With the Trade Deadline less than 2 weeks away this is a deadline preview for each team in the western conference. Its an analysis of buyers, sellers and kind of an overall feel for the market in the West.

Blackhawks

BUYERS: This years Presidents Trophy top Candidate has had a very good season setting them up for a deep playoff run but With big UFAs Carter, Backes, Burns, Jagr and Sekera all hitting the market this offseason it seems like this is the Blackhawks year to make that big push for Lord Stanley. They have some good youth in Henrique, Toffoli, Couture, Landeskog, Krug the Hawks will still have a good base but it seems the window is slowly closing leading up to an inevitable retool if even for just a season. That being said this team is STACKED and its now or nothing. The only real move expected is for the team to add some depth at D and upgrade Oesterle/Shultz on that 3^rd pairing. The team has roughly $5 mill in Cap which gives them a tonne of options to gear up for their most promising run yet.

Stars

BUYER: Team has had excellent season and proved many wrong doing his best to shake off the “sim darling” stereotype. The stars may be losing Beauchemin, Marleau and Stepniak via UFA in the offseason but right now they are gearing up for a deep run in playoffs. The Stars should  be looking to upgrade their top 6 by adding another offensive winger to take some pressure of their defence and goalie. They have some high picks and a couple 2^nd rounders to try and address this area. Their goaltending has been solid with the turnover to Miller and Reimer however many still question how Miller will hold up as the Stars get deeper in a playoff series and that he doesn’t fall into the same slump he did with the Flames earlier in the year. Tough to work with roughly $466,000 in cap space if the top 6 were to be addressed.

Coyotes

BUYER: One of the more active teams in the west the Yotes seem to be pushing hard especially with the recent Jenner deal. Similar to the Stars the team would love no needs to upgrade their top 6 wing.  But to do this with lack of picks this year and what seems to be reluctancy to move picks from next years class they would probably be moving out a young body with term as part of a package like Namestnikov. Understanding this may be tough to do especially at deadline I can at least see this team upgrading their 3^rd line. They have been solid defensively and in net with one of the best Goalie tandems in league they just need that extra little push of offense. Roughly $2.55 mill cap to work with.

Canucks

This teams next move will determine whether they are a BUYER or SELLER. The west is already set and the Canucks are in a very good spot in the standings however more and more rumblings keep coming from within the organization that the team is exploring moving out starting tender Bishop. Perhaps they just move him out and bring in a rental goalie and futures or sell him to start the retool early and waive the white flag on the 1^st round. The team will be getting Fleischman off the books this offseason and opening up some cap to possibly gear back up in FA. But I wouldn’t be surprised to see the team end up moving Kronwall ( 80CK, 81SK, 80PH, 70PA, 79DF) $1,842,541 in cap remaining and with a possible retention on next season of his contract and begin a semi rebuild in Vancouver. Either way they have roughly $2 mill in cap to work with now.

Sharks

BUYERS: After a red hot start the team has fallen back to earth hard however with the way the west has panned out will be guaranteed a playoff appearance, its all about matchup now and with the start they had with a favourable matchup may steal a round so its worth fighting for position at this point. They also need to upgrade that top 6 wing position. They have no offensive defence on the back end so expect a cheap upgrade to help on PP unit. A cheap DF forward would also help the special teams on PK preferably at the Center position someone who can win a draw. The Canucks, Sharks and Flames, two of these teams will play each other the other will most likely be facing the Coyotes round 1. Roughly $2.45 mill cap to work with.

Predators

BUYERS: In my opinion the best goalie tandem in league and very solid blue line, defensive mentality has carried them this season so far and GM Ty proved he can do it with this system 2 years ago. However most likely the 3^rd pairing D position will be addressed to upgrade Liles. Any added offense to that top 6 would take pressure off the back end. They need to gear up because they seem to be lining up to face the Stars round 1. Roughly  $2.9 mill cap

Flames

BUYERS: The DARK HORSE of the west. Team has underperformed all season but is currently on a 4 game hot streak. After already trying to juggle their netminders it seems Rinne and Pickard (both hovering around 0.900 SV %) are still not the Flames answer to the 1 area of weakness on this squad. An upgrade in net could land them the missing ingredient for a very deep run. Other than the obvious in net maybe GM Kevin would bring in another depth good DF forward to boost their PK unit.

OILERS

SELLERS: Despite basically clinching a playoff spot the Oil have already been tearing it down and getting ready to take another stab at it next year. They have been very active already moving Backstrom, Stepan and Zetterberg. No picks this year but loading right up for the next, most likely will regroup Free Agency and use those picks to fill out the roster for next season as GM Leon likes to stay competitive. Or maybe they are transitioning into the rebuild stage, with a very shallow prospect pool. Top of list would seem to be moving out goalie Halak and probably having tom retain on next season before he is forced to make the inevitable buyout with Halaks season seemingly on the downward trend. Dmen rentals McDonald ( 84DF) $177,762 remaining and Michalek ( 79SK, 81PH, 78DF) $1,325,962 are the most likely to be moved especially Michalek with serviceable all around stats and a good option for teams to boost their PP unit. 1 retention remaining

BLUES

SELLERS: After already moving out Benn and Quick it seems the team is throwing in the towel and preparing for next season. They have some aging guys with term like Krejci, Berglund and Dubinsky we don’t expect to move but there is still lots of quality left over on the roster. Top asset which will probably be moved is Travis Zajac ( 77SK, 79PH, 92FO, 79PA, 91DF) $777,797 remaining salary but with 1 more year and a cap hit of $5,631,250 if he were to be retained on he would be a very attractive asset, he is on pace to put up better offensive numbers and very similar special teams. Guastad (83CK, 94FO, 90DF) $517,956 remaining salary, don’t be scared by the contract since Guasted retired this year he will not be rerated and basically will not be on books so he should be treated like UFA. Oduya ( 78SK, 89DF) $828,729 remaining salary is right on pace for similar rerate next year and at a $3 mill cap next season may be a good option to get a jump on next year and avoid free agent frenzy. Klein ( 82 CK, 88DF) $559,392 remaining good UFA 3^rd pair upgrade. Hossa ( 82SK, 75 PA, 72 SC, 76 DF) $1,657,495 is good overall rates to probably boost some ones 3^rd line. And finally UFA tender Varlamov

Wild

Sellers: Max Talbot (82 CK, 88DF) luxury of being able to play any forward position $652,762 remaining. Gionta (79 CK, 75SK, 75PH, 72PA, 82DF) $690,608 remaining, another great option to upgrade a 3^rd line, he should rerate with similar numbers but with more PK time and will be a $2.5 mill cap hit next season. The rebuild in Minny is starting to take shape with Rask, Rakell and JVR having another good season it may be an option to move a young forward like Eberle with a retention next year to add some more futures which would better fit the current timeline of the teams rebuild. Lots of teams looking for that top 6 winger and Ebs is ( 84SK, 82PH, 76PA, 86SC) $1,823,204 remaining cap then is RFA at end of contract and still gives teams options

Jets

SELLERS: They have been shopping pieces all season but just cant come to terms with anyone to move anything. These are the players we could see actually moving at deadline. Bogosian ( 78CK, 81 SK, 65PA, 79DF) $776,935 remaining. Gardiner (76CK, 88SK, 80PH, 68PA, 66DF) he could be sheltered on the 3^rd pair or matched with a good DF Dman and used on the PP. Then there are a couple interesting pieces we could also see like Kadri and Bozak. Kadri (84CK, 82SK, 81PH, 87FO, 78PA, 73SC) $839,088 remaining. Good all around rates, probably a very good 3^rd liner BUT is going to have good rerate. He already has 24 G in 58 GP where last season only had 17G in 76 GP and very good with a 3 year 3 mill cap hit deal. Question is will he be uplifted with the new young talent in Toronto or be forced down the lineup to make way for the others, may be the perfect time to capitalize and move him. Bozak (77SK, 80PH, 98FO, 80PA, 72SC) $522,486 remaining and deal carries to next year with only a $2 mill cap hit. Whoever they move teams better jump on quick because they only have 1 retention left.

Kings

SELLERS: Gearing up for next season to make a run at playoffs with the gift of Raanta topped with the core group of Toews, Kuznetsov, Jones, Ekblad, Hanafin, Drouin this team is shaping up very nicely for the upcoming years. As for moves at the deadline the team seems pretty picked over at this point not even any real rentals available. Could possibly see a Ryan Spooner (84SK, 79PH, 82PA) on a $941,000 4 year deal being moved or packaged to add more pieces to next years and futures campaign. Another possible move is goalie Bobrovsky he could be a very serviceable backup option with 0.915 SV% in 24 GP in sim this season only $966,851 remaining cap but wouldn’t be surprised to see him keeping Bobs for his loyalty in free agency on his bounce back season to have a very very good looking pair in net next season.

Avalanche

SELLERS: 0 retentions left. Been in sell mode for a while and are pretty picked over although they still have a couple very intriguing goalies they are trying to move. Neuvirth $690,608 remaining salary has played 39 games in sim and held up 0.914 SV%, he is on a chaep 5 year deal, no secret will have a down season next year but could re emerge once again and be a bargain down the road, hearing the ask is for a 3^rd. Ramo has simmed very well this year despite his ratings. 18GP 0.927 SV% he is a bit of a sim darling if u believe in that with the sim league. ONLY $138,122 remaing salary could be a great addition for a contenders depth in net. Antoine Roussel (80CK, 81SK, 70SC, 79DF) $497,238 remaining salary is another fine option for a 3^rd line but more importantly should see his stats jump across the board next year for rerate and is only a $1.8 mill cap hit he had only 29 pts in 80 GP last year and already has 25 pts in only 58 GP this year with a noticable increase of special teams time as well. Lupul (78CK, 84SK, 76PH, 75SC) $828,729 remaining salary has a $3 mill cap hit next year HOWEVER he has not played yet with an abdomen injury and is on IR, he is not expected back until earliest end of march IF he does not play 10 games in league I believe (please double check) that he would become a prospect and that cap would not be against your roster so he could be basically a UFA.

Ducks

SELLERS: lotto team. Not much at all left after selling since last season. The only possible player we could see moved at deadline is maybe D Mark Barbeiro, he has found himself on the Avs 2^nd pairing has 3 points in 9 GP. On cheap $599,000 2 year deal then RFA. Depending how last stretch of season goes he could find his way on a BRHL roster next season and I imagine would be a very cheap gamble for a team even just as an investment to turnover again at years end. But not all is doom and gloom in Anahiem they are slotting themselves in excellent position for the lottery and hope to be adding a franchise player to an already strong young core they have been developing which for now consists of Mantha, Theodore, Nylander, marner, Dal Colle Sorensen, Andersson Santini so they have some horses in the stable.