With the NHL's trade deadline only nine days away, the Winnipeg Jets must decide what to do with captain Andrew Ladd.
Set to become an unrestricted free agent at season's end, Ladd appears destined to hit the trade market as a rental player with the Jets already committed to Dustin Byfuglien long term and sitting well outside the playoff picture.
Winnipeg is expected to make one last push to sign Ladd to a contract extension, but it doesn't help his case that he's recorded only 15 goals and 17 assists in 57 games, putting him on pace for his worst output since joining the team.
Still, an attractive deadline option he remains. Here are three teams that could be vying for his services.
Chicago Blackhawks
Ladd is no stranger to Chicago, where the Blackhawks are reportedly in hot pursuit of a top-line left winger.
A member of the first of Chicago's three recent Stanley Cup championship teams, Ladd recorded six points in 19 playoff games back in 2010, but was subsequently traded to the then-Atlanta Thrashers in a cost-saving measure.
Ladd has more than come into his own over the past six seasons since his name was engraved on the Cup, averaging 0.71 points per game with the Thrashers/Jets while becoming a leader both on and off the ice.
His familiarity with the Blackhawks and his ability to meet a clear need for the defending champions makes him a perfect fit to boost a Chicago team with a great chance at coming out of the West once again.
Florida Panthers
Ladd also has ties to the Panthers, namely general manager Dale Tallon, who brought the winger to Chicago prior to the deadline in 2008 by way of the Carolina Hurricanes (the club which drafted him fourth overall in 2004).
The upstart Panthers hold a five-point lead in the Atlantic Division, and, barring complete disaster, are indeed headed for the postseason for only the fifth time in franchise history. And in a year when the Eastern Conference seems to be Washington's to lose, the new divisional playoff format means the Panthers could very well advance to the conference finals if all goes their way.
Florida is led by a host of young talent, with veterans Jaromir Jagr, Roberto Luongo, and Brian Campbell - also a member of Chicago's 2010 Cup squad - serving as reason to believe this team can succeed sooner than expected.
The addition of Ladd, even as a rental, could go a long way toward ensuring some measure of postseason success, but Tallon will no doubt be weary of giving up too much in order to pull off such a deal.
New York Rangers
The Rangers have been one of the most successful playoff teams in recent years, with three trips to the conference finals and a Stanley Cup Final appearance to their credit over the past four seasons.
They haven't been able to achieve the highest goal, however, and perhaps only have limited chances at reaching the NHL's peak with their current crop of players.
With Rick Nash recovering from a bone bruise and Chris Kreider not living up to expectations, GM Jeff Gorton finds his club weak at left wing, with a surprise breakout from J.T. Miller - a natural center - helping fill the void for now.
The Rangers likely wouldn't be able to keep Ladd long term based on their cap situation, but he's exactly the type of player they need in their top six if they want to make good on their quest for a Cup.
After only 31 games played at Barclays Center, both sides are believed to be exploring ways to modify the terms of their lease agreement or even sever ties altogether, according to the New York Post.
In 2012, Islanders owner Charles Wang signed a 25-year lease with the Brooklyn arena to have the team play there beginning this season, but a source tells the Post the agreement includes "a little-known out clause that kicks in after the fourth season that both sides could take advantage of."
Under the agreement, Barclays pays the Islanders an average lump sum of $53.5 million per year, while the arena retains cash made off tickets, suite sales, and sponsorships.
Jonathan Ledecky, who heads a group of investors set to take over ownership of the Islanders on July 1, is hearing complaints from longtime fans about the setup at Barclays - including high ticket prices and obstructed views - and is considering a move back to Long Island or to another venue in the New York area.
Nassau Coliseum, the team's former home, is undergoing renovations that include cutting its seating to 13,000, rendering it too small to host NHL hockey.
Barclays Center CEO Brett Yorkman, however, denies the report claiming the Islanders could play elsewhere in the near future.
"We are enjoying the first year of hockey in Brooklyn," he told the Post. "We are looking forward to a heated playoff run and a long future and partnership with the Islanders."
The Islanders rank 28th with an average attendance of 13,424, while posting the league's fourth-best home record at 19-8-4.
Ahead of the Feb. 29 trade deadline, we're taking a look at each division to assess who's buying, who's selling, and who's standing pat.
There are plenty of buyers and there should be a few sellers in the Metropolitan Division as the deadline approaches.
The Metro boasts the best team in the league and a collection of competitive clubs, most of which likely feel they have a shot at the postseason and beyond.
That competitiveness makes it tricky for teams to decide whether to go all-in or be patient, but it also likely gives the clubs the impression that they should try to improve.
Here's what we think each team from the NHL's most vaguely named division should do prior to the deadline:
Buyers
New York Rangers
The Rangers sit comfortably in a playoff spot, but after a Stanley Cup Final defeat in 2014 and a Game 7 loss in the 2015 Eastern Conference final, their window to win it all is slowly closing.
New York remains the oldest team in the NHL, and the team has several obvious needs, including a skilled forward to offset the loss of Rick Nash, and goaltending depth.
They'll have nearly $5 million in cap space on deadline day, and there are several forwards who could help generate scoring chances on the wing for a New York club that ranks 20th in even-strength Corsi For percentage.
New York Islanders
The Islanders will have nearly $26 million in cap space on deadline day, so taking on salary in preparation for a deep playoff push won't be a concern.
They're sitting in third place in the division, and while there's plenty of talent on the roster, the Islanders have an opportunity to improve.
Okposo, Frans Nielsen, and aging defenseman Marek Zidlicky are pending unrestricted free agents, but Okposo is the only one with considerable value, and general manager Garth Snow has been tight-lipped about the forward's future in Brooklyn.
Travis Hamonic likely remains on the trading block given his personal situation. If they're able to accommodate him before the deadline, they'll need to add at least one, or preferably two, top-four defensemen. Even if they can't do that, they could use an upgrade over second-pairing left-handed shot Brian Strait.
New Jersey Devils
The Devils are right on the playoff bubble when many expected them to be sellers by this point in the season.
New Jersey's top-six has exceeded expectations, and Corey Schneider has been excellent in goal, but with nearly $40 million in cap space projected on deadline day, the Devils are in position to address their current needs while also setting themselves up for the future.
A pending UFA depth defenseman like Dan Hamhius or Kris Russell would give the Devils a boost for their playoff pursuit, and if their hypothetical addition opts to walk at season's end, that would give New Jersey even more cap flexibility, allowing them to complete the rebuild in 2016-17.
Sellers
Columbus Blue Jackets
It's another lost season for the Blue Jackets, who hoped a healthier roster and the addition of Brandon Saad would vault them into the playoff hunt.
Columbus doesn't have much to sell, but they have even less to gain by buying or standing pat, and should seek every opportunity to clear cap space before the deadline.
The Blue Jackets have more than $25 million committed to five forwards for the next three seasons, and three of them (Saad, Brandon Dubinsky, and Nick Foligno) are on the books until 2020.
Columbus will have about $15 million in cap room on deadline day, but that will dwindle down to about $3 million by season's end.
Rene Bourque is a pending unrestricted free agent, as is defenseman Justin Falk, and the Blue Jackets should look to get whatever they possibly can for the pair.
Carolina Hurricanes
If the Hurricanes make the playoffs, they won't go far, so the future should be their priority.
Staal hasn't played well recently (one point in his last eight games), so his value is low, but plenty of teams would likely consider the veteran forward, who has playoff experience and a history of scoring prowess.
Carolina has a ton of pending UFAs, including Staal, Kris Versteeg, Nathan Gerbe, and goaltender Cam Ward. It'll be a tough sell to fans if the Hurricanes are in a playoff spot at the deadline, but if they're on the outside looking in, Francis should put up the "for sale" sign.
Philadelphia Flyers
The Flyers, like the Hurricanes, are caught between an opportunity to rebuild and a potential playoff spot.
Philadelphia is five points back of the final playoff spot, three points behind Carolina. This won't be the Flyers' year, but they're in better shape than the Hurricanes in the long term.
Still, Sam Gagner is in the final season of his contract at a cap hit of $3.2 million, and R.J. Umberger will be an unrestricted free agent after next season, although he comes at a cap hit of $4.6 million.
Neither player appears to have a future with the Flyers, and Philadelphia should look to move whichever non-core pieces they can to help facilitate the club's resurgence.
Standing Pat
Washington Capitals
This is the Capitals' best chance to win a Stanley Cup in the Alex Ovechkin era, but they don't need to do anything significant to ensure that happens.
Washington will only have about $1.1 million in cap space on deadline day, and while the Capitals do have a couple of pending UFAs, it would be shocking if they did much to disrupt a roster that's been unrivaled to this point.
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Penguins haven't exactly lived up to expectations following the Phil Kessel trade last summer, but they're still one of the Eastern Conference's most dangerous teams when Evgeni Malkin is healthy.
Pittsburgh is up against the cap, with less than $2 million expected to be available to general manager Jim Rutherford on deadline day.
They're in a wild-card spot now, and Malkin is close to returning, so given their financial limitations it wouldn't be surprising if the Penguins showed restraint on Feb. 29.
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The Carolina Hurricanes goaltender has earned at least a point in his past 10 starts by posting a record of 6-0-4, tying his career high set from March 14-April 7, 2009 (9-0-1).
The run of strong play extends back to the beginning of 2016, and was interrupted twice as Ward missed six games with a concussion and another two with a leg injury suffered during a win over the New York Islanders, in which he played long enough to be credited with the victory.
Ward is in the final season of a six-year, $37.8-million deal signed with Carolina back in 2010, and approaches the trade deadline as an impending unrestricted free agent, and therefore a candidate to be dealt.
At the same time, the Hurricanes are somewhat surprisingly hanging around in the Eastern Conference wild-card race, sitting two points behind both Tampa Bay and Pittsburgh, albeit with more games played.
Ward's string of success means general manager Ron Francis will have to decide whether to ride it out in hopes of qualifying for the postseason or sell his goalie to the highest bidder prior to the Feb. 29 deadline should trade opportunities present themselves.
For Ward, who carries a .910 career save percentage, staying hot down the stretch can only bode well for his future, in Carolina or elsewhere.
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