Western Conference: which players could be on the move?

ESPN.com’s Scott Burnside takes a look at 12 pending free agents from the Western Conference that could change teams before the February 26 trade deadline.

Mathieu Garon, Edmonton Oilers ($1 million next season}
Edmonton GM Kevin Lowe will have a hard time finding a taker for goalie Dwayne Roloson, who is due $3 million next season, but he might have an easier time moving Garon, who has supplanted Roloson as the starter in Edmonton. Garon has been sensational in the shootout (he’s an unbelievable 8-0-0) and has a respectable 2.53 goals-against average and .914 save percentage. Would Garon give the Caps enough of an upgrade to get into the postseason? What about as a backup to workhorse Evgeni Nabokov in San Jose, where the Sharks need a long playoff run? If the Rangers make the playoffs, Garon might be a nice safety net for Henrik Lundqvist.

Joni Pitkanen, Edmonton Oilers (restricted free agent}
Hall of Fame hockey writer Jim Matheson recently compared Pitkanen to Florida stud Jay Bouwmeester. Pitkanen is a Finn, not a Canadian, and got a bad rap in Philadelphia before being dealt to the Oilers in the offseason. Can the Oil afford him, especially if teams will be looking for a little payback on GM Kevin Lowe with an offer sheet in the offseason? If Lowe thinks rookie Tim Gilbert is the puck-moving defenseman of the future, he might be tempted to move him. Pitkanen won’t be cheap, though.

Rob Blake, Los Angeles Kings (unrestricted free agent}
The big veteran has a no-trade clause but is believed to be willing to waive it under the right circumstances. He was hoping to be part of a renaissance in Los Angeles, but the Kings are among the NHL’s worst teams. So Blake might be happy to give it one more go somewhere else. If Colorado moves defenseman John-Michael Liles, Blake could return to Colorado, where he won a Cup in 2001. The New York Rangers will also be interested in shoring up their blue line.

John-Michael Liles, Colorado Avalanche (unrestricted free agent}
Liles has a lot of upside as a puck-moving defenseman, but it appears the Avs won’t be looking to re-sign him, so he’ll likely be on the move. Liles might be the kind of defenseman who could help a team like Chicago over the long term if they thought they could lock him up.

Ryan Suter, Nashville Predators (restricted free agent}
Suter, the seventh overall pick in the 2003 draft, may have taken a little longer to mature, but he’s maturing rapidly and would be an attractive target for a GM thinking of making an offer sheet in the offseason. GM David Poile has said he will sign the team’s top four restricted free agents — Suter, Shea Weber, Jordin Tootoo and Martin Erat — but if the moribund franchise doesn’t hit the revenue-sharing triggers because of soft attendance, it may not have the cash. That would again force Poile into a position in which he might have to move top-level talent.

Shea Weber, Nashville Predators (restricted free agent}
See above, although Weber is the far more attractive prospect because of his size and booming shot and will (should) be priority re-signing No. 1 for the Predators.

Brad Stuart, Los Angeles Kings (unrestricted free agent}
Once upon a time, the third overall pick in the 1998 entry draft was considered one of the cornerstones of the San Jose Sharks’ blue line. Dealt to Boston in the Joe Thornton deal, Stuart didn’t fit in Boston, or later in Calgary, and has languished like many of the Kings in Los Angeles. He is minus-14 and has just four goals. Still, he has tools and could help fill out a playoff roster for the Rangers or even in San Jose, where coach Ron Wilson is familiar with Stuart’s abilities.

Martin Lapointe, Chicago Blackhawks, RW (unrestricted free agent}
Lapointe has been a great presence in the Chicago dressing room, but he really doesn’t fit in the team’s rebuilding and it has Kevyn Adams (albeit injured) to fill the role of the character leader/defensive specialist. Still, Lapointe is as tough as they come and could be a nice addition to a Stanley Cup-caliber team. Lapointe’s old team, Detroit, might be interested, or Ottawa given it was pushed around by Anaheim in last season’s Cup finals.

Sergei Fedorov, Columbus Blue Jackets, C (unrestricted free agent}
One of the more enigmatic players in the league, the former MVP and three-time Cup winner (all with the Red Wings) is on the down side of a Hall of Fame career. But he will still be enticing to a number of clubs looking for offensive depth, including the Ottawa Senators (GM Bryan Murray had Fedorov in Anaheim), or back in Detroit, where he is a known quantity.

Michael Peca, Columbus Blue Jackets, C (unrestricted free agent}
If the Blue Jackets are serious about re-signing veteran defenseman and captain Adam Foote, it might make Peca more expendable as Columbus moves into a summer where it is expected to be active on the free-agent market. Peca was a key part of the Edmonton Oilers’ run to the 2006 Stanley Cup finals and would be a nice addition to a team like Ottawa or Detroit. Could the Buffalo Sabres use a little leadership right about now? Um, yes.

Ladislav Nagy, Los Angeles Kings, LW (unrestricted free agent}
The enigmatic Slovak will likely be looking at his fourth NHL home since the start of last season, having been in Phoenix, Dallas and now Los Angeles. Nagy has never produced at a level his talent suggests; the trend has continued this season as he has nine goals in 38 games. Ottawa and Colorado are looking for scoring depth, but Nagy won’t command the first-round draft pick Phoenix was able to coax out of Dallas a season ago.

J.P. Dumont, Nashville Predators, RW (unrestricted free agent}
Dumont presents another interesting dilemma for Poile. Poile has a passel of restricted free agents to sign before next season and Dumont entered the break with a 14-game points streak as the Preds have climbed back to the edge of the playoff bubble. Poile would like to sign Dumont, who turns 30 in April; but does Dumont want to stick around a team that has a limited future in Nashville? Buffalo would sure love to have Dumont back, as would any team looking for offensive help that won’t break the salary-cap or assets bank.