The NHL's Team of the Week for March 2

Over the last week, the impending trade deadline has been the beating heart of the NHL news cycle. 

Day by day, buyers and sellers have transferred their players, picks and prospects in preparation for this year's playoffs or draft, depending where they sit in the standings.

With many players on pins and needles, wondering if their phone will be the next to ring, we saw especially strong performances on the ice from the Ottawa Senators, Montreal Canadiens, Carolina Hurricanes and Pittsburgh Penguins.

In the weeks to come, we'll see which of these deals improve teams' and players' fortunes around the league—Jaromir Jagr already looks 10 years younger since moving from New Jersey to Florida last Thursday.

As the clock ticks down to Monday's 3 p.m. trade deadline, here's our Canada-centric Team of the Week for Feb. 23 to March 1—a look at the best individual performances around the league at each position from the last seven days.

Left Wing: Mike Hoffman

Andre Ringuette/Getty Images

Last Week's Stats

3 GP, 3-2-5, two game-winning goals

Why He Impressed

Their playoff odds are still long, but the Ottawa Senators climbed to within seven points of an Eastern Conference wild-card spot by the end of last week thanks to a perfect 3-0 road sweep through California.

The Sens got great goaltending and played stingy defense while rookie Mike Hoffman led the way up front with five points and two game-winning goals—against the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday and the San Jose Sharks on Saturday.

Any team in the league could have picked up the now-25-year-old Hoffman when the Senators put him on waivers to send him down to the AHL before the beginning of the 2013-14 season, per TVA Sports (via The Score). This year, he's leading all rookies with 23 goals, including four game-winners on the season.

Also one of the fastest players in the league, Hoffman's a serious challenger for the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year.

Honorable Mentions

• Alexander Ovechkin, Washington Capitals (3 GP, 3-1-4)
• Andrew Ladd, Winnipeg Jets (3 GP, 2-2-4)

Center: Evgeni Malkin

USA TODAY Sports

Last Week's Stats

2 GP, 2-4-6

Why He Impressed

The Pittsburgh Penguins played just two games over the last week, but that didn't stop Evgeni Malkin from picking up six points and moving back within one point of the top spot in the crowded NHL scoring race.

Why is Malkin suddenly so hot? After borrowing a straighter-bladed stick from teammate Derrick Pouliot three games ago, according to Wes Crosby of NHL.com, the big Russian has rediscovered the power of his backhand, using it to score three of goals.

The streaky Penguins have now won their last four games, and Malkin and Sidney Crosby are back on track, delivering their trademark one-two punch up the middle and on special teams. For now, all is right once again in Pittsburgh.

Honorable Mentions

• Ryan Getzlaf, Anaheim Ducks (4 GP, 1-3-4)
• Paul Stastny, St. Louis Blues (4 GP, 1-3-4)

Right Wing: Brendan Gallagher

Francois Lacasse/Getty Images

Last Week's Stats

3 GP, 2-3-5, one game-winning goal

Why He Impressed

Last season, sophomore Brendan Gallagher gained notoriety for his gritty work around the net during the Montreal Canadiens' strong postseason.

This year, the undersized 22-year-old has worked his way up to the top line of a Canadiens team that's arguably the class of the Eastern Conference.

With five more points this week, including a game-winner in Montreal's 5-2 win over the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday, Gallagher has now accumulated 17 goals and 38 points—just shy of his full-season output of 19 goals and 41 points last term.

Gallagher's success is a feather in the cap of the Canadiens' scouting staff, who snatched him up with a fifth-round pick in 2010. In just three years, he has developed into one of Montreal's most important and consistent forwards.

Honorable Mentions

• T.J. Oshie, St. Louis Blues (4 GP, 1-4-5)
• Brad Boyes, Florida Panthers (4 GP, 1-4-5)

Defense: P.K. Subban

USA TODAY Sports

Last Week's Stats

3 GP, 1-5-6, 6 shots, plus-8

Why He Impressed

Just two points off top spot in the National Hockey League after games on Sunday, the Montreal Canadiens are enjoying a four-game winning streak and getting contributions from across their lineup.

P.K. Subban's game is continuing to mature. He's second in team scoring behind Max Pacioretty, but he leads the Canadiens in ice time and has stepped up his level of defensive responsibility.

Subban's performance in Montreal's 5-2 win over Columbus on Thursday was particularly impressive. As well as scoring a goal and adding two assists, he and his partner Andrei Markov were a perfect plus-five on the night. That's not something you see every day.

Now boasting 12 goals, 48 points and a solid plus-16 on the season, Subban's poised to tally career highs in all three categories in 2014-15.

Honorable mentions for defense appear on the next slide.

Defense: Andrei Markov

USA TODAY Sports

Last Week's Stats

3 GP, 1-4-5, 5 shots, plus-10

Why He Impressed

It's rare to feature two defensemen from the same team in the Team of the Week, and it's rarer still to feature two players from the same pairing.

Over the last seven days, however, Subban and partner Andrei Markov were that good.

Markov tallied one fewer point over Montreal's last three games, but he also logged that mythical plus-five on Thursday on his way to a double-digit plus-10 performance for the week.

Now 36, Markov's stats this season won't touch his best offensive years, but he and Subban have formed a powerful partnership that should pack a wallop come playoff time.

Honorable Mentions

• Roman Josi, Nashville Predators (3 GP, 1-3-4, 9 shots, plus-2)
• Justin Faulk, Carolina Hurricanes (3 GP, 2-2-4, 10 shots, plus-1)

Goal: Andrew Hammond

Ben Margot/Associated Press

Last Week's Stats

3-0-0, two goals against, two shutouts, .978 save percentage

Why He Impressed

Why is the market for goaltenders so depressed at this year's trade deadline? Because time and time again, teams with injury issues have gotten clutch performances from inexperienced minor-league call-ups.

Last season, Martin Jones caused a chain-reaction goalie shuffle all around the league when he stepped in capably for an injured Jonathan Quick in Los Angeles. This year, we've seen call-ups such as Petr Mrazek in Detroit, Calvin Pickard in Colorado, Scott Darling in Chicago and Joni Ortio in Calgary all answer the bell for their teams when needed.

Now, you can add 27-year-old Andrew Hammond of the Ottawa Senators to the list. Too old to even qualify as a rookie, the journeyman has run with his opportunity since getting the chance to play his first career NHL game two weeks ago. 

Hammond has gone 5-0 in his last five starts and this week posted back-to-back shutouts against two of the toughest opponents in the league, the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings.

Hammond proved to be as sharp in front of a microphone as he is guarding the net when he quipped "I don’t think too many people expected a goalie battle between Quick and the Hamburglar tonight" to the assembled media after ending the Kings' eight-game winning streak on Thursday, reported by Lisa Dillman of the Los Angeles Times. 

Ottawa's No. 1 Craig Anderson was activated off injured reserve on Sunday, but with fans now whispering about the possibility of sneaking into a playoff spot, expect to see the Sens ride Hammond's hot hand for as long as they can.

Honorable Mentions

• Carey Price, Montreal Canadiens (3 GP, 3-0-0, 4 GA, 1 SO, .953 save percentage)
• Brian Elliott, St. Louis Blues (2-0-0, 1 relief appearance, 3 goals against, .949 save percentage)

Coach: Dave Cameron

Jana Chytilova/Freestyle Photo/Getty Images

Last Week's Stats 

3-0-0, 8 goals for, 2 goals against

Why They Impressed

We could debate for days whether this year's midseason coaching changes in Edmonton and Toronto have been effective for their teams. In Ottawa, Dave Cameron has now tapped into that never-say-die spirit the Senators displayed when they overcame a rash of injuries to reach the second round of the playoffs in the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season.

Former coach Paul MacLean won the Jack Adams Award as NHL coach of the year for his role in guiding the Senators through adversity that year. Less than two seasons later, he was relieved of his duties and it's Cameron who's capturing similar lightning in a bottle with the Sens riding a five-game winning streak to the status of hottest team in the league.

Even with their recent success, the Senators remain seven points out of a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference and have just a 21.6 percent chance of squeaking into the postseason, according to Sports Club Stats.

Cameron's next job will be to keep that playoff hope alive for as long as he can.

Honorable Mentions

• Michel Therrien, Montreal Canadiens (3-0-0)
• Bill Peters, Carolina Hurricanes (3-0-0)

All stats courtesy of NHL.com.