Matching one player with every NHL team ahead of March 7 trade deadline

Anaheim Ducks | Bowen Byram (Buffalo defenseman)

The Ducks improved play lately might have them considering a trade-deadline addition. If anything, they should consider consolidating some of their many defensemen prospects and acquiring a player ready to sign a long-term deal.

Boston Bruins | Tage Thompson (Buffalo center)

It's not yet clear what the Sabres have in mind after yet another lost season. Boston really only has one path forward to re-opening its contender window: acquiring a true top center. 

Buffalo Sabres | Simon Nemec (New Jersey defenseman)

The Devils are loaded defensively, and there's a question of whether or not it makes sense to cash chips in on a prospect such as Nemec sooner than later for a win-now team. Buffalo has a surplus of left-handed defenseman, but it is shallow on the right. 

Calgary Flames | Ivan Provorov (Columbus defenseman)

Calgary acquired forwards Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee from Philadelphia, but adding a defenseman who can add offensive punch on the back end wouldn't hurt. The problem, in this case, is Provorov's expiring contract. 

Carolina Hurricanes | Brock Nelson (New York Islanders center)

There probably isn't a player more useful for Carolina than the No. 2 center on the division rival Islanders. The Canes have lacked a true center for their second line since Vincent Trocheck signed with the New York Rangers.

Chicago Blackhawks | Erik Gustaffson | Defenseman 

In a theoretical Seth Jones deal, Chicago could bring back a player it is intimately familiar with in Gustaffson — either to play him on a team desperately in need of help scoring or to launder him somewhere else for assets. 

Colorado Avalanche | Rickard Rakell (Pittsburgh center/winger)

Pickings are slim when looking at the center market. Rakell is playing at a 35-goal pace, is signed for two additional years and didn't look out of place playing big minutes for Sweden at the 4 Nations Face-Off. 

Columbus Blue Jackets | Ryan O'Reilly (Nashville center)

Nashville has said that O'Reilly will be dealt only if that's what O'Reilly wants. The Blue Jackets likely won't be engaged buyers at the deadline, but they could use a boost in on-ice leadership and two-way commitment down the middle following a lengthy injury absence for star center Sean Monahan. 

Dallas Stars | Noah Dobson (New York Islanders defenseman)

Dallas could use help on the right side of its defense, which doesn't look championship caliber. The Islanders have been connected to a potential Dobson deal, though it seems unlikely old-school GM Lou Lamoriello would be interested in a futures package. 

Detroit Red Wings | Seth Jones (Chicago defenseman)

One of the few teams that can even fit Jones' contract on its cap sheet, Detroit could likely make this move without giving up as much value. Part of the appeal is Jones likely wouldn't be tasked with playing a lot of minutes in Detroit.

Edmonton Oilers | Andrew Mangiapane (Washington winger)

If Washington wants to take a big swing in what could be Alex Ovechkin's final chance at a Stanley Cup, losing Mangiapane's ill-fitting salary ($5.8 million) on its fourth line would be the way to do it. Mangiapane is intimately familiar with the province of Alberta following his time in Calgary, and the familiarity could help restart his career. 

Florida Panthers | Connor Murphy (Chicago defenseman)

Few contenders have a bigger need on the right side than Florida. It is low on assets, but if the Panthers want a manageable contract with term remaining that doesn't require them to send a player back the other direction, Murphy is probably their best shot. 

Los Angeles Kings | Jared McCann (Seattle center/winger)

The Kings don't need a center, but McCann can play it in a pinch and isn't a rental. More importantly, he can add depth scoring to a lineup that desperately needs it. 

Minnesota Wild | Jimmy Vesey (New York Rangers winger)

Minnesota's challenge, as always, is about cap space. Adding a fourth- line winger with scoring upside adds to its scoring depth but also allows the Wild to take young center Marat Khusnutdinov out of the lineup.

Montreal Canadiens | Viktor Arvidsson (Edmonton winger)

It hasn't been a banner season for the undersized goal scorer (5-foot-10, 185 pounds). If Edmonton is looking to move money from its books for a bigger acquisition, Arvidsson would be a relatively low-risk gamble with one more year attached to his $4M-per-season contract. 

Nashville Predators | Casey Mittelstadt (Colorado center)

This season hasn't gone the way Colorado or Mittelstadt want, but the Avalanche are still contenders. If they need cap space, dumping Mittlestadt's $5.75M hit for the next two seasons on a Nashville team that would value him as a high-upside reclamation project is worth the mutual risk. 

New Jersey Devils | Brayden Schenn (St, Louis center)

This deal would not work without salary going out, but the injury to star two-way centerman Nico Hischier has shown the Devils will need another legit middle-six center to support their stars down the middle. A deep run for a team with high aspirations may depend on a move for an experienced center such as Schenn.

New York Islanders | Jesperi Kotkaniemi (Carolina center)

Realistically, this team shouldn't be buying at the deadline. But, if the Islanders open up cap space by selling rentals, taking a gamble on a defensively responsible player who is signed long term at a reasonable cap hit ($4.82M) isn't the worst move to make. This deal feels unlikely unless Carolina is going big-game hunting and must get cap space. 

New York Rangers | Ryan McLeod (Buffalo center)

Buffalo isn't going to trade all three of its top centers, but it's not out of the question it could trade one, so pending restricted free agent McLeod is the top contender. A speedy two-way forward with some offensive pop in his game, McLeod would be an asset to a Rangers team that desperately needs depth down the middle if center Mika Zibanejad is moving to wing. 

Ottawa Senators | Yanni Gourde (Seattle center/winger)

Ottawa's talented center corps continues to deal with injury issues — not unlike the rest of the team. With an offense sputtering lately, perhaps an addition of a defense-first forward would allow the Senators to deploy more of their offensive talent at the top of the lineup. 

Philadelphia Flyers | Stuart Skinner (Edmonton goalie)

The Flyers need help everywhere but especially at goaltender, where a Skinner cap dump could make them a useful match. Skinner had an uneven run in the playoffs last season, and despite his upside may not be the right choice for an Edmonton team with Stanley Cup aspirations. 

Pittsburgh Penguins | Spencer Knight (Florida goalie)

For rebuilding teams, cap dumps are a chance to rehabilitate a distressed asset and add value. Knight has played better this season, but a big question remains: Can a win-now Florida team afford a $4.5M-per-season backup goaltender? 

San Jose Sharks | Mathew Dumba (Dallas defenseman)

There's basically nothing San Jose should be buying at this point. Assisting a buyer with a cap dump is probably their only major use at this season's trade deadline.

Seattle Kraken | Alex Turcotte (Los Angeles center/winger)

The Kraken, realistically, won't be buying. They do, however, have a penchant for collecting first-round picks who have flamed out elsewhere. 

St. Louis Blues | Dawson Mercer (New Jersey center/winger)

The Blues should continue trying to collect current prime-aged players who might need larger roles to really break out — players who fit the mold of the two restricted free agents they poached from Edmonton last summer (Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg). 

Tampa Bay Lightning | Oliver Bjorkstrand (Seattle winger)

Tampa could use additional five-on-five scoring punch. With an additional year on his contract, Bjorkstrand fits the mold of players the Lightning have acquired at the deadline — players who aren't pure rentals.

Toronto Maple Leafs | Brandon Tanev (Seattle winger)

Toronto acquiring Christopher Tanev's younger brother as a physical, speedy forechecker to wear down opposition defensemen could be the perfect formula for a deep playoff run. The question is whether Toronto could extend his expiring contract.

Utah Hockey Club | Elias Pettersson (Vancouver center)

Whatever is wrong with Pettersson's game, it doesn't look like it will be solved in Vancouver. Perhaps a fresh start in a market starved for a superstar will do the trick.  

Vancouver Canucks | Barrett Hayton (Utah center)

Hayton is finally beginning to show the upside that made him the fifth selection in the 2018 NHL Draft. He likely wouldn't be a centerpiece in a deal for forward Elias Pettersson, but he could be a significant piece.  

Vegas Golden Knights | Reilly Smith (New York Rangers winger)

The Knights could go bigger with the cap space opened up because of Shea Theodore's injury, but bringing back one of their original "Misfits" who helped them win their first Stanley Cup will likely have in-market appeal. Plus, as a depth add on an expiring contract, Smith likely won't be overly expensive to acquire.

Washington Capitals | Ryan Lindgren (New York Rangers defenseman)

Realistically, the Capitals are probably not going to be overly involved in the deadline market. This trade feels unlikely — especially if these teams wind up on a course to play each other in the postseason.  

Winnipeg Jets | Dylan Cozens (Buffalo center)

This is the type of swing-for-the-fences move the Jets should make. Their team structure, defense and goaltending are off-the-charts good, but they need a second-line center to compete in the playoffs. The gamble here is that Cozens, signed for five more years at $7.1M per year, has struggled for more than a full season. That, however, may be the cost of doing business in a market that struggles to attract top free agents.