NHL Trade Rumors: Reviewing Reports Surrounding Matt Duchene and More

The NHL postseason doesn't start for nearly two months, but the race to the Stanley Cup playoffs will be heating up soon. This is why the upcoming trade deadline Monday is likely to bring plenty of activity.

With a few exceptions, most of the league is still in playoff contention. This there should be plenty of buyers at the deadline. The question, of course, is which teams will be willing to sell and which pieces will they consider parting with.

With the deadline less than a week away, there are plenty of rumors and reports to sort through. Here are some of the latest.

Duchene Likely On the Move

While there is some mystery surrounding which players will be available, Ottawa Senators center Matt Duchene is almost certainly going to be moved.

According to TSN's Darren Dreger, only a last-minute change would prevent this from happening:

What's uncertain is where Duchene will land, and there is no shortage of rumored destinations.

Postmedia hockey columnist Bruce Garrioch has reported the Winnipeg Jets have interest in the 28-year-old, along with Mark Stone and Ryan Dzingel—two other players who could be made available.

David Pagnotta of Hockey Lifestyle Magazine lists the New York Islanders as a team that is interested in Duchene:

Meanwhile, Elliott Friedman of NHL Network pegs the Nashville Predators and the Columbus Blue Jackets as his most likely destinations.

"The two teams that have really jumped out are both Nashville and Columbus," Friedman said on NHL Tonight. "Those are the two teams I think are really big into it. I think Nashville, in particular, they're a team that has had interest in Duchene before. Also, I think Duchene has interest in playing there."

With plenty of contenders interested in Duchene, his suiting up for a different team after the deadline is almost a certainty.

What is Columbus Going to Do?

Jay LaPrete/Associated Press

Friedman mentions the Blue Jackets as a possible suitor for Duchene, but it's fair to wonder if Columbus even views itself as a buyer before the deadline.

It probably should, as it sits just two wins behind the Islanders in the Metro Division. However, there are a couple of contract situations that make things a little less cut-and-dry.

Aaron Portzline of The Athletic recently called Columbus "the league's biggest story and its biggest mystery," and there's a good reason for that.

Both Sergei Bobrovsky and Artemi Panarin are set to become unrestricted free agents in the offseason. According to Adam Kimelman of NHL.com, the former has "refused to discuss a new contract" while the latter has "said he will not negotiate" during the regular season.

The Blue Jackets simply have no idea if either player can be retained after the season, so getting something in return before the deadline has to be on the table.

General manager Jarmo Kekalainen has been bracing for the deadline decisions regarding Bobrovsky and Panarin for some time.

"We will do what we need to do, do our best to convince them that they'd like to be part of our future for a long time as a Blue Jacket in Columbus, and if that doesn't happen, then we're going to have to make decisions," Kekalainen said in January, per Jeff Svoboda of NHL.com. "That's what we've said all along. I don't think there's anything tricky about it."

Actually, the tricky part will come in trying to balance the future and the immediate chance for a postseason run. Kekalainen is challenged with finding the sweet spot, and it could involve a bit of buying and selling at the deadline.

Minnesota is in the Slide Zone

Jim Mone/Associated Press

While it's difficult to tell exactly what Columbus is going to do before the deadline, the Minnesota Wild are trending toward being sellers. Though technically not out of the playoff hunt yet, they are hovering just above .500 and have won just two of its last 10 games.

This has led to general manager Paul Fenton getting the green light to make whatever moves he sees fit, according to The Athletic's Michael Russo. This could mean either trading for a playoff run or to building for the future.

Unfortunately, this hasn't led to any sense of confidence for the players on the ice. With both the immediate and long-term futures uncertain, morale has taken a bit of a hit.

"Paul's got to do what he's got to do, but you'd just like to see a little more effort, a little more urgency, this time of the year," Minnesota wing Marcus Foligno said, per Sarah McLellan of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.

Center Eric Staal, who has been involved in plenty of trade rumors, believes the looming deadline has been difficult on the players.

"I'm coping," he said, per Brian Murphy of the Twin Cities Pioneer Press. "It's difficult I think for everybody. That's just part of this job and part of this profession."

With both the team and the players in a bit of a funk, a playoff run is feeling less and less likely for Minnesota. This probably means Fenton will be more interested in building for the future than building for the next two months.