NHL trade deadline: Canadian teams in selling mode?
All 7 on outside of playoff picture, but Sens could creep in
The short-term "pain" Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock forecasted for the NHL team last May appears to be getting deeper as the losses mount and bodies are shipped out of town by the day ahead of Monday's trade deadline.
But fans in Toronto are hardly alone in their disappointment as all seven Canadian clubs remain on the outside of the playoff picture with about six weeks left in the regular season.
Below, we break down the status of each and what the respective general managers might have to peddle as they look to stockpile draft picks and/or prospects before 3 p.m. ET Monday.
CALGARY
Record: 26-31-4, 56 points, 6th in Pacific Division, 12 points back of wild-card playoff spot.
Notable pending unrestricted free agents: G Karri Ramo (2015-16 salary cap hit: $3.8 million US), G Jonas Hiller ($4.5M), D Kris Russell ($2.6M) and F David Jones ($4M).
Trades this season: Traded F Jiri Hudler to Florida for 2016 2nd-round pick and 2018 4th-round pick. Traded future considerations to Tampa Bay for goalie Kevin Poulin.
Trade bait: Russell. He is an elite shot blocker averaging close to 23 minutes of ice time per game.
2015 pre-deadline deals: Traded F Curtis Glencross to Washington for 2015 2nd-round pick and 2015 3rd-round pick; Traded F Sven Baertschi to Vancouver for 2015 2nd-round pick.
EDMONTON
Record: 23-34-7, 51 points, 7th in Pacific Division, 15 points back of wild-card playoff spot.
Notable pending unrestricted free agents: D Nikita Nikitin (2015-16 salary cap hit: $4.5 million).
Trades this season: Traded F Teddy Purcell to Florida for third-round pick; Traded D Justin Schultz to Pittsburgh for third-round pick; Traded G Ben Scrivens to Montreal for F Zack Kassian.
Trade bait: F Lauri Korpikoski, and Nikitin.
2015 pre-deadline deals: Traded F Mark Arcobello to Nashville for F Derek Roy; Traded F Dave Perron to Pittsburgh for F Rob Klinkhammer and 2015 1st-round pick; Traded D Jeff Petry to Montreal for 2015 2nd-round pick and 2015 conditional 5th-round pick.
MONTREAL
Record: 30-27-5, 65 points, 6th in Atlantic Division, five points back of wild-card playoff spot and nine points behind Boston for 3rd in Atlantic.
Notable pending unrestricted free agents: G Ben Scrivens (2015-16 salary cap hit: $1.748M), D Tom Gilbert ($2.8M).
Trades this season: Traded F Dale Weise and F Tomas Fleischmann to Chicago for F Phillip Danault and a draft pick; Traded F Christian Thomas to Arizona for F Lucas Lessio; Traded F Zack Kassian to Edmonton for G Ben Scrivens; Traded G Dustin Tokarski to Anaheim for F Max Friberg; Traded D Jarred Tinordi and F Stefan Fournier to Arizona for F John Scott and D Victor Bartley.
Trade bait: Potentially defenceman P.K. Subban along with forwards Lars Eller and David Desharnais. While Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin reportedly put Subban trade rumours to rest recently, the all-star defenceman would bring back the front-line centre the team desires.
2015 pre-deadline deals: Traded G Peter Budaj and F Patrick Holland to Winnipeg for F Eric Tangradi; Traded F Travis Moen to Dallas for D Sergei Gonchar; Traded F Rene Bourque to Anaheim for D Bryan Allen; Traded F Jiri Sekac to Anaheim for F Devante Smith-Pelly; Traded F Jack Nevins and 2016 7th-round pick to Buffalo for F Torrey Mitchell; Traded 2016 5th-round pick to Buffalo for F Brian Flynn; Traded 2015 2nd-round pick and 2015 conditional 5th-rounder to Edmonton for D Jeff Petry.
OTTAWA
Record: 30-27-6, 66 points, 5th in Atlantic Division, eight points behind 3rd-place Boston in Atlantic and four points back of wild-card playoff spot.
Notable pending unrestricted free agents: D Chris Phillips (2015-16 salary cap hit: $2.5 million).
Trades this season: Traded D Patrick Mullen to Nashville for D Conor Allen; Traded F Milan Michalek, F Colin Greening, F Tobias Lindberg, D Jared Cowen and 2017 2nd-round pick to Toronto for D Dion Phaneuf, F Matt Frattin, F Casey Bailey, F Ryan Rupert, D Cody Donaghey.
Trade bait: D Patrick Wiercioch. Addition of Phaneuf makes 2008 2nd-round pick expendable. The 25-year-old has disappointed offensively with five assists in 50 games this season.
2015 pre-deadline deals: None.
TORONTO
Record: 21-29-10, 52 points, 8th in Atlantic Division, 18 points back of wild-card spot.
Notable pending unrestricted free agents: F P.A. Parenteau ($1.5M), F Michael Grabner ($3M), F Brad Boyes ($700K).
Trades this season: Traded F Daniel Winnik and a 2016 5th-round pick to Washington for F Brooks Laich, D Connor Carrick and a 2016 2nd-round pick; Traded G James Reimer and F Jeremy Morin to San Jose for G Alex Stalock, F Ben Smith and a 2018 conditional 4th-round pick. Traded F Richard Panik to Chicago for F Jeremy Morin; Traded D Dion Phaneuf, F Matt Frattin, F Casey Bailey, F Ryan Rupert, D Cody Donaghey to Ottawa for F Milan Michalek, F Colin Greening, F Tobias Lindberg, D Jared Cowen and 2017 2nd-round pick; Traded F Shawn Matthias to Colorado for F Colin Smith and 2016 4th-round pick; Traded D Roman Polak and F Nick Spaling to San Jose for 2017 2nd-round pick, 2018 2nd-round pick and F Raffi Torres.
Trade bait: Forwards , Parenteau and Boyes. There will be more pain for balance of season if GM Lou Lamoriello can fetch draft picks for these veteran players. Parenteau (16 goals, 32 points in 60 games) probably would land the biggest return.
2015 pre-deadline deals: Traded forwards Carter Ashton and David Broll to Tampa Bay for 2016 conditional pick; Traded D Cody Franson and F Mike Santorelli to Nashville for Fs Olli Jokinen and Brendan Leipsic and 2015 1st-round pick; Traded F Daniel Winnik to Pittsburgh for F Zach Sill, 2015 4th-round pick and 2016 2nd-round pick; Trade D T.J. Brennan to Chicago for F Spencer Abbott; Traded F David Clarkson to Columbus for F Nathan Horton; Traded D Korbinian Holzer to Anaheim for D Eric Brewer and 2016 5th-round pick; Traded F Olli Jokinen to St. Louis for F Joakim Lindstrom and 2016 6th-round pick.
VANCOUVER
Record: 24-24-12, 60 points, 4th in Pacific Division, eight points back of wild-card playoff spot and 10 points back of 3rd-place San Jose in Pacific.
Notable pending unrestricted free agents: D Dan Hamhuis (2015-16 salary cap hit: $4.5 million), D Matt Bartkowski ($1.75M), F Radim Vrbata ($5M) and F Brandon Prust ($2.5M).
Trades this season: Traded F Nicklas Jensen and 2017 6th-round pick to Anaheim for F Emerson Etem.
Trade bait: Hamhuis and Vrbata. Hamhuis, a 12-year NHL blue-liner, holds all the cards with a full no-movement clause in his contract. Has six assists and plus-4 in 36 games this season. Vrbata on track for 17 goals after 31 last season.
2015 pre-deadline deals: Traded D Gustav Forsling to Chicago for F Adam Clendening; Traded 2015 2nd-round pick to Calgary for F Sven Baertschi; Traded F Dustin Jeffrey to NY Islanders for F Cory Conacher
WINNIPEG
Record: 26-31-4, 56 points, 7th in Central Division, 12 points back of wild-card playoff spot.
Notable pending unrestricted free agents: D Adam Pardy ($1M).
Trades this season: Forwards Andrew Ladd, Matt Fraser and defenceman Jay Harrison to Chicago for Marko Dano and a 2016 first-round pick.
Trade bait: Defenceman Tobias Enstrom. Dealing the 31-year-old wouldn't be easy as Enstrom has a no-movement clause. However, Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff could free up a lot of money to re-sign defenceman Jacob Trouba and fellow restricted free agent, forward Mark Scheifele, by ridding himself of Enstrom's $5.75 million salary cap hit through 2018. Enstrom is strong defensively with a team-leading plus-13 rating and can chip in offensively (12 points in 59 games).
2015 pre-deadline deals: Traded F Eric Tangradi to Montreal for G Peter Budaj and F Patrick Holland; Traded 2015 6th-round pick to Carolina for D Jay Harrison; Traded F Evander Kane, D Zach Bogosian and G Jason Kasdorf to Buffalo for D Tyler Myers, F Drew Stafford, F Joel Armia, F Brendan Lemieux and 2015 1st-round pick; Traded 2015 conditional 6th-round pick and 2016 3rd-rounder to Carolina for F Jiri Tlusty; Traded F Carl Klingberg to NY Rangers for F Lee Stempniak.