Countdown to TradeCentre: Will Klingberg stay off the market?

The NHL's Mar. 21 Trade Deadline is approaching and teams are making decisions on whether to buy, sell and decide which players can make the biggest difference and hold the greatest value. Check out today's trade rumours and speculation from around the NHL beat. And follow TradeCentre on TSN and TSN.ca through Deadline Day for all the updates.

After a slow start, the Dallas Stars have moved back within striking distance of a playoff spot and may elect to stand pat, or even add at the deadline.

Front and centre of the Stars deadline plans is defenceman John Klingberg, who TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun reports has requested a trade. Klingberg, a pending unrestricted free agent, is listed at No. 5 on TSN Hockey's Trade Bait List, but Stars general manager Jim Nill is in no rush to deal the 29-year-old.

“We’ve had open dialogue with John and his representatives,” Nill told LeBrun in The Athletic. “In the end, the best thing is, and we’ve talked about this, is just ‘John, go play some good hockey and good things are going to happen. We’ll figure things out.’ I fully understand their position. They know our position. But the bottom line is if John plays well and the team has success, things will look after themselves. That’s kind of where we’re at.’’

Klingberg has one goal and 26 points in 42 games this season after posting a goal and 36 points in 53 games last season. He carries a cap hit of $4.25 million for the remainder of this year.

LeBrun notes that if the Stars, who currently sit three points back of the Los Angeles Kings for the final wild-card spot with a game in hand, continue rising, the team may elect to keep Klingberg as an 'own rental.'

Nill, meanwhile, intends to continue to weigh the team's success over the