NHL Trade Rumors: Boston Bruins and Other Contenders Who Need One More Piece

The Boston Bruins are one of several Stanley Cup contenders who still need one more player to complete their roster for a deep playoff run.

Since there are few teams completely out of the playoff picture, there aren't many teams selling right now, and thus the trade market has been pretty slow.

That will change in the next week or so when teams fall out of the race and look to trade veteran players and upcoming free agents to contending teams who will likely overpay to acquire them.

Let's look at three contending teams who need one more piece for a run to the Stanley Cup final.

New York Rangers

The Blue Shirts have the best record in the Eastern Conference and have been pretty consistent throughout the season, but they still need a top-six forward or a veteran defenseman to complete their roster for a deep playoff run.

With Brandon Dubinsky and Brad Richards struggling, the need for a goal-scoring forward is something general manager Glen Sather will certainly look to address before the deadline.

The Rangers are reportedly interested in Ray Whitney of the Phoenix Coyotes, who at 39 years old is leading his team in scoring. Whitney is a goal-scorer and a good all-around forward who would be a great addition to the team.

To add some depth at left wing, the Rangers might just bring Boston College forward Chris Kreider to the roster when he completes his NCAA commitment, but having an unproven rookie as your only addition has its risks.

Expect the Rangers to do something at the deadline, with a forward addition the likely move.

Nashville Predators

Even though star defenseman Ryan Suter is an upcoming unrestricted free agent in the summer, the Nashville Predators don't seem interested in trading him despite the fact that he told reporters at All-Star weekend last month he wouldn't sign a new deal before the trade deadline.

With Suter and captain Shea Weber playing well on defense in front of star goaltender Pekka Rinne, the Predators need to find some offense before the deadline.

The team is 12th in scoring and has played well offensively as of late, but they lack a dangerous and reliable goal-scorer for the playoffs.

Nashville needs more skill on its top forward lines to compete with the best offensive teams in the Western Conference like the Vancouver Canucks, Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings.

Boston Bruins

Nathan Horton's concussion situation isn't getting any better, which may force Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli to make a trade for a top-six forward.

Bruins head coach Claude Julien gave the media an update on Horton Friday:

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"He's been pulled back and he has some symptoms," Bruins coach Claude Julien said. "He's back to square one and we're giving him some time. Those symptoms, once he got on the ice, came back."

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Horton suffered a concussion during Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final last season but returned for the opener back in October. His uncertain status for the rest of the season means Chiarelli must make a move for a goal-scorer, and according to ESPN, Boston has interest in Coyotes forward Ray Whitney.

Whitney would fit nicely on the Bruins because Boston is a veteran team that has several play-making centers who could create quality scoring chances for him.

The Bruins could also look for a defenseman before the trade deadline, especially since offseason acquisition Joe Corvo has not played well in Boston this season, but with Horton potentially out for a while, a forward is their No. 1 priority.

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