NHL Rumors: Evander Kane, Jaroslav Halak, More Buzz Before 2017 Trade Deadline

Activity is starting to heat up around the NHL ahead of the trade deadline, which is set for Wednesday at 3 p.m. ET. A couple of marquee moves have already been made, including Kevin Shattenkirk to the Washington Capitals and Martin Hanzal to the Minnesota Wild, per NHL.com.

The crowded playoff race leaves plenty of potential buyers looking to find the one or two pieces who could put them over the top and into the postseason. That's good news for the limited number of sellers, who should receive plenty of bang for their buck.

Let's check out some of the latest rumors from around the league as general managers make last-ditch efforts to bolster their rosters.

Evander Kane Could Be Moved Again

Evander Kane was viewed as a cornerstone piece in the Buffalo Sabres' rebuilding process when the franchise acquired him in February 2015. Now, just two years later, his name has once again landed in the rumor mill following a stretch of strong play since the start of December.

The 25-year-old winger has scored 21 goals in 39 games over the past three months after failing to find the net in his first 11 outings of the campaign. That's a 44-goal pace if he was able to maintain that level over the course of an entire 82-game season.

Buffalo's defense is a disaster, though. So in order to improve in that area, the team must be willing to part with a key asset up front. The former Winnipeg Jets star is the obvious choice based on his $5.25 million cap hit and previous off-ice problems.

Eric Engels of Sportsnet reported the Wild are one potential landing spot for Kane. The asking price is unclear, however, aside from the Sabres' obvious need for help on the blue line.

Kane told Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News he's heard the trade talk surrounding his name, but he's tried to block it out as much as possible.

"It definitely doesn't affect me," Kane said. "Am I aware of it? Of course. But it doesn't affect me. It's just this time of year."

The Sabres have some promising young wingers in the likes of Justin Bailey, Nicholas Baptiste and Alexander Nylander, who should be ready for bigger roles next season. In turn, the front office would likely move Kane if it can obtain a top-four defenseman in return either now or in the offseason.

Jaroslav Halak Targeted Amid AHL Hot Streak

The New York Islanders sent Jaroslav Halak to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the AHL in late December after deciding to move forward with Thomas Greiss as their starter. The veteran goalie has responded with a 1.91 goals-against average and .933 save percentage in the minors.

Those terrific numbers make him a potential value target compared to other goaltenders being bantered about leading up to the deadline, such as Marc-Andre Fleury of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Jimmy Murphy of the Hockey Writers reported the Edmonton Oilers and Blues are two teams that have shown interest in the 31-year-old netminder ahead of Wednesday's deadline.

The Oilers are a nice fit on paper. They have leaned heavily on Cam Talbot throughout the season, and he's played quite well, posting a 2.40 GAA and .919 save percentage. Jonas Gustavsson and Laurent Brossoit haven't been nearly as good in reserve duty, though.

With Edmonton on pace to secure its first playoff berth since the 2005-06 season, adding a little more stability between the pipes would be a smart move. Halak could slide right into the backup role and be a solid fill-in starter should anything happen to Talbot down the stretch.

J.T. Miller Generating Serious Interest

While it wouldn't be a shock to see either Kane or Halak moved by Wednesday afternoon, a J.T. Miller trade would come as a surprise. The 23-year-old forward is enjoying a breakout season by setting a new career high with 47 points (19 goals and 28 assists) in 62 games.

Larry Brooks of the New York Post reported "everyone" who's called the New York Rangers before the deadline has asked about Miller's availability. The front office has responded by turning aside all of those inquiries—at least for now.

Brooks speculated the Rangers' tune would change if a team offered a high-end defenseman as part of a blockbuster deal. Otherwise, he noted the team will likely be "content with improving on the margins rather than making a big splash over the next four days."

The problem, as the Rangers, Sabres and other defense-needy teams are finding out, is that forward depth is easier to find on the market than dependable, minute-eating blueliners. That's why teams with the latter assets are hesitant to give them up.

So it remains unlikely any major traction is made toward a Miller trade ahead of the deadline. But it's a situation at least worth monitoring, given the reported widespread interest.