The NHL trade deadline is February 27, and the rumor mill is heating up as teams face the pressure of making bold moves for a run at the Stanley Cup.

Big names like Corey Perry, James Van Riemsdyk, Zach Parise and Jeff Carter could all be moved before the deadline in trades that will significantly impact the playoff race.

With so many star players hitting free agency this summer, teams that have these upcoming free agents may look to trade them and avoid the risk of getting nothing in return if they leave after the season.

Take a look at the Definitive Big Board of NHL Trade Rumors surrounding all the best players who could be traded in the coming weeks.

 

Note: All salary and no trade/movement clause information courtesy of Capgeek.com

Check back to this article regularly for the latest updates.

Last Updated: Monday, Feb. 27 at 4:34 p.m. ET

Monday's new rumors/news include: Buffalo traded Paul Gaustad to Nashville. Vancouver acquired Sami Pahlsson from Columbus. Boston acquired Brian Rolston and Mike Mottau from the New York Islanders in exchange for Yannick Riendeau and Marc Cantin. Buffalo acquired Cody Hodgson and Alexander Sulzer from Vancouver in exchange for Zack Kassian and Marc-Andre Gragnani. Toronto has traded Keith Aulie to Tampa Bay for Carter Ashton. Winnipeg has traded defenseman Johnny Oduya to Chicago. Detroit traded Mike Commodore to Tampa Bay. Andrei Kostitsyn has been traded from Montreal to Nashville.

Player Team(s) Interested/Rumored Source(s) Salary Cap Hit Upcoming FA? NTC/NMC
Jeff Carter Traded to LA Columbus Dispatch $5.27m No None
Dustin Brown Kings are no longer shopping Brown Elliotte Friedman $3.175 No None
Rick Nash TOR TSN $7.8m No NTC
Evgeni Nabokov Would consider moving no trade Andy Strickland $570k UFA NMC
Paul Gaustad Sabres want a 1st round pick for him Andy Strickland $2.3m UFA None
Mike Knuble SJS CSN Bay Area $2.0m UFA None
James Van Riemsdyk COL
 CSNPhilly $4.25m No None
Mikhail Grabovski One offer on table
 NBC Sports $2.9m UFA None
Travis Moen VAN, SJS, DET
 TSN (VAN), TSN (SJS), NHL.com (DET)
 $1.5m UFA None
Ales Hemsky Re-signed, 2-yr, $10 million contract
 TSN $4.1m UFA None
Ray Whitney SJS, NYR, BOS ESPN $3.0m UFA NMC
Luke Schenn Staying in Toronto Fourth Period $3.6m No None

 

Follow Nicholas Goss on Twitter for NHL news and analysis.

Nicholas Goss is a Boston Bruins Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report and was the organization's on-site reporter for the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals in Boston.