The NHL trade deadline is less than two weeks away on March 7, and there is plenty of adding to be done for the contenders. As is always the case, not every playoff team is a Stanley Cup “contender.” We focus here on nine of the top teams based on the standings, with sustainable underlying numbers and key strengths heading into the playoffs.
A few principles that many GMs abide by when building a contender for the playoffs: You can never have enough defensemen, confidence in goaltending and forwards with tough skill — the kind of skill that allows players to be difference-makers when games get tighter. Management and coaches want players they can trust, and often those players are the physical, defensively responsible types. Shoring up those areas often becomes a more pressing priority than acquiring depth scoring, or a high-end player.
With those parameters in mind, here’s a look at the current weaknesses of the top five teams in the Western Conference and four from the Eastern Conference — and what they might do ahead of the deadline to alleviate them.
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