This is the 12th edition of theScore's NHL Power Rankings for the 2021-22 campaign. Check back for updated rankings every second Monday during the regular season.

In this edition, we grant each team a wish ahead of the March 21 trade deadline.

1. Florida Panthers (40-13-6)

Previous rank: 4th

Win the Jakob Chychrun sweepstakes. The Panthers' defense can be suspect at times, but landing the Boca Raton native to anchor their second pairing would be a perfect match.

2. Carolina Hurricanes (41-13-5)

Previous rank: 2nd

A right-winger. The Hurricanes are set down the middle of their lineup but lack threats on the right side. They would cost a pretty penny, but there are plenty of options. Guys like Brock Boeser, Rickard Rakell, and Conor Garland are available and would make Carolina's forward group absolutely lethal.

3. Colorado Avalanche (42-13-5)

Previous rank: 1st

Claude Giroux. The Avalanche are hopeful that captain Gabriel Landeskog can return from a knee injury by playoffs, but any time without their leading goal-scorer will hurt. Picking up Giroux would surely soften the blow.

4. Calgary Flames (36-16-7)

Previous rank: 5th

Some insurance depth. The Flames have a packed schedule to close out the season, and injuries and fatigue are likely to pile up. The team is loaded throughout the lineup, but adding a couple of guys who could step up when needed could go a long way.

5. Tampa Bay Lightning (38-15-6)

Previous rank: 3rd

A physical, defensive forward. The Lightning lost their hard-checking trio of Yanni Gourde, Blake Coleman, and Barclay Goodrow last offseason. Tampa hasn't struggled much without them, but grit can go a long way in the playoffs. The Bolts can replicate that line's success by picking up a hard-nosed player who's difficult to compete against.

6. New York Rangers (37-17-5)

Previous rank: 7th

A winger who can score. The Rangers' depth on the wing is a weakness for them this season. New York controls less than 50% of the expected goals and scoring chances at five-on-five, so adding a dynamic winger who can light the lamp would help address that sore spot.

7. Pittsburgh Penguins (36-15-9)

Previous rank: 8th

A clear mind for netminder Tristan Jarry, who has rebounded spectacularly from last season's playoff catastrophe. Penguins general manager Ron Hextall sounds like he isn't rushing to make a major addition at the deadline. If he isn't actively seeking an upgrade on backup Casey DeSmith, Pittsburgh will need Jarry to continue to erase any memory of last year's mental block from his psyche.

8. Boston Bruins (36-18-5)

Previous rank: 10th

The Bruins seem to have found a recipe for success with their forward combinations at the moment, but injecting some talent couldn't hurt. Bringing in a stud center like Giroux or Tomas Hertl to anchor the team's second line would be nightmarish for playoff opponents.

9. Toronto Maple Leafs (37-17-5)

Previous rank: 6th

Goaltender Petr Mrazek proving himself this week. Both he and Jack Campbell have struggled severely this winter. Campbell is sidelined with a rib injury, and the Maple Leafs better hope Mrazek can turn things around so they can fully set their sights on bolstering their defense corps by deadline day.

10. Washington Capitals (32-18-10)

Previous rank: 13th

Land Marc-Andre Fleury and Calvin de Haan from the Blackhawks. The Capitals have two needs: a goaltender and a left-shooting defenseman. Why not kill two birds with one stone?

11. St. Louis Blues (34-17-8)

Previous rank: 9th

A top-four, left-shooting defenseman. The Blues are deep up front and have a solid tandem between the pipes, but they could use one more blue-liner to round out a top four that already features Colton Parayko, Justin Faulk, and Torey Krug.

12. Nashville Predators (34-21-4)

Previous rank: 14th

An extension for Filip Forsberg. The Predators aren't trying to move the pending UFA ahead of the deadline, so getting the Swedish sniper signed before March 21 should be Nashville's top priority.

13. Minnesota Wild (34-20-4)

Previous rank: 11th

A goaltending fix. The Wild were one of the league's hottest teams in the first half of the season, but they've stumbled lately. A big reason is Cam Talbot and Kaapo Kahkonen's instability in net. Minnesota has allowed 69 goals in its last 15 games, which isn't going to fly if it wants to be a legit Cup contender.

14. Los Angeles Kings (33-20-8)

Previous rank: 12th

Acquire a player with term. The Kings are playing surprisingly well this season but boast one of the league's deepest prospect pools. The club can take a huge step in the next year or two when some of their youngsters jump to the NHL, so acquiring a non-rental player makes the most sense.

15. Edmonton Oilers (32-23-4)

Previous rank: 15th

A starting goalie. Sure, the Oilers' options will be limited, and they'll have some competition given the number of teams in need of help in the crease. However, Edmonton needs an upgrade from Mikko Koskinen and Mike Smith.

16. Dallas Stars (32-22-3)

Previous rank: 17th

Reach a resolution with John Klingberg. Miro Heiskanen is out indefinitely, so it seems the Stars may hold onto Klingberg. Without an extension in place, it means Dallas is taking a chance at going on an unlikely playoff run and potentially losing the blue-liner for nothing in the summer. Even with Heiskanen out, it might still be worthwhile to shop him.

17. Vancouver Canucks (29-24-7)

Previous rank: 18th

A team to pony up for J.T. Miller, Brock Boeser, or Conor Garland. The Canucks don't have to trade any of them since all three have terms. But if a contender steps up with an offer centered around a promising, young defenseman, it could be highly beneficial for Vancouver's future.

18. Winnipeg Jets (27-23-10)

Previous rank: 21st

A king's ransom for Andrew Copp. The versatile Jets forward could be plugged in anywhere into a contending team's lineup and make an immediate impact. In the past two years, Blake Coleman got the Devils a top prospect and a first-round pick, and Barclay Goodrow netted the Sharks a first-round pick as well. If the Jets deal Copp, the return should be somewhere around there.

19. Vegas Golden Knights (32-25-4)

Previous rank: 16th

Injury clarifications. If Mark Stone returns from long-term injured reserve before the playoffs, the Golden Knights will need to move some money out. Robin Lehner's health could be an even bigger concern. Vegas should be in the market for a goalie if the netminder is projected to miss significant time.

20. Columbus Blue Jackets (30-27-3)

Previous rank: 20th

A deal that reaps a similar haul to last season's Nick Foligno trade. The Blue Jackets ran away with the Maple Leafs' 2021 first-round pick and a fourth-round selection in 2022 in exchange for the veteran's services. Columbus has quite a few players who could be on the move.

21. Anaheim Ducks (27-25-10)

Previous rank: 19th

Massive hauls for Hampus Lindholm, Josh Manson, and Rakell. The Ducks aren't far from contending again, and fetching huge returns for pending UFAs will speed up the rebuild. Ideally, they could bring one of them back this summer in free agency.

22. San Jose Sharks (26-25-7)

Previous rank: 23rd

A team-friendly extension for Hertl. The pending UFA forward would've been the Sharks' only high-end trade chip, but they're looking to lock him up instead. Anything under $8 million per season would be a huge win for San Jose.

23. New York Islanders (24-24-8)

Previous rank: 24th

A strong market for Semyon Varlamov. Ilya Sorokin has established himself as the Islanders' goalie of the present and future. Dealing Varlamov could net some valuable assets and create much-needed cap space for next season.

24. Detroit Red Wings (24-28-7)

Previous rank: 22nd

A team to overpay for Nick Leddy. Veteran defensemen like Leddy are always a hot commodity come deadline time. A first-round pick may be greedy, but a second-rounder and promising prospect would be a nice return for the Red Wings.

25. Chicago Blackhawks (22-30-8)

Previous rank: 26th

For Fleury to expand his list of teams he'd be willing to accept a trade to. The veteran netminder has a 10-team no-trade list in his contract, but all reports have indicated that Chicago won't move him somewhere he doesn't want to go. However, the more clubs Fleury is willing to play for, the more the Blackhawks will receive for the 37-year-old.

26. New Jersey Devils (22-32-5)

Previous rank: 27th

A trade partner for P.K. Subban. The Devils aren't looking to extend the pending unrestricted free-agent defenseman. New Jersey will likely have to retain some of his $9-million cap hit in any deal, but it might not have to lose him for nothing.

27. Ottawa Senators (21-32-5)

Previous rank: 25th

Determine Erik Brannstrom and Victor Mete's futures. The young defensemen are pending RFAs, so the clock isn't ticking yet. However, now could be a good time to trade one or both of the blue-liners if the Senators don't see them being a part of the team's future.

28. Buffalo Sabres (20-32-8)

Previous rank: 29th

Load up on even more draft picks. The Sabres have three selections in the opening round of this year's draft, but they likely won't be able to add another with who they can offer in trades. Colin Miller is Buffalo's most attractive option, but overall it doesn't have many rentals who would fetch much more than middle-round picks.

29. Montreal Canadiens (16-35-8)

Previous rank: 31st

A hungry market for Ben Chiarot. The Canadiens are reportedly looking to land, at the very least, a first-round draft pick for the sturdy defenseman, but teams are apparently not as willing to put up their assets as much as they've been in the past. Habs fans can only hope the deadline pressure makes an opposing GM give in.

30. Philadelphia Flyers (18-30-11)

Previous rank: 28th

A nice landing spot for Giroux. The Flyers are spiraling. The best thing the team can do for their beloved captain is to send him to a contender, hopefully after he plays his 1,000th game with the franchise, which he can do on March 17. Of course, Philadelphia should also wish it'll net an excellent return for his services.

31. Arizona Coyotes (18-36-4)

Previous rank: 32nd

A healthy Chychrun. The young defenseman exited Saturday's contest against the Bruins with a lower-body injury. The Coyotes better keep their fingers crossed that their most coveted trade piece isn't seriously harmed.

32. Seattle Kraken (18-37-6)

Previous rank: 30th

A bidding war for Mark Giordano. The Kraken's farm system is obviously weak given their brief existence, so GM Ron Francis needs to get some promising futures for his most valuable rental asset.

(Analytics sources: Evolving Hockey, Natural Stat Trick)

Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Toronto Maple Leafs superstar Auston Matthews will have a hearing with the NHL Department of Player Safety on Monday for cross-checking Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin during Sunday's Heritage Classic.

Matthews caught Dahlin in the neck area with a cross-check as the two players battled in the Buffalo crease.

"You're just battling in front of the net," Matthews said postgame, according to ESPN's Kristen Shilton. "I felt like I kind of rode up his shoulder and his shoulder pack rolled up a little bit. That's hockey; you're competing out there."

Matthews has never been fined or suspended over his six-year career and was a finalist for the Lady Byng Trophy in each of the past two campaigns. He leads the NHL with 45 goals in 56 games this season.

Dahlin, who leads all Sabres defensemen with 37 points in 58 games this season, remained in the contest.

Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We're down to just over a week before the 2021-22 NHL trade deadline, and it's shaping up to be a compelling one. There are some tantalizing possibilities with plenty of big names and skilled players on the block.

While some of these scenarios may not come to fruition, here are five moves that'd be satisfying to see put into motion before March 21:

Avalanche grab Giroux

This one is actually conceivable, and the Colorado Avalanche should make it a priority. Claude Giroux would make that explosive club even more of a matchup nightmare, and with Gabriel Landeskog likely out until at least the start of the playoffs, Giroux is the best option to fill the void because he's proficient at playing on the wing and at center.

Colorado could offer a first-round pick in the 2023 draft, a defensive prospect like Drew Helleson or Justin Barron, and a roster player like J.T. Compher, who'd be expendable with Giroux's arrival. The Philadelphia Flyers could retain half of Giroux's salary in addition to Compher's full contract to even out the money.

We'd be remiss not to mention Giroux's no-movement clause and his career-long tenure with the Flyers. But if he and Philadelphia's brass agree that a change of scenery is the right course of action, Giroux would surely approve a blockbuster trade to the perennial Stanley Cup hopefuls in Denver.

Panthers haul in Hertl

The Florida Panthers are one of several teams - including the Avalanche - reportedly interested in Giroux, but it'd be more fun (and make more sense) for them to snag Tomas Hertl if he's available. The Panthers have an even more productive offense than the Avalanche (they're ranked first and second in the NHL, respectively), so adding a forward who's younger than Giroux and on a 30-goal pace would make the league's most high-flying club even more dangerous.

Of course, the San Jose Sharks may not trade Hertl if they can sign him to a contract extension before the deadline, and the Czech center said March 1 that talks were "positive." But if the Sharks can't secure his services beyond this season, it'd be in their best interests to get something for him before the deadline. The Panthers don't have a pick for the first two rounds of the draft this year, but they have all of their 2023 selections and a couple of good prospects to dangle in a potential swap.

Hertl would give Florida a major upgrade up the middle and turn its solid power play into an elite one. The Sharks have enough cap space to retain some of his salary and take back another roster player in a trade. The 28-year-old may stay in the Bay Area, but this would be a truly enjoyable outcome if he doesn't.

Oilers fetch Fleury

If Marc-Andre Fleury decides he wants to go to a contender, there'll be plenty of competition to lure him away from the Chicago Blackhawks. While the Washington Capitals probably make the most sense for the veteran goaltender, the Edmonton Oilers would be a far more entertaining destination. Mike Smith and Mikko Koskinen won't cut it in the playoffs, and it'd be a shame to see the peak years of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl continue to be wasted.

So what can Edmonton offer to get it done? Chicago will want a first-round pick considering it'd be parting with the best available goalie. Given the uncertainty about his future, the price may not be as high as it'd be for others on the market, but Edmonton would have to at least include a decent prospect - like forward Xavier Bourgault or defenseman Dmitri Samorukov, who's been one of general manager Ken Holland's best trade chips for a while.

The Blackhawks would have to retain a portion of Fleury's $7-million cap hit. If they kept 50%, the Oilers could balance the books by sending a roster player like Zack Kassian ($3.2 million), though Chicago might be reluctant to take a fourth-liner under contract through 2023-24. The Oilers shouldn't go overboard to obtain a netminder who could bolt to free agency or retire at season's end, but they have a glaring need that Fleury's addition would immediately address. Edmonton, Fleury himself, and the hockey world as a whole would all be better off for it.

Capitals reunite with Holtby

The Dallas Stars are still in the hunt for a playoff spot, but Jake Oettinger is the club's present and future in the crease. Having two proven goalies is an advantage during a postseason push, but Stars backup Braden Holtby has value as a pending unrestricted free agent with experience who's playing reasonably well. Dallas also has depth at the position with Anton Khudobin waiting to slide back into the No. 2 role, so the team would be dealing from a position of relative strength.

If the Stars fall out of the race or choose to get something in return for Holtby rather than risk losing him for nothing in the summer, what better landing spot would there be than the Capitals? Washington needs a better backup goalie, and Holtby's done well enough in basically a 40/60 split with Oettinger recently that he could fulfill the same role with Vitek Vanecek while Ilya Samsonov figures out his game in the AHL.

Holtby spent the first decade of his 12-year career with the Capitals and helped them win the Stanley Cup in 2018. He has a team-friendly cap hit of $2 million. Washington is up against the cap ceiling, but it wouldn't be hard to make room for that amount by sending some salary the other way in addition to an asset. Given the Stars' surplus in goal and the Capitals' need, this reunion makes sense and needs to happen.

Maple Leafs land Giordano

Another grizzled vet who's still contributing is Mark Giordano, the former Calgary Flames captain who now wears the "C" for the Seattle Kraken. We know Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas would prefer to add players with term over rentals, but there are several reasons they should reel in this pending UFA.

The Maple Leafs have to address their goaltending, but they also need stability on defense. Despite being 38 years old, Giordano is still playing well at both ends with favorable underlying numbers considering how bad the Kraken are. The rearguard is logging over 21 minutes per game, and he'd solidify Toronto's second pairing. He hails from Ontario's capital, and Dubas has known Kraken GM Ron Francis for his entire life.

There will be younger options on the market, but they'll likely cost more in terms of assets. Giordano's cap hit is a hurdle, but not if the Kraken and Leafs find a third team with cap space to help pull it off. He has a modified no-trade clause, but between the homecoming angle and his pursuit of the Stanley Cup in his 16th season (if Toronto can win a playoff round, that is), this would be a desirable trade for both Giordano and the hockey world at large.

(Salary source: CapFriendly)

Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy had to be taken off the ice on a stretcher after Ottawa Senators forward Parker Kelly hit him hard into the boards from behind early in Saturday's game.

The officials handed Kelly a five-minute major for boarding. Murphy gave a thumbs-up as he was being taken off.

Murphy entered Saturday's matchup ranking second on the Blackhawks in average ice time at 22:08. The soon-to-be 29-year-old has played all but three of Chicago's games this season, posting four goals and six assists.

Kelly was playing just his 26th NHL game and his 25th in 2021-22. The 22-year-old has split the campaign between the Senators and their AHL affiliate in Belleville.

Blackhawks forward Tyler Johnson later left Saturday's contest to enter concussion protocol. Chicago captain Jonathan Toews also took several punches to the head in a fight with Zach Sanford in the first period, not long after the veteran center missed more than a month with a concussion of his own. However, he appeared no worse for wear when he scored twice in under two minutes at the start of the second frame.

Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Edmonton Oilers forward Josh Archibald and defenseman Tyson Barrie are expected to be in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, the team announced.

The Oilers activated Archibald from long-term injured reserve and removed Barrie from injured reserve on Saturday afternoon.

Archibald has yet to play this season due to myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle, after contracting COVID-19. Oilers general manager Ken Holland confirmed in September that Archibald was unvaccinated.

"I think (Archibald) can help our team win a game here," head coach Jay Woodcroft said Saturday, according to The Athletic's Daniel Nugent-Bowman. "That's what we're all about."

Woodcroft told reporters Archibald currently can't play games outside of Alberta because of his vaccination status and would have to drive to play the Flames in Calgary.

Barrie, meanwhile, suffered an upper-body injury against the Chicago Blackhawks on March 3 and has missed the Oilers' last three games.

Archibald is projected to play on the fourth line alongside Zack Kassian and Brad Malone. Barrie is expected to slot in on Edmonton's third defensive pairing with Philip Broberg.

Archibald, 29, has 39 goals and 31 assists in 235 NHL games.

Barrie, 30, has three goals and 20 assists in 49 contests this season while averaging 19 minutes of ice time a night.

Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Colorado Avalanche signed goaltender Pavel Francouz to a two-year extension, the team announced Saturday.

The deal carries an average annual value of $2 million, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

Francouz has done an admirable job this season after missing the first 24 games on injured reserve. He owns a .920 save percentage and 2.46 goals against average to go along with a sterling 10-3-1 record.

The 31-year-old was set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason.

"Pavel is an important component to our goaltending tandem and someone we have full trust in to be a key piece of our team going forward," general manager Joe Sakic said in a statement. "He has showed tremendous perseverance and dedication in overcoming the challenges and injuries he has faced."

Francouz missed the entirety of the 2020-21 campaign after undergoing double-hip surgery.

He has spent his entire 50-game NHL career as a member of the Avalanche and has a career save percentage of .923.

Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog will undergo knee surgery Monday and will be out indefinitely, Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar announced Saturday, according to The Athletic's Peter Baugh.

Bednar said the team is "hoping" to have the forward back for the beginning of the playoffs, but his availability won't be clear until after the surgery. The ailment is not ACL-related.

"Hopefully, he'll be available for us for the stretch line, but he's going to miss some time," he said. "It's something going on with his knee that's been bothering him for a while. It was getting worse."

Bednar added that defenseman Samuel Girard will miss four weeks.

Landeskog, 29, leads all Avalanche skaters with 30 goals in 51 games this season. Girard, 23, ranks third among Colorado blue-liners with 27 points in 56 contests.

Here's how the Avalanche's lineup looked without the duo during Saturday's practice:

Colorado currently leads the NHL with 87 points and sits atop the Central Division with a 41-13-5 record.

Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.