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          NHL trade deadline guide: One big question for every team

          Edmonton might look to deal Patrick Maroon at the deadline, and he could make a nice fit with the Bruins. Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports

          The deals made at the NHL trade deadline will shape the way the rest of the season plays out. Everything from blockbusters to under-the-radar trades can make all the difference come playoff time.

          Here a look at every team's current trade-deadline state and each team's most pressing question as they head into the final days before the Feb. 26 deadline.

          Anaheim Ducks

          Cap space: $16.9 million

          Is this Anaheim's last chance to reach another Stanley Cup final?

          The Ducks should be in by-any-means-necessary mode as they search for additional talent at the deadline. Ryan Getzlaf, Ryan Kesler and Corey Perry are all in their 30s and likely won't have many more shots at raising a Cup.

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          Arizona Coyotes

          Cap space: $74.7 million

          Can anyone put together enough assets to acquire Oliver Ekman-Larsson?

          Like Erik Karlsson, Ekman-Larsson's contract ends after next season, and it doesn't appear the team can keep him around. They would have to project an astonishing turnaround next year to justify not trading him.

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          Boston Bruins

          Cap space: $3.4 million

          Would Patrick Maroon or Ryan McDonagh make Boston unstoppable?

          The Bruins are every bit as strong as the Tampa Bay Lightning, ranking second in Corsi percentage and first in goals-for percentage. Pulling off a trade for the Edmonton Oilers' goal scorer or the New York Rangers' top defenseman without disrupting the group of young players who have made an impact this year would make Boston a Cup favorite.

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          Buffalo Sabres

          Cap space: $25.9 million

          Will the Sabres get a first-round pick for Evander Kane?

          Rick Nash's presence on the open market might turn Kane into a consolation prize and drive down his price. With 38 points in 56 games, he's had a solid season, but concerns about his presence in the locker room and the lack of a consistent all-around game might keep the Sabres from getting top dollar.

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          Calgary Flames

          Cap space: $9.4 million

          Is adding depth scoring enough for the Flames to compete in the playoffs?

          The Flames are a borderline contender, meaning one or two players could put them in the conversation. It's possible Sam Bennett's name could enter the deadline talk. Aside from a major deal, Calgary needs a role player who can produce without selling the farm. Maybe they could attempt to rekindle some scoring from Radim Vrbata or Patrick Sharp.

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          Carolina Hurricanes

          Cap space: $74.4 million

          Could a Justin Faulk deal land the Canes the scoring they need?

          The Canes are dominating the shot counter, ranking No. 1 in Corsi percentage, but rank 25th in goals scored per 60 minutes. Adding a sniper to the mix could help Carolina finish some of those chances. The young crop of defensemen could make Faulk expendable. As a top-pair blueliner, he would be very valuable on the open market.

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          Chicago Blackhawks

          Cap space: $3.1 million

          Can the Hawks collect future pieces at the deadline?

          This is new, huh. Chicago doesn't have much to trade away, but needs to start thinking toward a 2018-19 retool that will get them back in contention in the Central.

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          Colorado Avalanche

          Cap space: $39.7 million

          Should the Avs stay the course or aim for a postseason berth?

          The Avs have a fun and offensively dangerous team that could be exciting in the playoffs. However, with young stars Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen leading the way, the current direction is too strong for Colorado to start dealing prospects and picks for rentals.

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          Columbus Blue Jackets

          Cap space: $22.9 million

          Would a goal scorer make the Blue Jackets contenders?

          Since the Blue Jackets are set up to compete for years to come, it doesn't seem wise for them to go all-in on a player like Nash or Kane. But with Sergei Bobrovsky playing well and the Jackets' young defensemen dominating, it might be worth adding someone like Michael Grabner to boost a late-season run.

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          Dallas Stars

          Cap space: $4.1 million

          Is this Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn's best shot at a Cup?

          Dallas is third in scoring rate in the West and third in goals-for percentage, putting them right in the mix to come out of the West. Seguin and Benn have made the Stars competitive for years, but this is the first time in a while that Dallas has also had solid defensive play and goaltending. Trading away a first-round pick for a key rental player shouldn't be out of the question.

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          Detroit Red Wings

          Cap space: $233,525

          What can the Red Wings get for Mike Green?

          Detroit is in dire need of a fire sale, but many of their aging players have no-trade or no-move clauses. Green is the most valuable player who would likely waive his no-trade clause in order to land with a contender. But considering Green's defensive shortcomings, it might be tough to get much more than a second-round pick. Still, teams sometimes get desperate on deadline day.

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          Edmonton Oilers

          Cap space: $36.5 million

          Can the Oilers stockpile enough assets to make offseason deals?

          Edmonton clearly needs a better supporting cast for Connor McDavid. Trading away a player like Patrick Maroon may help them grab picks or prospects to make more deals during the offseason to bring in proven players.

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          Florida Panthers

          Cap space: $32.1 million

          Can the Cats get any future pieces?

          While the Panthers have all the high-end talent in place to compete, their role players and goaltending simply aren't good enough to seriously contend. It will be tough for them to find teams willing to give up assets for a past-his-prime rental like Radim Vrbata or flawed role players who are under contract like Alex Petrovic, Jamie McGinn or Nick Bjugstad.

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          Los Angeles Kings

          Cap space: $16.9 million

          Could the Kings pull off another Marian Gaborik deal?

          Acquiring Gaborik in 2014 helped push Los Angeles to a Stanley Cup. Could they strike gold with another flawed goal scorer like Kane, Grabner or Thomas Vanek?

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          Montreal Canadiens

          Cap space: $32.4 million

          Will the Habs blow it up?

          Two core players who helped elevate the Canadiens to be a (somewhat) consistent competitor over the past 10 years could be gone at the deadline. Montreal might field offers on Max Pacioretty and Carey Price. Dealing them would signal a completely new direction for a team that hasn't been able to get over the hump. We could also see a long-awaited Alex Galchenyuk trade come to fruition.

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          Minnesota Wild

          Cap space: $601,087

          Is there a franchise-changing move to be made?

          Same core, same results. Even under Bruce Boudreau, the Wild couldn't make it out of the first round last year. The Wild have played well of late, but they still don't show signs of matching up with the best of the best. It doesn't seem out of the question that GM Chuck Fletcher could take a big swing by dealing someone like Jason Zucker or Charlie Coyle for a star player.

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          Nashville Predators

          Cap space: $14.9 million

          Are the Preds Cup favorites without a big splash?

          Nashville has the best goals-for percentage in the Western Conference and a deep roster that was bolstered by a deal for Kyle Turris. Adding scoring depth in the form of a player like Ottawa's Mike Hoffman would make the Predators even more dangerous, but with a Cup-worthy roster right now, the Preds don't have to make a crazy deal to add one more piece.

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          New Jersey Devils

          Cap space: 35.9 million

          Is it worth sacrificing the future for a big name?

          The Devils haven't been in the playoffs since they lost the Stanley Cup final in 2013, so it wouldn't be crazy for them to be desperate for postseason hockey. But New Jersey is in great position to compete for years to come with Taylor Hall in his prime and 2017's No. 1 pick Nico Hischier. It won't be an easy call because they are a few players away from being a team that would worry the Eastern Conference contenders.

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          New York Islanders

          Cap space: $6.7 million

          Will John Tavares's contract status push the Isles to be buyers?

          The Islanders do not appear to be a true contender and are a long shot for a playoff spot, but they may have to keep swinging rather than waste the potential final year of John Tavares in New York. Trading Tavares and Josh Bailey would land the Isles an incredible number of picks and prospects to rebuild around, but are the Isles ready to signal the end of the J.T. era?

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          New York Rangers

          Cap space: $3.6 million

          Will a fire sale pay off?

          Rangers fans might not be happy, but the Blueshirts are doing the right thing selling everyone who isn't nailed down. They have been competitive team for a long time, but now it makes sense to take a step backward to improve in the long run by dealing Nash, Mats Zuccarello, McDonagh and Grabner.

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          Ottawa Senators

          Cap space: $5.7 million

          Will Ottawa deal Karlsson?

          Trading Erik Karlsson is the best move for the Sens assuming they can't afford to sign him to a long-term contract. With another year on his deal, he is incredibly valuable on the open market. Dealing their Swedish superstar could jumpstart what is likely to be a long rebuild in Ottawa.

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          Philadelphia Flyers

          Cap space: $11.4 million

          Is there a low-cost role player who can make a difference for the Flyers?

          The Flyers are stuck in the middle. They are in the race, but aren't a legitimate contender. Philadelphia is set up well for the future, so they don't want to give up assets to make a huge splash, and it would be better off adding someone like Colorado's Blake Comeau or Columbus's Matt Calvert to give their forward group some help without dealing a top draft pick or prospect.

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          Pittsburgh Penguins

          Cap space: $927,996

          Will a quality depth center be available for the Penguins?

          For the past few years, players like Nick Bonino and Matt Cullen were big contributors down the stretch and into the playoffs. Both are gone now, and Pittsburgh is missing the depth that helped them win the last two Stanley Cups. A player like Montreal's Tomas Plekanec could give them just enough pop in the bottom six to make another run.

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          San Jose Sharks

          Cap space: $26.2 million

          Could the Sharks put together a good enough package to land Nash?

          This is it, San Jose. With Joe Thornton on his last legs (and on the shelf), and Joe Pavelski and Brent Burns in their 30s, the Sharks have one last shot. They might as well put everything together to land the best player on the market.

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          St. Louis Blues

          Cap space: $2.5 million

          Could Pacioretty be the scorer to take the Blues deep into the playoffs?

          The Blues are still having the same problem they have had for a while: They don't appear to be offensively dangerous enough to get past the first or second round. St. Louis is middle of the pack in even-strength scoring rate, but that could change with the addition of a big-time point producer.

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          Tampa Bay Lightning

          Cap space: $8.9 million

          Does GM Steve Yzerman have a surprising deal up his sleeve?

          The Lightning are currently the NHL's best team, but that doesn't mean they are a lock to appear in the Stanley Cup final with teams like Boston and Pittsburgh lurking. Tampa Bay has been aggressive in the trade market in the past. It could chase Ottawa's Karlsson or some of the biggest rental names on the market like Nash or Green to beef up its chances.

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          Toronto Maple Leafs

          Cap space: $4.7 million

          Is Tyler Bozak on the block?

          The veteran center is playing a career-low 15:24 per game under coach Mike Babcock, putting him on the table for a potential deal. Toronto needs to add a defenseman. With a number of teams likely to be interested in Bozak, we could see an old fashioned hockey trade in Ontario.

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          Vancouver Canucks

          Cap space: $2.5 million

          Will someone overpay for Erik Gudbranson?

          The Canucks should get good return for Vanek, but it's unclear whether Gudbranson will pull in any quality picks or prospects. He's a defenseman of an older era in hockey, but there are still GMs out there who overvalue size and toughness.

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          Vegas Golden Knights

          Cap space: $37.8 million

          Would Vegas spend all of its assets to land Karlsson or Ekman-Larsson?

          With tons of draft picks and three first-round picks in 2017, the Golden Knights are one of the few teams that could put together an impressive enough package to get Karlsson or Ekman-Larsson. It would be a way of going all-in this year and setting themselves up for the future, assuming a long-term extension could be worked out. They have the cap space to do it.

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          Washington Capitals

          Cap space: $1.9 million

          Can the Capitals find a game-changing defenseman?

          Every year that Alex Ovechkin is still at the top of his game is a go-for-it year for the Capitals. They may be at the top of the division, but their underlying numbers are also impressive. Adding another defenseman could bring the Caps closer to teams like the Bruins and Lightning.

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          Winnipeg Jets

          Cap space: $25.1 million

          Would adding Zuccarello give the Jets the best forward group in the NHL?

          It took awhile, but Winnipeg has finally hit its stride after years of drafting highly-skilled players. They are getting good goaltending from Connor Hellebuyck and have solidified their defense corps. One more proven veteran scorer -- especially one with playoff experience -- could help the Jets make noise in the playoffs.

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