The NHL trade deadline is around the corner. For teams in playoff spots or on the bubble, one of the biggest factors in deciding whether to stand pat or acquire help is the team's makeup, in terms of overall youth and timing of contracts.
Teams will consider things like the average age of key players and the actual chances of taking home the Stanley Cup.
With that said, let's have a look at which teams should go all-in, and which teams shouldn't sacrifice the future for a shot at a playoff run this season.
Eastern Conference
Win-now mode
Tampa Bay Lightning (36-14-3)
Key stat: No. 1 in goals per game
The Lightning are in line to be good for quite a few more years with superstars Steven Stamkos, Victor Hedman and Nikita Kucherov all in their 20s, but any time a team has the best record in the NHL and ranks No. 1 in scoring, No. 2 in even-strength goals for percentage and sixth in goals allowed, it should be all-in on aiming for a Stanley Cup. Injuries and struggles in net for the club last season show how quickly things can change. Championship banners fly forever.
Boston Bruins (32-11-8)
Key stat: No. 1 in even-strength Corsi for percentage and goals for percentage
A youth movement may have taken the Bruins from mediocre to a top contender, but several of the driving players behind Boston's success are in their late prime. Superstar center Patrice Bergeron, who has 44 points in 46 games, is 32 years old, top-scoring winger Brad Marchand is 29, center David Krejci is 31 and defenseman Zdeno Chara is 40. The B's need to take advantage while all their veteran stars are clicking.
Washington Capitals (31-17-5)
Key stat: Three of top five point producers are over 30
Every season after the Capitals are eliminated from the playoffs, it seems like it was their last real shot at a Stanley Cup in the Alex Ovechkin era. Yet here we are again with the Caps at the top of the Metropolitan Division. Ovechkin's goal scoring dipped last season, but the winger has bounced back in 2017-18 and needs only one goal to match his 2016-17 total. Despite Ovechkin's success, Washington still has some concerning numbers. The Caps are 24th in Corsi for percentage and last in high-danger shot percentage, per Corsica Hockey. They may need some help at the deadline.
Pittsburgh Penguins (30-22-3)
Key stat: 10-3-0 since Jan. 1
It was only a matter of time before things started breaking the Penguins' way after a terrible start to the season. Sidney Crosby produced 21 points in 12 games in January, getting Pittsburgh back on track. Now the Pens must make any move possible to improve down the stretch. All five of their top scorers are older than 30, and Pittsburgh proved the past two seasons that Crosby and Evgeni Malkin always give their team a chance to win the Stanley Cup. The Pens need more scoring depth for the three-peat to become a reality.
New York Islanders (26-22-6)
Key stat: John Tavares has 59 points in 54 games
The Islanders aren't expected to trade John Tavares at the deadline despite his upcoming free-agency status. His future in New York is unclear, but it stands to reason that missing the playoffs wouldn't strengthen the Isles' argument for him to sign another long-term deal. Without Tavares, the Islanders will have a tough time staying competitive in the East. GM Garth Snow should do some tinkering.
The future is bright
Toronto Maple Leafs (31-19-5)
Key stat: Top three scorers are under 22 years old
You have to scroll down to the ninth-best scorer on the Maple Leafs' roster to find someone over 30 years old. Leading scorers Auston Matthews, William Nylander and Mitch Marner -- all former first-round picks -- will likely play together for a long time (provided the Leafs can navigate the cap issues inherent in paying them all). Having an absurdly young core with solid players in their prime like Nazem Kadri and Jake Gardiner, the Leafs can both compete for a Cup this spring and avoid selling off assets for rentals.
New Jersey Devils (27-17-8)
Key stat: 20th in Corsi for percentage
The turnaround this season in New Jersey has been impressive, but the Devils have been outshot and outscored at even strength, which suggests they probably aren't ready to contend for a Cup again just yet. With Taylor Hall under contract through the 2019-20 season and last summer's No. 1 overall pick Nico Hischier flashing signs of great things to come, the Devils shouldn't go all-in to make noise this season. Instead, GM Ray Shero & Co. should plan to make the Devils one of the league's better teams during the entire remainder of Hall's contract.
Columbus Blue Jackets (27-22-4)
Key stat: 29th in the NHL in goals for
The Blue Jackets surprised the rest of the league last season with a 50-win campaign behind the Vezina Trophy-winning goaltending of Sergei Bobrovsky and a dangerous offensive attack. This time around, Bobrovsky remains solid -- but not Vezina-worthy -- and the Jackets' scoring has fallen off the map. While head coach John Tortorella is a win-now type of bench boss, Columbus' top six scorers are 26 or younger, including two of the best defensemen in the NHL, Seth Jones and Zach Werenski. The Jackets have a strong foundation but can't compete for the Cup without more offensive firepower. Continuing to make smart trades like the deal that brought them Artemi Panarin last summer will be critical, as opposed to sacrificing future assets for rentals.
Philadelphia Flyers (25-19-9)
Key stat: 15th in goals for, 17th in goals against
The Flyers are the definition of a middle-of-the-road team. They are 17th in Corsi for percentage and 11th in even-strength goals for percentage. By almost every measure, Philadelphia is floating around in the middle, and one rental player likely won't put them over the top. Instead, the Flyers would be wise to keep building around top young defender Ivan Provorov and 2017 No. 2 overall pick Nolan Patrick. Top scorers Claude Giroux (30 years old) and Jakub Voracek (28) should still have some seasons left of star-level production. As soon as 2018-19, they could be in the Cup conversation.
Western Conference
Win-now mode
Nashville Predators (32-12-7)
Key stat: No. 1 in the Western Conference in even-strength goals for percentage
The 2017 Stanley Cup runner-up is at the top of the Central, looking even stronger than last season. The Predators have added Kyle Turris and Nick Bonino to the mix, to go along with Kevin Fiala taking a step forward in his second NHL campaign. With a deep forward group and the NHL's best defense corps, the Predators should top the list of favorites to reach the Stanley Cup finals again. While they have a fairly young core -- with players like Filip Forsberg still under 25 -- goalie Pekka Rinne is 35 and having one of his best seasons. It's not entirely a now-or-never situation, but it's a good time to take advantage of great goaltending.
St. Louis Blues (32-19-3)
Key stat: Third in the NHL in goals against
The Blues have a number of significant players in their 30s, such as Alexander Steen, Paul Stastny, Vladimir Sobotka and Jay Bouwmeester, but the foundation of the team is squarely in its prime. Top scorers Brayden Schenn, Vladimir Tarasenko and Jaden Schwartz are all either 25 or 26 years old. So far, the Blues have not produced enough offense (22nd in goals scored) to be truly scary in the playoffs, but as a top-10 team in Corsi for percentage and as the No. 3 club in goals against, the Blues might be one addition from finally making a deep run.
San Jose Sharks (28-16-8)
Key stat: Three of the top four scorers are 33 or older
Considering the age of the Sharks' top players, it's remarkable that the team is still competitive. Joe Thornton and Joe Pavelski aren't producing like they did in the old days, but they are controlling play and performing exceptionally well on special teams. Thornton has an impressive 54.4 Corsi for percentage, and the Sharks rank in the top five in power play and penalty kill. However, they are 17th in goals. With top players on their last legs, the Sharks should move heaven and earth to find scoring at the deadline.
Anaheim Ducks (26-19-10)
Key stat: Ryan Getzlaf has played only 30 games
Ryan Getzlaf still leads the team in assists despite playing in only 30 games. The Ducks are a mediocre team in every statistical category, ranking 23rd in goals scored and 14th in goals allowed, but they have been ravaged by injuries, including one that kept Getzlaf out for nearly half the season. When Anaheim's long-time No. 1 center is on the ice, the Ducks have outshot opponents 253-217 and outscored them 29-22 at even strength. As long as Getzlaf is still flying high, the Ducks need to explore all options to win now.
Los Angeles Kings (28-19-5)
Key stat: The top under-25 scorer has just 25 points
The foundation of the Kings is the same as the one that won the Cup three times. Superstars Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty are having terrific seasons. Kopitar's scoring has bounced back, with 55 points in 52 games, and Doughty has added 37 points while playing 27 minutes per game. Those two alone make the Kings dangerous in the playoffs. But there is no "next wave" in Los Angeles. Adrian Kempe is the only consistent contributor in his early 20s. If the Kings are going to win again, it will be during Kopitar's and Doughty's primes -- or not for a long, long time.
Dallas Stars (31-19-4)
Key stat: No. 2 in the West in goals for percentage
The Stars made three all-in moves in the offseason: Hiring Ken Hitchcock behind the bench and signing Alexander Radulov and Ben Bishop to long-term contracts. Hitchcock's goal was to put the Stars back in Cup contention, which he has, pushing them into the top 10 in Corsi for percentage and top five in goals for percentage. Radulov has been the perfect player for Dallas' current needs. Not only has he produced 51 points in 54 games, but he also brings defensive play to the table. For his part, Bishop has held the fort, with a .919 save percentage in 41 games. In a few years, the contracts for both may not look so great. Right now, they are pushing the Stars to the front.
Minnesota Wild (28-19-5)
Key stat: Four key players are 33 or older
Eric Staal, Ryan Suter, Zach Parise and Mikko Koivu are all key components to the Wild remaining in the Central race. All of them are 33 or older. Staal leads Minnesota in scoring, continuing his career resurgence under Bruce Boudreau. The Wild went all-in at last season's deadline by acquiring Martin Hanzal, and if they continue to roll as they have over the past 10 games (7-2-1), GM Chuck Fletcher will be looking for any way to beef up his roster in attempt to clear the first round of the playoffs this time around.
Calgary Flames (27-18-8)
Key stat: No. 2 in the West in Corsi for percentage
The Flames have been building for years to create a team that can compete for the Stanley Cup. They aren't quite there yet, ranking 12th in goals for percentage, but their Corsi ranking suggests that another scorer or two could push them into the top. Calgary is a young team, but stars Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan are entering their early prime. With top defenseman Mark Giordano in his mid-30s, it's time for the Flames to make a serious push.
The future is bright
Winnipeg Jets (32-13-9)
Key stat: Leading goal scorer Patrik Laine is 19 years old
Three of the Jets' top five scorers haven't yet turned 22, and Winnipeg's No. 1 center Mark Scheifele is only 24. There is a group of good veterans who have helped push the Jets into contention, but the team's foundation sits on young, super-skilled players. Even goalie Connor Hellebuyck hasn't turned 25 yet. Since the Jets have a chance at the Cup this spring, ranking fifth in goals for and sixth in goals against, they should try to add small pieces at the deadline, as long as it doesn't mean moving any major assets.
Vegas Golden Knights (35-14-4)
Key stat: 10 draft picks in the first three rounds from 2018 to 2020
The Golden Knights' season has been something for the ages. Expected to be a midpack team at best, Vegas is in line to win the Pacific. But that doesn't mean the Knights should go nuts -- unless there's a chance to trade for a superstar like Erik Karlsson. Vegas is 11th in Corsi for percentage and 11th in goals for percentage, meaning its results are legitimate, but the Knights are not among the very best in the league. They can continue their magical run without sacrificing the future.
Colorado Avalanche (28-19-4)
Key stat: Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen have combined for 111 points
The top of the Avs' roster is young -- and as exciting as it gets in the NHL. The middle and bottom of Colorado's roster isn't good enough to make the team a serious contender. The Avs have been impressive, ranking ninth in goals for percentage, but they have been outshot and given up more high-danger shots than they have taken. There's reason to think Colorado could be near the top of the Central next season, but for now, staying the course is the way to go.