Under two weeks before the trade deadline and the trade rumour board is being updated several times a day. Teams try to make deals in the weeks leading up to March 1st, so it's only a matter of time before the dam breaks open. New names in the rumour mill and updates on Duchene, Landeskog, Shattenkirk in this edition of the Rumour Report.
- The teardown in Colorado might go further than originally expected. In addition to the usual names we've heard for months, Mikhail Grigorenko and Patrick Wiercioch are apparently out there in trade talks as well.
- Lots of scouts on hand for the Canucks-Blues game. Both teams have plenty of players that could be made available this trade deadline, most notably Shattenkirk on St. Louis and Alex Burrows and Jannik Hansen on the Canucks.
- Many trade deadline buyers are up against the cap, so the top trade targets might be the cheap players this year. The most productive UFA players potentially available at $2 million or less: Radim Vrbata (though his contract has playoff performance bonuses), Thomas Vanek, Patrick Eaves, PA Parenteau, Kris Versteeg, Brian Boyle.
- Add yet another contender in the Duchene/Landeskog derby: the Toronto Maple Leafs. The team has plenty of cap space to play with and could be a major player at the deadline. Toronto has been linked to Kevin Shattenkirk as well, but may not be willing to pay the asking price for a player likely headed to free agency.
- The list keeps on growing for the two highly coveted Avs forwards. As of today the rumoured teams in on Duchene: OTT, WPG, MTL, NYI, NAS, CHI, TOR, STL, PIT and CAR; and the teams in on Landeskog: MTL, ANH, BOS, WPG, LA, PIT, OTT and TOR. Buckle up.
- As of today, the teams interested in Kevin Shattenkirk, who still seems likely to move before the deadline (70%): BOS, TB, TOR, AZ, NYR, ANH, DET, COL, SJ and EDM.
