NHL Rumors: Latest Gossip on Alex Iafallo and More Ahead of 2021 Trade Deadline

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Which teams will be buyers, which ones will be sellers and which ones will stand pat? Those are the questions surrounding the 31 NHL teams as the trade deadline for the 2020-21 season approaches.

After Monday at 3 p.m. ET, teams will no longer be able to make trades. For those on their way to making the playoffs, this will be their last chance to add more talent to their rosters. While for teams that are likely going to miss the postseason, this is an opportunity to deal some of their top players and make moves that will help them in the future.

There are plenty of rumors circulating about trades that could take place ahead of Monday's deadline. Here's some of the latest buzz from around the NHL.

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Alex Iafallo has spent his first four NHL seasons with the Los Angeles Kings, but the 27-year-old is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2020-21 campaign. And according to TSN's Frank Seravalli, a contract extension has "not materialized" between Iafallo and the Kings.

Consequently, Iafallo's time in Los Angeles could soon be over, and that could come even before the end of this season. Seravalli reported that Kings general manager Rob Blake has "engaged" with other teams on a possible Iafallo trade "for the first time."

However, Seravalli also noted that Los Angeles and Iafallo will "continue to grind away on an extension over the weekend," so there are numerous different directions that this situation could go in.

Iafallo has been a solid offensive contributor during his time with the Kings. This season, he has 10 goals and 14 assists in 38 games. Over his four-year career, the left wing has tallied 51 goals and 74 assists in 265 games. He could be a nice addition to a team looking to add some offense for the final stretch of the regular season and the playoffs.

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One of the biggest names on the trade market is Taylor Hall, who could soon be playing for his fourth team in a span of two seasons. After turning out for the New Jersey Devils and Arizona Coyotes in 2019-20, Hall signed a one-year deal with the Buffalo Sabres this past offseason.

But Buffalo general manager Kevyn Adams is having "ongoing conversation, discussions" with several teams regarding a potential Hall trade, according to TSN's Darren Dreger. Not only that, but Dreger also reported that those teams are reaching out to Darren Ferris, Hall's agent, about the possibility of a contract extension should they acquire Hall.

Although the New York Islanders have already made one big move ahead of the deadline, bringing in forward Kyle Palmieri in a trade with the New Jersey Devils, that may not rule them out of the Hall discussions. Dreger said that New York was "in pretty heavy" on Hall, and that might not have changed.

"There are some out there who believe that maybe [New York GM] Lou Lamoriello isn't done and he circles back on Taylor Hall and the Buffalo Sabres," Dreger said on TSN's Insider Trading.

Another team that could be in the mix for Hall is the St. Louis Blues, as Seravalli reported that they were recently in contact with the Sabres regarding the 29-year-old.

Hall's numbers are down this season, as he has two goals and 17 assists in 37 games for Buffalo.

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After reaching the Stanley Cup Final last year, the Dallas Stars are outside of a playoff position this season. They are in sixth in the Central Division with 38 points, and only the top four teams in the division will make it into the postseason.

So perhaps Dallas could soon be parting ways with several of its players who are set to become unrestricted free agents at the end of the season. Seravalli recently reported that the Stars have "received varying displays of interest" in four of such players: center Andrew Cogliano, forward Blake Comeau and defensemen Jamie Oleksiak and Mark Pysyk.

Of those four players, Seravalli noted that Oleksiak would be "by far the most coveted." The 28-year-old defenseman is a nine-year NHL veteran who has three goals and five assists in 38 games this season.

However, it's not a sure thing that Dallas will trade any of these players.

"There is certainly no guarantee [Stars GM Jim] Nill moves his free agents," Seravalli wrote. "But if the price is right, he may have no choice in this upside-down season filled with a COVID-19 shutdown and a full-fledged weather emergency."

Still, Dallas could be a team to watch as the deadline draws closer, as perhaps it will decide to trade at least one of its pending UFAs.