Roundtable: Active teams at NHL trade deadline; Shesterkin’s Hart Trophy case

Which team(s) should be most desperate to be active ahead of the March 21 NHL trade deadline?

Adam Gretz, NHL writer: The Toronto Maple Leafs need to be at the top of this list. Not only because they have to do something significant in the playoffs (like winning at least a round) to not be labeled as total failures, but also because they have some major holes on their roster, especially right now in net. They are not a bad team by any means, but that goaltending has to be a question mark and a concern and no matter what they are going to be facing a really tough opponent in the First Round. This core can not go a sixth consecutive year without winning a round in the playoffs.

Along those same lines, Edmonton should be in that desperate category as well. They can not keep wasting the prime years of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, and they are not even a lock to make the playoffs at this point. The only problem is I am not sure how desperate Ken Holland is to make the necessary moves to address their many issues at forward, on defense, and in goal.

Jake Abrahams, Managing Editor, NHL content: Colorado. It may seem like this team has years of contention ahead of it, but examining their cap situation I wonder if the Avs will ever have a better chance than this season. Their pending UFAs have over 150 points and their starting goalie facing unrestricted free agency, and there’s no way they can keep all of those players for their current cumulative price. Factor in that Nathan MacKinnon is going to be eligible for a monster extension this summer, and there will be an inevitable squeeze, perhaps as soon as this offseason. The Josh Manson deal is a start, but it shouldn’t be the end for Joe Sakic. He should exhaust every