for us to make sure that we do this right, if it happens.
"And he's been great about it. He has upped his game. He has played well. He's been a great teammate. He's been unbelievable, been very professional. So he's made this really easy on our side. And we've said to him, if we can't get what we want, then it is what it is and you'll be a Coyote. He's been great with that process."

Vancouver Canucks

Luke Schenn did not play for the Canucks in a 5-4 shootout loss at the Predators on Tuesday.
The 33-year-old defenseman is flying back to Vancouver, according to TSN. The Boston Bruins, Winnipeg Jets, Minnesota Wild, and Calgary Flames are among the teams speculated to have interest in the two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Tampa Bay Lightning (2020, 2021).
The Canucks (22-30-5) are sixth in the Pacific Division. Defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson is out weeks with an ankle sprain and center Bo Horvat was traded to the New York Islanders on Jan. 30 for forwards Anthony Beauvillier,
Aatu Raty
and a first-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.

Edmonton Oilers

Could the Oilers land the big prize among defensemen, Erik Karlsson of the San Jose Sharks?
Edmonton has been linked to Karlsson, including by TSN Hockey Insider Chris Johnston, with the potential for 32-year-old to play with Darnell Nurse on the top defense pair. Johnston reported Feb. 11 that the Oilers and Sharks had re-engaged in talks for Karlsson.
Karlsson would be a huge get for the Oilers -- or for whomever might acquire him -- given the season he's having. He leads NHL defensemen with 76 points (18 goals, 58 assists) in 58 games.
The biggest problem would be making the numbers work since Karlsson has four years at an average annual value of $11.5 million remaining on his contract and the Oilers are extremely tight against the salary cap.
Edmonton holds the first wild card in the West, three points ahead of Minnesota and is tied with the Seattle Kraken for third place in the Pacific Division. The Oilers are 21st in the NHL, allowing 3.26 goals per game. And though the defensive side of the game isn't Karlsson's hallmark, he would certainly help them in that area.
And just the thought of Karlsson playing with forwards Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl should be downright scary to the rest of the Western Conference.

New York Islanders

The Islanders have already made their big splash in the trade market, acquiring forward Bo Horvat from the Vancouver Canucks on Jan. 31. But three weeks later, they may need to make another move after Mathew Barzal sustained a lower-body injury and is out week to week.
The forward leads the Islanders with 37 assists and is second with 51 points in 58 games.
"It's clearly a big hole for us in certain areas, but what it means is other guys have to step up to the plate and create some abilities to contribute and make up for what we're missing with him," New York coach Lane Lambert said.
The Islanders are also missing forwards Josh Bailey and Jean-Gabriel Pageau with upper-body injuries.
New York defeated Pittsburgh on Monday for the second time in four days. The Islanders hold the first wild card in the East, one point ahead of the Florida Panthers and two ahead of the Penguins. They are 10 points behind the New York Rangers for third in the Metropolitan Division.