Pittsburgh Penguins rearguard Justin Schultz has been at the center of trade deadline conversations for a few years now.

First, Schultz spent a couple campaigns as potential trade bait. Then came the 2016 deal that sent him to Pittsburgh for nothing more than a 2016 third-round pick. One season later, the Penguins have helped the 26-year-old become the player he was projected to be before he joined the NHL ranks.

Heading into the home stretch, Schultz has posted the seventh-most points of any defender in the league (39 through 57 games), playing a crucial role on Pittsburgh's injury-riddled blue line.

It seems another former Penguin is to thank for Schultz's resurgent performance this season. Asked about his turnaround, the former Edmonton Oiler heaped praise on former Pittsburgh defender Sergei Gonchar, who's currently serving as a defenseman development coach for his former club.

"Sergei just preached all the little details of the game," Schultz told NHL.com's Dan Rosen. "Like stick position, where your feet are when you're on the offensive blue line. It's all the little things you never really think about. I started to focus on that and it helped me with my overall game and I started feeling better. He's been huge for me. I'm sure glad he's here."

Gonchar is certainly no stranger to the finer details of the game. Attention to those details allowed the Russian star to rack up 811 points over the course of his career in the big leagues - the 16th-most in NHL history. He posted 259 of those points in Pittsburgh, and won the Stanley Cup with the club in 2009.

Now mentoring the next wave of Penguins blue-liners, Gonchar has the new generation following the lead of some of history's best.

"We were watching guys like Nicklas Lidstrom and Erik Karlsson, some of the things they've done offensively," Schultz said. "We watched things they did with the puck, how they played the game. We started focusing on things like that and it helped me out a lot ...

"He just wanted to show me with Lidstrom, his position all the time in the defensive zone, and he never got beat. He wanted to show me that you don't have to run over guys or anything, just be in good position, good stick position. Like I said, it's the little details."

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The race is on.

Winnipeg Jets rookie forward Patrik Laine netted his 31st goal of the season Tuesday, beating Minnesota Wild netminder Darcy Kuemper just 1:02 into the contest.

The marker puts Laine one ahead of Toronto's Auston Matthews for the lead among rookie skaters.

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The Montreal Canadiens traded forward David Desharnais to the Edmonton Oilers for defenseman Brandon Davidson, the Habs announced Tuesday night.

Desharnais, 30, has only known the Canadiens in the NHL, having spent the first eight years of his career in Montreal. He had a career-high 52 points in 2013-14, but after posting only 29 last season he's carried over those struggles to 2016-17. The pivot heads west with only four goals and six assists in 31 games.

"I would like to thank David for all his years as a Montreal Canadien," general manager Marc Bergevin said in a release. "He developed and matured within our organization providing valuable services. We wish him the utmost success with the continuation of his career."

The Canadiens were thought to be in the market for a center, so trading one will undoubtedly increase speculation that another move is on the horizon, as Bergevin continues to tinker with Montreal's roster.

The Oilers were looking for a center, too, and get one with a positive possession rating in Desharnais. He's at 51.39 percent this season, according to Corsica Hockey.

Davidson, 25, joins Nikita Nesterov and Jordie Benn as defensive additions to Montreal since late January. There's no denying the club boasts impressive depth on the blue line.

A sixth-round pick in 2010, Davidson's been limited to 28 games this season by injury, and has only one assist. He played 91 games for Edmonton over the past three campaigns, scoring five goals and adding eight assists.

Edmonton was expected to lose Davidson in the coming expansion draft, and instead get a pending unrestricted free agent in Desharnais, who's playing out the final year of his contract, which pays him $3.5 million.

Davidson will be a restricted free agent after the 2017-18 season, and is on the books for $1.425 million.

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Arizona Coyotes forward Alexander Burmistrov was stretchered out of Tuesday's game against the Boston Bruins following a hit by defenseman Colin Miller.

Teammate Jakob Chychrun responded to the hit immediately after, taking Miller to the ice.

Miller was issued a major penalty and game misconduct on the play.

Burmistrov made his debut with the Coyotes on Jan. 16 after being claimed on waivers from the Winnipeg Jets. He has scored nine points in 18 games with Arizona.

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The sale in Dallas continues.

The Stars traded defenseman Johnny Oduya to the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday night, the Blackhawks announced. Dallas retains half of Oduya's salary, according to ESPN's Pierre LeBrun.

The return is 24-year-old forward Mark McNeill and a conditional fourth-round draft pick in 2018.

The Blackhawks are familiar with Oduya - the 35-year-old played 219 games for Chicago over four seasons from 2012-15. A pending unrestricted free agent, he's playing out the final season of a contract that pays him $3.75 million.

Injury has limited Oduya to only 37 games this season, and he's got a goal and six assists, averaging 18:10 in ice time per game. He has a 48.49 Corsi For rating, according to Corsica Hockey.

McNeill was a first-round pick, 18th overall, in 2011, but played in only one game for the Blackhawks. He's scored 20-plus goals in a season twice in the AHL, and has six goals and 22 assists in 58 games in the minors this season.

Oduya won two Stanley Cups with Chicago, and adds depth to the defense corps as the Blackhawks prep for what they hope will be another long playoff run.

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Washington Capitals netminder Braden Holtby isn't easy to beat, but it's safe to say the reigning Vezina Trophy winner had no chance on this one.

The New York Rangers roasted Holtby with a silky smooth tic-tac-toe passing play Tuesday night, culminating in a redirect goal from defenseman Brady Skjei to open the game's scoring.

The tally was Skjei's third of the season, and third of his NHL career.

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"It was fun while it lasted."

Those were the words of Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn after his brother Jordie Benn was traded to the Montreal Canadiens on Monday, writes the Dallas Morning News' Mike Heika.

And while the pair will forever cherish the opportunity to play together in the NHL, both are looking forward to what Jordie will do with his new team.

"Now he can be Jordie Benn and not Jamie Benn's brother," said Jamie. "I think this is going to be great for him, and he can move on and move forward with his career."

Jordie acknowledged his brother's superstar status when talking to the Montreal media for the first time, and echoed Jamie.

"I just get to come here and I get to be Jo-Benn, and not Jamie Benn's brother," Jordie said.

Jordie's signed through 2018-19 at $1.1 million per season, so barring another trade, he'll be in Montreal for the foreseeable future. And that's just fine by him.

"I'm just a kid living a dream and obviously to play in Montreal is pretty exciting," he said.

Jordie's a stay-at-home defenseman, a veteran of 302 regular-season games. He has two goals and 13 assists in 58 games this season.

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The Kevin Shattenkirk sweepstakes came to an end Monday night as the Washington Capitals emerged from the darkness to acquire the highly touted defenseman, giving Alex Ovechkin's club even more solid ground to rest its Stanley Cup hopes upon.

Shattenkirk met with media in Washington for the first time on Tuesday, granting some perspective on his recent move.

"They didn't bring me in to save anything," Shattenkirk said. "They're the best team in the NHL right now. I just have to make sure that I'm coming in and doing what I do best for the hockey team."

The former St. Louis Blue said he was just as surprised about his new team's deadline-day deal as everyone else.

"Washington really came out of nowhere. It was a team I really didn't have in my head," Shattenkirk said. "Obviously when the news was announced it was very exciting for me because it's a great team."

A quick glance at the standings makes the rearguard's sentiments clear. While such pre-deadline splashes are usually reserved for teams on the playoff bubble or those looking to add key pieces for the future, the Capitals check neither of these boxes.

Washington ranks first in the NHL with 89 points, boasting the third-most goals per game and the fewest goals-against per game of any team in the league.

Shattenkirk also discussed his decision to nix a sign-and-trade to a different club earlier this season, as was previously reported by the St. Louis Post Dispatch.

"There's a lot more that goes into that behind the scenes," he said. "As a player, this is a chance that you don't really get many kicks at. You just have to make sure that it's the right situation. For me it was just a matter of being patient."

Playing the waiting game seems to have paid off for the 28-year-old blue-liner, as Shattenkirk now enters the home stretch of the season on one of the league's strongest clubs, with as good a shot at the Stanley Cup as he's ever had in his seven-year career.

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What was once NHL trade deadline day has transformed into NHL trade deadline month - or at least trade deadline two weeks. The action's been steady since Feb. 15, and below we break down all the moves that have taken place and those moves still to come ahead of the clock striking 3 p.m. ET on Wednesday, March 1.

Done Deals

Canes ship Stalberg to Ottawa

• The Senators continue to add to their club ahead of the playoffs, acquiring winger Viktor Stalberg from the Carolina Hurricanes for a third-round pick at this year's draft. Read more.

Rangers add Brendan Smith to D corps

• The New York Rangers sent a second-round pick in 2018 and a third-round pick in 2017 to the Detroit Red Wings for defenseman Smith, a pending unrestricted free agent. Read more.

Capitals land Shattenkirk from Blues

• The NHL's best team went out and traded for the best rental player available, the crew in D.C. adding defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk from St. Louis for a package that includes first- and second-round picks. Read more.
• Reaction: 3 trades to keep Metro competitors level with Caps after Shattenkirk deal. Read more.
• Capitals GM: Shattenkirk was the only player available that made us better. Read more.

Sens trade for Burrows, sign him to extension

• Alex Burrows is moving on from the only team he's ever known, waiving his no-trade clause to join the Ottawa Senators for their playoff push. Vancouver received promising forward prospect Jonathan Dahlen in return for Burrows, who Ottawa signed to a two-year, $5-million extension. Read more.
• Reaction: 3 things to know about Jonathan Dahlen. Read more.
• Sens veterans thrilled with Burrows deal, says GM Pierre Dorion. Read more.

Canadiens acquire Jordie Benn

• Benn and his immaculate beard are off to Montreal, the defenseman acquired by the Canadiens for d-man Greg Pateryn and a fourth-round pick. Read more.

Lightning deal Boyle to Toronto

• Tampa Bay continues to sell, and found a surprise buyer in the Maple Leafs. The Lightning traded center Brian Boyle to Toronto for a second-round pick in this year's draft and forward Byron Froese. Read more.
• Reaction: From pain to playoff race: Adding Boyle a big win for Maple Leafs. Read more.

Coyotes trade Hanzal to Wild

• The Wild sent a first-, second-, and conditional fourth-round pick (that could become a second-rounder) to Arizona for big center Martin Hanzal and Ryan White. Read more.
• Reaction: Wild stomach hefty price tag on Hanzal. Read more.
• Wild general manager Cliff Fletcher says Minnesota's acquisition of Hanzal is a sign the club is "putting our chips in the middle of the table for this year." Read more.
• Arizona captain Shane Doan at loss for words after Hanzal trade. Watch video.

Lightning send Bishop to Kings

• Tampa Bay sent pending unrestricted free agent goalie Ben Bishop and a fifth-round pick to Los Angeles for goaltender Peter Budaj, defenseman Erik Cernak, a seventh-round pick, and an additional conditional draft pick. Read more.
• Reaction: Kings crown Bishop on the cheap. Read more.
• Lightning GM Steve Yzerman says the decision to trade Bishop was "based on the salary cap." Read more.
• Kings GM Dean Lombardi insists Bishop wasn't acquired as an insurance policy. Read more.
• As goaltending torpedoes Dallas' season, and with Bishop clearly available, the Stars missed the boat on this one. Read more.

Red Wings deal Jurco to Chicago

• The Red Wings' selloff began with Tomas Jurco being shipped to Chicago for a third-round pick in 2017. Read more.
• Reaction: Jurco deal should be first of more in Detroit. Read more.
• The Blackhawks plan to be patient with 24-year-old Jurco, who Stan Bowman believes has the potential to be great. Read more.

Stars trade Eaves to Ducks

• Anaheim sent a conditional second-round pick in 2017 to Dallas for veteran forward Patrick Eaves, who has 21 goals this season. The pick will become a first-rounder if the Ducks make it to the third round and Eaves plays 50 percent or more of Anaheim's games in the first two rounds. Read more.
• Reaction: Adding Eaves a major win for Ducks. Read more.
• Stars GM Nill wishes Eaves well with Ducks: "Go there and win the Stanley Cup." Read more.

Penguins add Hainsey from Hurricanes

• Pittsburgh sent a 2017 second-round pick and AHLer Danny Kristo to Carolina for veteran defenseman Ron Hainsey. Read more.
• Hainsey finally gets shot at playoffs. Read more.

Flames get Stone in trade with Coyotes

• Coyotes get a 2017 third-round pick and a conditional fifth-round pick in 2018 for defenseman Michael Stone. The conditional pick is dependent on whether Stone, a pending unrestricted free agent, re-signs with Calgary. Read more.
• Reaction: 3 things Flames fans should know about the Stone trade. Read more.
• Flames GM Brad Treliving: Stone offers quality depth at sensible price. Read more.
• Flames relishing early returns of Stone trade. Read more.

On the Move?

Avs: Duchene, Landeskog, Iginla

• Matt Duchene "open to" potential trade. Read more.
• Senators GM: Wouldn't make sense to pursue major trade with Avalanche. Read more.
• Why the Avalanche should trade Landeskog and keep Duchene. Read more.
• 3 reasons why the Predators are the best fit for Matt Duchene. Read more.
• 3 teams that should trade for Duchene, Landeskog. Read more.
• Jarome Iginla receptive to being dealt by Avalanche before deadline. Read more.
• Which team should trade for Jarome Iginla? Read more.

Marc-Andre Fleury

• Rutherford: Fleury wants to play, decision to likely come in final 48 hours. Read more.
• Rutherford: Penguins could look to add more D, prefer to keep Fleury. Read more.
• 3 reasons why the Penguins can win big by going small at deadline. Read more.

Curtis Lazar

• Senators' Lazar out as precaution days before deadline. Read more.
• Report: Sens asking for high pick in return for Lazar. Read more.
• What could the Senators realistically fetch for Lazar? Read more.

Coyotes: Doan, Vrbata, Smith

• Coyotes GM: Captain Shane Doan hasn't asked for a trade. Read more.
• 3 teams that should try to acquire Radim Vrbata. Read more.
• 3 exactly perfect fits for Shane Doan. Read more.
• Coyotes' Mike Smith not considering waiving no-trade clause. Read more.

The Rest

• Report: Islanders receiving offers on Jaroslav Halak. Read more.
• Why the Canadiens should gamble on Capitals' Galiev at deadline. Read more.
• Canucks' Jannik Hansen submits list of 8 teams he's willing to be dealt to. Read more.
• Report: Jets getting calls on Drew Stafford. Read more.
• Flames' Dennis Wideman "definitely open" to waiving no-move clause. Read more.
• Bruins GM: Brandon Carlo "not worried about" being traded. Read more.
• Red Wings' Drew Miller: "Hopefully, I get traded." Read more.
• Ryan Miller, agent to discuss options in advance of deadline. Read more.
• Brooks Laich wants trade if Maple Leafs don't have use for him. Read more.
• Panthers' Tallon: "The goal is to be buying" at deadline. Read more.
• Hurricanes GM Ron Francis: Hurricanes could use depth on D to strengthen forward ranks. Read more.
• Marc Bergevin: Canadiens won't deal youth for short-term fix. Read more.
• Sabres GM says he isn't shopping Evander Kane. Read more.
• Report: Chicago's "sniffed around" Red Wings' Nyquist, Tatar. Read more.

Features/Analysis

• Grading the pre-trade deadline moves of the Canadian teams so far. Read more.
• Top deadline targets to increase Oilers' depth at center. Read more.
• Bruins must resist temptation to trade top young D. Read more.
• 3 players Panthers could target with playoffs on the line. Read more.
• Oilers must add backup goalie to take pressure off Talbot. Read more.
• Stars must sell off depth players with expiring deals at deadline. Read more.
• 3 contracts the Jets should rid themselves of. Read more.
• 3 secondary scoring options the Canadiens should target. Read more.
• What can the Sabres accomplish at the deadline? Read more.
• 3 contracts the Islanders need to get rid of. Read more.
• 3 backups goalies worth trading for. Read more.
• 3 teams that should target Mike Green at the deadline. Read more.
• How the Red Wings can rebuild at the deadline. Read more.
• 5 under-the-radar players who could be traded before the deadline. Read more.
• 5 players guaranteed to be moved before trade deadline day. Read more.
• 3 players who need a change of scenery. Read more.

What happened last year?

• The 2016 trade deadline was good for sellers, not buyers. Read more.
• How the Maple Leafs kickstarted trade activity prior to 2016 deadline day. Read more.

Team Needs

• Atlantic Division
• Metropolitan Divison
• Central Division
• Pacific Division

Trade Candidates

• Atlantic Division
• Metropolitan Division
• Central Division
• Pacific Division

Roundtables

• Which GM has the most to lose at the deadline? Read more.
• Predicting deadline, playoff futures of five teams to make in-season coaching change. Read more.

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