NHL Trade Rumors: Analyzing Recent Buzz Across the League Before Deadline

Although three weeks can feel like a lot of time, it isn't really when thinking about all of the behind-the-scenes machinations that happen with just a single trade.

The NHL trade deadline is exactly three weeks away, meaning many teams are close to making their final offers for their top targets.

As a result, the rumors will be flying fast in the coming days.

Below are some updates on a few different players who may or may not be on the move.

Evander Kane

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Until he actually gets traded or March 2 rolls around—whichever comes first—Evander Kane's status with the Winnipeg Jets will be a hotly debated topic.

Most agree that Kane's time in Winnipeg is drawing to a close, whether he's dealt this year or in the summer. After all of that mess about him wearing a tracksuit, his position with the Jets basically became untenable.

Even Kane's shoulder surgery has done little to quell the seemingly endless stream of rumors surrounding the 23-year-old. 

On Monday morning, TSN's Bob McKenzie wrote a thorough breakdown of where everything stands and what the Jets' various options are. He concurred with the general consensus about Kane's future, writing that "Kane's teammates don't appear to want him back any more than he wants to be back."

He spoke to a source, however, who contended that Kane's trade value has cratered as a result of his surgery and off-ice drama.

"The Jets can't reasonably expect to get as much for Kane now or in the summer as they would have received if they were trading him last summer," the source said. "Too much has happened (with Kane) and none of it has been good."

McKenzie added that the Jets and potential trade suitors could be at an impasse over the asking price, since the team's front office hasn't amended what it's demanding in return for Kane despite the current circumstances.

Looking at where things stand now, it's doubtful that any sort of resolution will be reached until the very last minute.

Tyler Bozak

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The Toronto Maple Leafs are 13 points out of a playoff place at the moment, and the franchise has made the playoffs exactly once out of the last nine seasons.

Rob Longley of the Toronto Sun wrote on Sunday that the time has come for the Leafs to commit to a long-term rebuilding plan and that the team's management likely understands that fact.

Longley reported that Tyler Bozak could be one of the pieces to go.

"Buzz around the league is that several teams are inquiring and, even with his regression this season, if the Leafs' first-line centre attracts that kind of interest, (general manager Dave) Nonis could be in a position of strength," he wrote.

Bozak's production has really taken a nosedive this year. He had 49 points (19 G, 30 A) in 58 games last year. Through 54 games in 2014-15, he has only 34 points (15 G, 19 A). After scoring a goal and assisting on another in a 5-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Jan. 9, Bozak has recorded two points.

Scott Wheeler noted that trading Bozak will be easier said than done:

At 28 years old, the veteran center doesn't exactly boast a ton of upside. He might be able to improve upon what he's done this year, but Toronto can't exactly entice a trade partner by using the player Bozak could become as a selling point.

It seems unlikely Bozak will have a new home this year.

Nick Schultz and Michael Del Zotto

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Like the Maple Leafs, the Philadelphia Flyers are on the outside looking in on the Eastern Conference playoff picture. ESPN.com's Katie Strang argued that the franchise should be a seller heading into the trade deadline.

Strang indicated that Nick Schultz and Michael Del Zotto might be off-limits:

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Both were signed this summer to one-year deals as low-risk depth defensemen. Recently, however, they have been two of the Flyers' best defenders, and multiple sources have told ESPN.com that the team would like to keep them around. Preliminary contract discussions have begun for Schultz, though negotiations have yet to commence for Del Zotto, a restricted free agent.

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Given the way the two have performed, it would seem silly for the Flyers to trade them simply to ease their financial burden.

Neither offers a ton of value offensively, but Schultz and Del Zotto are first and second on the team in blocked shots, according to NHL.com.

There's little doubt that the two defensemen would fetch something tangible on the trade market, but it's doubtful those assets could match what Schultz and Del Zotto bring to the team.