The trades are finally starting to trickle in. First Michael Stone, then Ron Hainsey, Patrick Eaves, Ben Bishop and Martin Hanzal. Things are picking up, at least that's what you think if you’re an optimist.

There are still plenty of people around the NHL who believe this year’s trade deadline might not be an active one because of parity, the flat salary cap and the expansion draft.

“All we’re going to see is rentals exchanging teams from buyers to sellers,” said one NHL source. “With the race so tight in the East, unless a couple teams start a significant losing streak, I don’t see there being enough sellers out there to justify a busy day. But there are guys out there.”

Who are those guys? Here’s a look at an updated top 20 trade candidates:

1. Matt Duchene, C, Colorado Avalanche

It’s not often a 26-year-old center, the No. 3 overall pick in his draft (2009), hits the market. But with the Avalanche hitting the reset button on their franchise, this one is. The asking price is high: Teams will need to come to the table with a good, young defenseman, a prospect and a draft pick.

But the price should be high. Duchene is the kind of player teams go into the tank to acquire in the draft, so getting him without that pain would be an absolute coup for someone like the Boston Bruins or the Carolina Hurricanes in the right deal. He might be ideal as a No. 2 center on a playoff team, but will be a top-six forward for the next 10 years no matter where he plays, and that’s why the cost of doing business is so high.

“If [Avs GM] Joe [Sakic] doesn’t get what he wants, he just waits,” said one NHL source on the idea of this move happening in the summer.

2. Kevin Shattenkirk, D, St. Louis Blues

Update: Shattenkirk was traded to the Capitals on Feb. 27. Here are grades for the trade.

Like Duchene, Shattenkirk isn’t an easy player to find. He’s an offensive defenseman, a right-handed shot and is effective sparking a team’s transition game to keep the puck on the right side of the ice. He’s about to hit free agency, where he could earn as much as $7 million per season on a contract for seven years, depending on where he signs. Blues coach Mike Yeo really likes him, he’s loved in the dressing room and has handled the trade rumors with apparent ease. Depending on how the Blues perform, you still can’t rule out GM Doug Armstrong hanging on to him for the playoffs.

“He’s been nothing but professional,” said Blues captain Alex Pietrangelo. “He loves this group; we love him.”

3. Gabriel Landeskog, C, Colorado Avalanche

The Avalanche have thrown a lot of responsibility Landeskog’s way since he broke into the league in 2011-12. He’d benefit from going to a team where he can be just another 24-year-old player refining his game as opposed to the captain of a franchise trying to find its way.

He should be in his prime right now, but his production has dropped for the past three seasons, which is a concern. He’s a rugged winger, which teams love, but you can’t help but wonder how well his skating will age as he gets older.

4. Martin Hanzal, C, Arizona Coyotes

Update: Hanzal was traded to the Wild on Feb. 26. Here are grades for the trade.

Hanzal is the best rental center on the market, which is why Coyotes GM John Chayka has been consistently high in his asking price. He’s 6-foot-6, can win faceoffs, and his 15 goals this season are the second-highest total of his career. The attention he’s received in the center of the rumor mill seems to have sparked his game.

Chayka is an interesting GM to watch. He may have bigger deals up his sleeve than just the rentals on his roster.

5. Patrick Eaves, RW, Dallas Stars

Update: Eaves was traded to the Ducks on Feb. 24. Here are grades for the trade.

There are more accomplished names on this list, but Eaves gets the high standing because of his salary. He has 21 goals this season and he’s earning just $1 million. He can play up and down the lineup and will immediately boost any power play.

The Blackhawks are a natural fit because of his salary flexibility, and he fits a need for them. The Blue Jackets would also be a good spot because of the boost he’d provide to their struggling second power-play unit.

6. Patrick Sharp, LW, Dallas Stars

It’s been a rough season for Sharp. He's been dealing with injuries, the Stars' struggles and point production that sits at just 0.41 points per game, which is well below his career average of 0.70. He’s a little harder for GM Jim Nill to trade because of his $5.9 million cap hit, a salary charge that Nill would likely have to retain to sweeten the deal.

The Stars already have one retained salary on their books in Ryan Garbutt, and teams can only retain the salary of three players not on their roster. That’s an important factor to watch if the Stars find a way to move one of their goalies, too.

7. Curtis Lazar, RW, Ottawa Senators

Lazar wants an opportunity where he can get more playing time than the 8:42 he’s averaging under Guy Boucher in Ottawa. There’s been an uptick in his ice time in the past several games, and Lazar played 12:53 against the Devils on Tuesday, the third consecutive game in which he exceeded 10 minutes of ice time. The problem with trading him now is that would be selling low on a young player who was taken in the first round (No. 17 overall, 2013). That’s usually not a recipe for success.

“His projection is obviously much more pessimistic from where we were a few years ago,” said ESPN Insider prospect guru Corey Pronman. “The lack of creativity in his game is a problem. He's pretty much just shown as a pro that he's a good skater who can be a little physical without much skill. There is enough in the toolkit, between his feet, work ethic and smarts, to potentially still be a useful third-line player down the line, but it's hard to see him being a cornerstone guy.”

8. Valtteri Filppula, C, Tampa Bay Lightning

Tampa Bay announced on Wednesday that Ryan Callahan had another procedure done on his hip, one that will wipe out the remainder of his season. The surgery is not expected to be career-threatening, which puts the Lightning in a precarious position for the expansion draft. Both Callahan and Filppula have no-movement clauses, which would force them to be protected from Vegas.

Callahan can't be bought out if he is injured, which means he would have to waive his no-movement clause to prevent the Lightning from having to protect him. If he’s not willing to do so, that means two pricey veterans in Callahan and Filppula may be on the Lightning's protected list. The solution could be a Filppula trade, and a source confirmed last week he’s available -- but then an acquiring team would have to protect him.

He’s everything teams want for a playoff run: a center who is responsible defensively and who can play anywhere in the lineup and in any situation. But his contract is a bit prohibitive.

9. Marc-Andre Fleury, G, Pittsburgh Penguins

It’s looking more and more like Fleury will be an offseason deal, even if it would benefit all parties involved to make a trade sooner than later. Fleury has a 12-team no-trade list that’s been submitted to the Penguins, a list from which Pittsburgh GM Jim Rutherford is still working.

Rutherford has been very respectful of the process, understanding Fleury’s popularity in the dressing room and place in franchise history. Without regular playing time, Fleury has struggled to find his consistency, with a .906 save percentage that is one of the lowest of his career. He was at .921 last season.

A team like Carolina would be a nice fit, but why would the Hurricanes rush to make a deal now?

“The teams that need a goalie are much more inclined to wait,” said one NHL source.

10. Ben Bishop, G, Tampa Bay Lightning

Update: Bishop was traded to the Kings on Feb. 26. Here are grades for the trade.

Bishop is heating up for the Lightning as they make a playoff push down the stretch, complicating things slightly for GM Steve Yzerman, who never seems to have an easy decision to make.

Bishop has won his past five starts, allowing just six goals in that stretch, and has a .953 save percentage in that span. You can look at that two ways: He’s improving his trade value, or he’s making himself too valuable to trade.

“What message are you sending to a team if you trade Bishop now?” asked one source. “And what can they get for him?”

11. Dmitry Kulikov, D, Buffalo Sabres

According to a source close to Kulikov, there have not been any detailed contract talks with the Sabres about an extension, and the plan is to let the season play out. The Sabres have made things interesting in the wild-card race, and you have to believe GM Tim Murray will give this team every opportunity to make a push, but he also has to keep the long-term plans in place.

Evander Kane's name has popped up in trade speculation, but according to a source, the Sabres haven’t taken calls on him recently. Of course, that can always change in a moment’s notice.

12. Brendan Smith, D, Detroit Red Wings

He never quite reached the high expectations set on his shoulders as the Red Wings' first-round pick in 2007. But he’s still a young defenseman who can skate and who is more than capable of filling a smaller role on a contending team. There are already three or four teams considered to be "in" on Smith, and that number could increase as the deadline gets closer. The Ron Hainsey deal, which netted the Hurricanes a second-round pick and a prospect, is a reasonable comparable for a Smith deal.

The Penguins like Smith, but the Hainsey deal might have wiped out the necessity to add any more on defense barring another deal.

13. Brian Boyle, C, Tampa Bay Lightning

Update: Boyle was dealt to the Maple Leafs on Feb. 27. Here are grades for the trade.

You have to be careful putting too many Lightning players on this list, because GM Steve Yzerman could wake up tomorrow and decide he will let this team make a run.

But if they slip up at all between now and the deadline, Boyle will be an appealing player. He has size, provides depth and has loads of playoff experience, with 100 playoff games on his résumé. His teams tend to go a long way in the postseason, and he deserves a share of the credit for the success.

14. Thomas Vanek, LW, Detroit Red Wings

He’s been a great fit for the Red Wings and may end up back in Detroit after the season ends. But with Detroit’s playoff hopes all but extinguished, Vanek is likely to go at the deadline.

At this point in his career, he’s a guy you want on the ice for about 13 or 14 minutes per game and on the power play. But even at 33 years old, there are few players with his vision and passing ability on the wing. He’d be fun to watch on a Blackhawks team with other elite offensive players who can play on his level.

15. Johnny Oduya, D, Dallas Stars

An ankle injury pushes Oduya down this list. If he were healthy, he might be in the top five, since he’s just about perfect for a contending team looking to bolster its defense. He can play in the top four, he has two Stanley Cups and would fit seamlessly into any dressing room.

Oduya is back practicing with the Stars and is expected to play in two of the next three games, according to a Dallas source. If a team like the Capitals can buy low here, there could be a nice payoff.

16. Radim Vrbata, RW, Arizona Coyotes

Before Michael Stone was traded to the Flames, we suggested the Coyotes package Vrbata and Stone in a deal to Calgary, since both players fit distinct needs on the Flames. But Arizona management believes the best way to maximize value is to make these trades separately.

Vrbata is a proven scorer on the wing, but his contract has playoff bonuses that might cause trepidation for a cap team. According to capfriendly.com, his current deal has $1.25 million in playoff bonuses built in -- bonuses that could impact a team’s payroll next season.

17. Jarome Iginla, RW, Colorado Avalanche

We don’t know how much gas Iginla has left in the tank at 39 years old, but there’s something to be said about adding a presence like his into the dressing room and perhaps adding another motivational carrot for Stanley Cup contender.

He’d be just about perfect for a young team -- like the Edmonton Oilers -- trying to navigate itself through the playoffs for the first time.

18. Mark Streit, D, Philadelphia Flyers

He’s got an inflated salary cap hit ($5.25 million) that could complicate a potential deal, but Streit is a veteran puck mover and power-play contributor who would be a fantastic addition at the trade deadline if teams can squeeze him in financially.

Teammate Pierre LeBrun suggested the Montreal Canadiens as a fit, and that’s a good one.

19. Kyle Quincey, D, New Jersey Devils

Trading for Quincey will not sell a bunch of extra tickets down the stretch of the season. But he’s a trusted veteran who knows his way around the ice and can contribute on the penalty kill.

That has value to teams preparing for a playoff run.

20. Steve Ott, C, Detroit Red Wings

He’s not a guy who would play every night in the playoffs, but he’s a player who would providesa spark when he does -- and he wins faceoffs.

He’s also would immediately enter the team as a leader and defender of teammates. He’s an intangibles guy, but it wouldn’t cost a ton to acquire him. He'd be a nice addition for a team that might be on the younger side.