NHL Trade Deadline: Top Players Who Could Be on the Move

The NHL Trade Deadline is coming up soon (Feb. 28 to be exact) and there has been many rumors here and there about different teams and different players.

No one is completely sure about who will be active or inactive or who will be buyers and who will be sellers. Let's take a look at some of the most targeted players on the market right now.

1. Tomas Kaberle

Claus Andersen/Getty Images

TORONTO, CAN - FEBRUARY 7: Tomas Kaberle #15 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates with the puck in a game against the Atlanta Thrashers on February 7, 2011 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Canada. The Leafs defeated the Thrashers 5-4. (Photo by Claus An

Tomas Kaberle has been thrown around in rumors for the past couple years now, especially at the deadline, and he has yet to leave Toronto. A team like Boston could benefit with Kaberle making their defensive core more solid. 

Then you have playoff-pushers like Atlanta with PLENTY of cap space.

The Thrashers are one of the highest teams in the league for most cap space and look for them to be buyers at the deadline to make the playoff push. Atlanta, with a young core of talent, could benefit with some age from Kaberle.

2. Jarome Iginla

Dale MacMillan/Getty Images

CALGARY, CANADA - FEBRUARY 9: Jarome Iginla #12 of the Calgary Flames celebrates Olli Jokinen #13 (not pictured) against the Ottawa Senators in second period action at Scotiabank Saddledome February 9, 2011 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Dale Mac

Jarome Iginla has been back and forth with the Flames front office about being traded and not traded. I can see the Flames keeping Iginla if he wants to stay and him being a Flame through the rest of his career. But I can also see him being dealt for some young, good talent while the Flames are in what some call a rebuilding stage.

The only thing is Calgary is in the playoff race and looking good right now. So if the Flames want to please the fans by making the playoffs, they will keep Iginla and be buyers instead of sellers.

Teams that could be interested are the Kings, Flyers and possibly Penguins.

The Kings are in need of some scoring talent and some wins so they could be potential buyers.

The Flyers are looking to add onto their already-dynamite offense. Iginla could be the piece to get their power play going.

The Penguins could be very interested as Evgeni Malkin is out for the remainder of the year and Crosby has an undetermined return with a concussion. The Penguins could make this move to help them stay in a comfortable spot for the playoffs.

3. Ales Hemsky

Jeff Gross/Getty Images

ANAHEIM, CA - JANUARY 16: Ales Hemsky #83 of the Edmonton Oilers skates prior to the start of the game against the Anaheim Ducks at the Honda Center on January 16, 2011 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

Ales Hemsky is a young, talented forward who the Oilers could be looking to deal. I find this move to be weird on the Oilers' part because they are rebuilding and want young talent with some age surrounding them. Although, Hemsky is a healthy cap hit of $4.4 million a year. 

So maybe the same teams for Iginla would be the same for Hemsky?

High-scoring power to add on for the playoffs and some playoff experience as he went to the 2006 Stanley Cup Finals with the Oilers in his breakout year.

I am not too sure about Hemsky being on the move at the deadline, but he could be a good offseason move for the Oilers. 

4. Stephen Weiss

Joel Auerbach/Getty Images

SUNRISE, FL - DECEMBER 27: Stephen Weiss #9 of the Florida Panthers warms up prior to the game against the Boston Bruins on December 27, 2010 at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Florida. The Bruins defeated the Panthers 3-2 in a shoot-out. (Photo by Jo

The Cats in Florida have not made the postseason in the last eight seasons, which is the longest drought in the NHL. Weiss stayed on wanting to be part of the solution.

Well, maybe the Panthers see him as a part of the problem. Weiss has a cap hit of $3 million a year which a lot of teams looking to push to the playoffs could afford.

Although, the Panthers could want to keep him long-term as they are in the playoff hunt right now in the East being seven points back behind the current eight-seed Hurricanes.

So the question is: Will the Panthers really want to be selling at the deadline when they have a chance to make the playoffs for the first time in eight years?

5. Alex Kovalev

Paul Bereswill/Getty Images

UNIONDALE, NY - FEBRUARY 05: Alex Kovalev #27 of the Ottawa Senators waits for a faceoff during an NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders at Nassau Coliseum on February 5, 2011 in Uniondale, New York. (Photo by Paul Bereswill/Getty Images)

The Senators signed Kovalev in 2009 to add some offensive power to their roster. He put up 49 points in 77 games. Not bad right? The only problem with him is he is one of the most inconsistent players in the NHL today.

The Senators' season has been on a downward spiral for a good two or three weeks now and the whole Senators roster could be dealt at the deadline. The Senators would be looking to sell at this deadline and a team like Pittsburgh, where he formerly played, could be interested in a Part II with Kovalev. 

6. Tomas Vokoun

Joel Auerbach/Getty Images

SUNRISE, FL - FEBRUARY 8: Goaltender Tomas Vokoun #29 of the Florida Panthers stops a shot by the St. Louis Blues on February 8, 2011 at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Florida. The Blues defeated the Panthers 2-1. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images

Tomas Vokoun was a big pickup for the Panthers in the 2007-08 season, giving them experience between the pipes. Now, another team like the Panthers could be interested in just that.

Voukoun has a cap hit of $6.3 million and that could scare away some potential buyers.

The Panthers seemed interested in re-signing him, but we have yet to see that happen, and don't be surprised if it doesn't happen before the deadline. A team like the Kings, Sharks and Red Wings could be interested.

The Kings are not to sure if Quick is the man for them and the Sharks do not exactly have a standout No. 1 goalie this year. Also, the Red Wings did make an attempt to sign goalie Evegeni Nabokov from the KHL in Russia but that didn't happen as the New York Islanders "nabbed" him on waivers. 

The Panthers need to realize if they want to make a move with Vokoun for some draft picks or maybe even a second-line scoring center with that and go with prospect Jacob Markstrom or possibly get a trade involved with Detroit for youngster goalie, Jimmy Howard, and build around him.