Maybe all that trade talk has given the Colorado Avalanche forwards a little more jump?
Whatever the inspiration, the struggling club has found some offensive life as of late, their past two games serving as their best offensive efforts in a long, long time.
After posting a surprising 5-2 win over the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday, Colorado opened their tilt with the Montreal Canadiens - leaders of the Atlantic Division - with two goals in the opening three minutes. The Avs added two more over the remaining two periods to finish with four total and a shutout victory.
Colorado's performance over the past two games represents a significant step forward for the club. Prior to their win over the Jets, the Avalanche had scored more than two goals in a game just twice in their past 20 games - once in December and once in January.
Mikko Rantanen - the youngest member of the Avalanche - kicked things off with a goal just 30 seconds into Colorado's tilt against the Canadiens, beating Carey Price with a deceptive point shot.
Rantanen added goals in each of the next two periods to earn his first career hat trick - just another fantastic sign for the young Finn, who's quickly becoming the team's most dangerous weapon.
The 20-year-old now has five goals in his past five games. With his hat trick in tow, Rantanen passed captain Gabriel Landeskog in the team goal-scoring race, having scored 11 in total. He now sits third in that race - just one goal back of Nathan MacKinnon, and in five fewer games.
It's been a rough season for the Avalanche's offense, but having their youngest stars becoming their most effective is undoubtedly a promising sign in terms of the club's future progress.
Don't count out the rest of the core just yet though.
Matt Duchene - who's seen his name embroiled in plenty of trade talks recently - tallied a team-leading three points in the Avalanche's win over Winnipeg, while MacKinnon and Landeskog combined for four points against the Canadiens.
Few teams in modern NHL history have found as much success on the backs of rookies as the 2016-17 Toronto Maple Leafs.
The club's recent tilt against the New York Islanders made that abundantly clear, as the youthful squad saw five different rookies register a goal for the first time in Leafs history in the overtime loss.
But as the high-flying first-year forwards pile up points, another rookie Leaf is carrying the mail for Toronto's blue line on a nightly basis: Nikita Zaitsev.
The 25-year-old Russian joined the blue and white this season following a seven-year stretch in the KHL. Through 51 games in Toronto, Zaitsev has emerged as a key piece of the Leafs' promising puzzle.
He's seen the most average minutes of any Leafs player up to this point, getting on the ice for 22:26 per game this season. That might not seem like a hefty workload compared to some of the game's elite workhorses, but it's a notably high average for a first-year NHLer.
Not only does Zaitsev's nightly average top all other rookies this season - including blue-line standouts like Columbus' Zach Werenski - it's in fact one of the highest marks in years.
Of all the rookies to suit up in the league over the past decade, only 10 have logged 22 minutes or more per night, as Zaitsev has. And that group features more than a few notable names - among them P.K. Subban, Drew Doughty, Marc-Edouard Vlasic, and John Carlson.
Jumping into the big leagues and seeing that much ice that quickly is no small feat - especially in an Eastern Conference featuring some of the most dynamic offensive talents in the world.
To be fair, Zaitsev had a lengthy KHL career under his belt, but there's no denying his new workload is at an entirely different level amidst the speed and grinding physicality of the NHL.
Not to mention Zaitsev never played more than 57 regular-season games in the Russian league. His 51 for the Leafs have already outlasted all but two of his KHL campaigns.
Even without the rookie comparisons, Zaitsev's been doing work in Toronto, seeing the eighth-most shifts per game among all NHL rearguards - tied with Rasmus Ristolainen and Jake Muzzin.
The first-year defender hasn't been flawless this season, but with 23 points, 208 shot attempts, and 87 blocks - all tops among Leafs defensemen - it's fair to say Toronto's KHL gamble paid off.
Zaitsev, who's signed to a one-year, $925,000 contract - making him the second-lowest earner on the Leafs' blue line - will be a restricted free-agent after 2016-17 concludes.
Don't expect general manager Lou Lamoriello to leave him hanging without a new deal for too long.
In the eyes of general manager Don Sweeney, the Boston Bruins are now on the clock.
Fresh off the announcement that the Bruins parted ways with longtime head coach Claude Julien, replacing him temporarily with former assistant Bruce Cassidy, Sweeney addressed the media to lay out his vision for the club moving forward.
"The expectations have not changed for this organization," Sweeney said. "We expect the players to make a push and get into the playoffs ... I want our players to understand this falls with me and on them moving forward, whether or not we get in and how far we go as an organization."
Sweeney, who's in his second season at the helm of the Bruins organization, cited the team's upcoming three-game stretch - the last three before their bye week - as a key period of assessment.
"I would like to see how the team responds in the next three games, and then we certainly have a big break to see how far we'll be back in the playoff race," Sweeney said.
"I'm looking for alignment from top to bottom as to what our expectations are, from the players that have won to the players that are coming in, and I won't to be in consult with the next coach of the Boston Bruins while I am evaluating the current staff - I'll have a list of candidates that will fall in line with what I am trying to do."
The Bruins will suit up against the San Jose Sharks, Vancouver Canucks, and Montreal Canadiens in their next three games, the first coming Thursday night. San Jose and Montreal come to town as the leaders of their respective divisions, the latter club having posted a 2-0-1 record against Boston this season.
Sweeney said his club has the tools necessary to earn victories in those three games.
"I think on any given night, we can beat any given team," Sweeney said. "Whether or not we can maintain the consistency to get to where we need to, that's going to unfold in the next 27 (games)."
Goaltending has been a hot topic in the NHL this season, with the 2016-17 campaign throwing wrenches into a fair few clubs' expectations.
Between Devan Dubnyk outshining Carey Price, Peter Budaj reigning as the league's shutout king, and a number of former mainstay starters beginning to slip, it's fair to assume a couple general managers will be talking netminders heading up to the trade deadline.
The Calgary Flames remain desperate for a more solid contributor in net, while the Edmonton Oilers need a reliable backup behind Cam Talbot. And teams like St. Louis and Dallas continue to fall short of expectations due to issues in net.
That being the case, here are three backup goalies who could wind up in new homes before deadline day:
Ondrej Pavelec, Winnipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets have taken a huge step forward offensively this season. But heading into the home stretch, they still find themselves on the outside looking in, sitting three points out of a playoff spot.
Winnipeg has one obvious option to help turn things around - dealing one of their three netminders for a piece that can benefit them down the line.
Connor Hellebuyck has started the most games for the Jets so far (35), and boasts the best numbers of the team's three goalies. Michael Hutchinson is next up in terms of starts (20), and has at different points in his career seemed to be the future of the Jets' net.
The veteran isn't a home run, but he has a solid enough track record to warrant a look from teams looking for an upgrade. Just two seasons ago he posted a career-best .920 save percentage alongside five shutouts. If nothing else, he's very familiar with carrying the load in the cage, and may be a nice veteran option for a team with a young starter.
Anders Nilsson, Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres backup Anders Nilsson has been one of the league's strongest secondary options this season. Through 19 games, the 26-year-old has posted a stellar save percentage of .923 - a top-10 mark among this year's crop of backups.
The Sabres are definitely in need of some help heading into the season's final third, sitting second-last in the East after an injury-plagued 2016-17. They're not completely out of the running yet though. Buffalo sits just seven points out of a wild card spot, a small enough sum for a miracle run.
Robin Lehner is hitting his stride and reclaiming the starter job - he posted his first shutout of the season in Buffalo's recent win over Ottawa - making Nilsson expendable. The team also has a decent backup option, Linus Ullmark, waiting in the AHL. Ullmark appeared in 20 games for the big club last season, and is fresh off an impressive performance at the AHL All-Star skills competition.
Sounds like it's time to shuffle the deck and see what Nilsson will fetch on the market.
Peter Budaj, Los Angeles Kings
I know, I know. The shutouts. But hey, "if Wayne Gretzky can be traded ..."
Budaj has found new life in Los Angeles Kings colors, putting up a career year that has him leading the NHL with seven shutouts.
But is the 34-year-old really a reliable enough option to take into the playoffs? The Kings aren't exactly rolling through teams anymore, and as of right now they're only barely in the playoff picture. Budaj might have single-handedly saved their season, but with Jonathan Quickback practicing with the team - and scheduled to return in early March - the club might be better served by selling high on their now-elite backup to fill other needs.
It's fair to assume Quick will reclaim the starting role once he's settled back in, and the team still has a fairly serviceable option in Jeff Zatkoff as well. Trading Budaj would be risky - the club could also opt for the safer option of flipping Zatkoff - but considering what he might bring in given his current level of play, it could be a game-changing gamble for the Kings' postseason run.
For the first time in decades, the Detroit Red Wings will approach the NHL trade deadline with good reason to be sellers.
The Wings have earned a postseason berth every season since 1990, but appear on the cusp of seeing that streak end, sitting with the third-fewest points in the East heading into the home stretch.
With the organization potentially turning their attention to the future, one key name that could find its way into trade talks is Mike Green. The veteran defenseman would certainly draw interest in the midst of an impressive season, having posted 10 goals and 25 total points through 44 games on the Wings' back end.
Right-handed rearguards with Green's offensive skill are always among the most coveted trade pieces, and the former Washington Capital boasts some elite career numbers - two 70-point seasons in his prime years, and at least 35 points in each of the past three seasons. He's on pace to top 40 points in 2016-17.
Green's no-trade clause means his fate is in his own hands, but given the fact that the Wings seem to be going nowhere fast, a change of scenery may not require much convincing.
That being the case, here are three teams that could benefit from the smooth-skating defender's services:
1. Winnipeg Jets
With seven entry-level deals on the books, cap space isn't a huge concern for the Winnipeg Jets. That's key, as Green carries a hefty $6-million annual cap hit until the conclusion of next season.
There's no denying his skill, however, and with the Jets taking a step forward offensively this season, Green's scoring talent could help them move one step closer to a playoff return.
Most importantly, the veteran could help fill in for key defensive cog Tyler Myers, who remains on the injured reserve. Myers hasn't played since early November, and is not making any progress, according to his head coach.
Green seems as good a replacement as any, and could perhaps help the club continue to climb the standings - they currently sit three points out of a wild-card spot. The draw for Green? Getting to play with one of the most potent young snipers in the game in Patrik Laine.
2. New Jersey Devils
The fit is pretty straightforward here. The New Jersey Devils are absolutely starved for offense, having finished last in the league in goals per game last season, and ranking fourth-last in that regard this year.
Though the club added a few intriguing offensive pieces this summer - namely elite winger Taylor Hall - they still lack a true No. 1 option on the blue line. A problem exacerbated by the fact that the Devils traded their best bet at that role, Adam Larsson, to get Hall.
Making matters worse, the injury bug is chipping away at New Jersey's defensive corps, as both John Moore and Jon Merrill currently sit on the shelf.
The Devils have plenty of cap space and plenty of room for improvement at both ends of the rink. Like Winnipeg, they sit within reach of the playoffs - five points out of a wild-card spot - and adding Green would be a significant step towards closing the gap.
New Jersey's going to be a harder sell for the veteran, though donning Devils colors would mean an unchallenged shot to be the No. 1 option on the back end.
3. Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes have all sorts of cap space, meaning they would have no issue fitting in Green's salary. They're also oozing with potential, as the up-and-coming club is beginning to see hard-earned progress after years of futility.
The Canes sit just four points out of the playoffs and boast a number of strong young prospects building up their names. They've got some talent on the blue line, but aside from Justin Faulk, the Hurricanes' rearguards are an exceptionally young and inexperienced bunch.
Green and Faulk could serve as a considerable one-two punch for Carolina, and the Red Wings star would be of particular use in helping right the ship for the Hurricanes' 22nd-ranked power play. Over the past decade, only four active defenders have put up more power play points than the former Capital's mark of 188.
A move to Carolina would allow Green to take on a mentor role for the next crop of talented blue-liners, as the Hurricanes have a few talented future options in tow, led by 2015 fifth overall pick Noah Hanifin.
Whether or not Green and the Red Wings agree that a move is best remains to be seen, but if the scales tip toward a trade, it's clear the 31-year-old won't be short on suitors.
If you're looking to dissect the Winnipeg Jets' offensive resurgence this season, starting with Mark Scheifele and Patrik Laine is a good bet. But don't discount the value of the team's veterans, because a few of their more weathered names have been invaluable for the surging club.
Bryan Little, in particular, has stepped up with a career-best effort for Winnipeg in 2016-17.
The veteran is fresh off a seven-game point streak that saw him rack up seven goals and 11 total points over the latter half of January. All in all, he's amassed 14 goals and 28 points through 32 games for Winnipeg, those totals ranking fifth and sixth among Jets skaters, respectively.
This impressive production marks a notable step forward for Little. The 29-year-old has five 20-goal seasons on his resume, but is currently scoring at the highest goals per game pace of his career (0.44). His overall scoring pace is similarly a career-high, with Little rolling along at a rate of 0.88 points per game.
The wily veteran's production has earned him a plum gig as of late, skating between star wingers Laine and Nikolaj Ehlers.
According to head coach Paul Maurice, the line assignment speaks to Little's growing value for the club.
"We don't hear much about him around the league or his importance," Maurice told The Canadian Press recently. "But he's been so important to us - power play, faceoffs. Every time I put him with the two young players, their game settles right down.
"He has a great calming effect on them in terms of what they feel they need to try to get accomplished every time they touch the puck."
That steadiness has led to some exceptional numbers for Little himself this season. While he's a top-six scorer on the team in terms of straight goal and point counts, he ranks much higher when that production is measured against his ice-time.
Little, in fact, ranks third on the team in points per 60 minutes, behind only Scheifele and Laine, and second in goals per 60 minutes, behind only Laine.
He doesn't come cheap, but as of right now, the former first-round draft pick is living up to every penny of his $4.7-million annual cap hit.
The Pittsburgh Penguins' road to the 2016 Stanley Cup wasn't without a few bumps and bruises.
A horrid first half led to the dismissal of head coach Mike Johnston, and a lengthy absence for injured star pivot Evgeni Malkin further added to the Penguins' struggles. It took a number of astute moves to keep the club afloat and push it to the second championship of the Sidney Crosby era.
But only a small part of that equation came at the trade deadline. After years of being one of the biggest players leading up to deadline day, Pittsburgh took a different approach last year, and the results speak for themselves.
That in mind, here are three reasons the Penguins can win big once again by avoiding the blockbusters:
1. Sticking to minor tweaks paid off in 2016
A quick review.
The Penguins made some significant changes to their roster once Rutherford took over - the most noteworthy being the trade that sent James Neal to Nashville in exchange for Patric Hornqvist, and the swap that brought Phil Kessel to town from the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Both of those trades happened in the offseason (Hornqvist in 2014, Kessel in 2015), as did the deal for former Vancouver Canucks pivot Nick Bonino, who came to town less than a month after Kessel.
Rutherford made just three in-season deals prior to the 2016 deadline, two of them far ahead of time. Trevor Daley was added in December - with Rob Scuderi sent to Chicago - and Rutherford acquired Carl Hagelin in January in exchange for David Perron and Adam Clendening.
His only major-league deal in the days leading up to the deadline? A 2016 third-round pick to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for Justin Schultz.
None of those three trades seemed all too significant at the time. Of course, all three of those players became key contributors for the club because they fit perfectly with the team's style of play - particularly Daley, who's been one of the club's top defensemen since, and Hagelin, who caught fire as part of the "HBK" line.
2. Pittsburgh knows what happens when you go big and miss
Midway through the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season, the Penguins were rolling through a 12-game win streak, the longest such stretch of victories of any team that season.
The black and gold looked well-stocked and ready to dominate, and did just that over the short stretch of remaining regular-season games, winning eight of 10.
But the wheels came off during the playoffs. Pittsburgh had enough raw talent to make it to the Eastern Conference final, but once the competition ramped up, the club found itself swept in four straight by the Boston Bruins.
A number of factors contributed to the early exit - the injury bug certainly did the Penguins no favors - but it's fair to assume the significant turnover in the locker room just one month before the playoffs didn't help matters.
Iginla, in particular, wound up being a prime example of a home-run attempt that fell well short. The veteran never quite fit, and the team's offense sunk.
3. Rutherford has options, but the Penguins have all they need
The Penguins manager holds one of the league's most coveted trade chips heading into the deadline, as netminder Marc-Andre Fleury seems a clear candidate to move.
But there's no reason Pittsburgh should shake things up with a big-time move unless something undeniable comes along - especially since that deal will likely alter the club's proven chemistry moving forward.
Adding a notable piece in exchange for Fleury could help the Penguins deal with their injury woes, but if everyone is due back before the playoffs - as they appear to be - holding off might be the better option.
Pittsburgh still boasts exceptional depth down the middle with Crosby, Malkin, Bonino, and Matt Cullen. And the club struck gold last season with its current crop of wingers.
In fact, the Penguins have enough talented young forwards on the cusp - particularly Scott Wilson, Tom Kuhnhackl, and Jake Guentzel - that they're rotating a few notable names fighting to claim roster spots. Pittsburgh did just fine with that formula last year, as Conor Sheary and Bryan Rust clawed their way into central roles in the top six.
A minor move or two to shore things up may help the club down the stretch. But given the fact that Pittsburgh brought back nearly its entire Stanley Cup roster in 2016-17, too much change could derail what could be a prime opportunity to repeat as champs.
Brad Marchand has emerged as one of the game's top talents over the past two seasons, posting career-best numbers in 2015-16 and arguably finding an even more dangerous gear this year.
But a closer look at the Boston Bruins winger's performance over the past month suggests he might just be one of the most versatile scorers in the league.
Marchand has set himself apart on the scoresheet over the past month, racking up a league-leading 13 goals and 23 points in just 14 games. This offensive outburst helped him climb into the top tier of league scorers, with the gifted agitator now tied for the seventh-most goals in the NHL, and the fourth-most points.
But Marchand's 2016-17 effort is far more impressive than the numbers might initially suggest.
The 13 goals he's put up over the last month have been spread fairly equally in terms of strength, as Marchand posted six of them at even strength, four on the power play, and three short-handed.
The near goal-per-game pace is already impressive, but the fact that Marchand has been doing it every which way has been the true game-changer. And his competition hasn't matched him in this regard.
Expanded past the last month to 2016-17 as a whole, Marchand still comes out on top on the versatility front.
Compared to the rest of the top 15 goal-scorers in the league, Marchand has relied far less on any one game situation. He ranks in the middle of the pack in terms of even-strength tallies (14) and power-play goals (six), while his three short-handed markers are tied for most in the league.
The actual manner in which he's finding the net is just as unconventional as the situations in which he's scoring.
While the majority of the rest of the game's top snipers are beating netminders primarily with wrist shots, Marchand has nearly as many backhand goals as he does wristers.
His seven tallies off the backhand are the most league wide, and just a handful below his 10 wrist shot goals. He's added one via deflection and five off snap shots as well.
Marchand isn't taking Sidney Crosby's crown as the league's most versatile offensive force, but it's clear the Bruins' star is cut from the same cloth as his fellow Nova Scotian.
That's excellent news for Boston, as its 23rd-ranked offense is clearly in need of all the help it can get as it struggles to hold on to a playoff spot.
For the second time in as many games, the Minnesota Wild's offense suffocated their opposition, as the club put up five goals in its dominant win over Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers.
The Wild went into the All-Star break fresh off a similar performance, taking down the St. Louis Blues by a score of 5-1.
It must be beginning to feel like routine for Minnesota, as this certainly isn't new territory for the club. The Wild have scored five goals in five of their past 10 games, with the first of that span being a seven-goal performance against the Montreal Canadiens - with Carey Price in the cage.
They've already scored five or more goals a total of 12 times through 49 games this season, after doing so 11 times over the entirety of 2015-16.
The club continues to score by committee as it rolls over the rest of the league. Tyler Graovac wired in two against the Oilers, while Zach Parise, Jason Zucker, and Chris Stewart each added a goal.
Plenty of goals to go around in Minnesota, it seems.
All in all, the Wild rank fourth in the league in terms of offensive prowess, scoring at a clip of 3.32 goals per game. With the 5-2 win over Edmonton, Minnesota remains the Western Conference leader with 71 points in the bag.
After seeing just how much of an impact Connor McDavid has had on the NHL since being tabbed as the 2015 No. 1 pick, it should be no surprise to see his Edmonton Oilers finally getting in the win column more often than not.
But it may be a bit of a shock to see how well McDavid's club is doing from a historic perspective.
As Edmonton comes out of the All-Star break, the club sits with 64 points through 51 games, tied with the San Jose Sharks for the Pacific Division lead. Impressive? Sure, but nothing compared to how that pace stacks up against the legendary Oilers teams of old:
#Oilers 64 points are their most through the first 51 games of a season since 1986-87 (71 points). They won the Stanley Cup that season.
That's right, Edmonton's 64-point effort thus far isn't just an indication of how far removed they are from last season - when they had just 45 points over the same span - but a promising sign that the team as finally turned the page.
It's in fact the best pace they've posted in 30 years, since the organization's dynasty days.
Keep in mind, Edmonton won two more Stanley Cups following their '87 championship, with Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier still dominating. And McDavid's Oilers have posted more points through 51 games than even those star-studded teams.
Of course, to be fair, the '88 and '90 Oilers weren't given the gift of a point for overtime losses (instituted in 1999-00) or the game-ending shootout (which came to the NHL in 2005-06).
The 2016-17 crew still has miles to go before they can be considered anywhere near as talented as those record-setting Oilers teams, but it's clear what's happening in Edmonton is more than a slight step forward.
This season might be a tad too soon for the young Albertan club to claw their way back to the Cup, but make no mistake - McDavid's time is coming, quickly.
