Do the Vancouver Canucks hang on to backup goaltender Cory Schneider as insurance for the playoffs? Or do they trade him before the February 27 trade deadline to bolster their top-two lines or blueline? Their decision could prove to be pivotal in whether or not the Canucks win the Stanley Cup this season.

Ed Willes of the Vancouver Province makes a case for trading Schneider because his value on the trade market is “considerably higher” than his value to the Canucks.

Aside from being considered the best backup in the NHL having accumulated a 27-9-2, a save percentage around 0.930, and a goals-against average below 2.30 over the past two years, he only earns $900K this season.

SportsNet’s Mark Spector is on the same page, saying that current Canucks starter Roberto Luongo is more than capable of leading the club to the promised land and they don’t require to have the best backup in the League and its “most valuable trade asset” riding the bench.

The Vancouver Sun’s Cam Cole speculates that if the Canucks were to ship Schneider, it would be to an Eastern Conference team. Potential trading partners may include the New Jersey Devils (to replace soon-to-be 40-year-old Marty Brodeur), Washington Capitals (where Thomas Vokoun is struggling), and Toronto Maple Leafs (where James Reimer and Jonas Gustavsson have been inconsistent). However, the chances of prying away a power-forward or a top-four defenseman from any of those teams is highly unlikely.

Columbus Blue Jackets forward Rick Nash. Photo courtesy Flickr user bridgetds.

Spector suggests the Canucks should investigate the possibility of acquiring Rick Nash of the Columbus Blue Jackets, Andrew Ladd of the Winnipeg Jets, Kyle Okposo of the New York Islanders, or Ryan Malone and a blueliner from the Tampa Bay Lightning in a deal revolving around Schneider.

Willes lists the trades of Dallas Stars backup Mike Smith for Lightning forward Brad Richards and the Montreal Canadiens dealing Jaroslav Halak to the St. Louis Blues for first round draft pick Lars Eller as perhaps the type of players a package centered around Schneider could garner the Canucks.

Anaheim Ducks forward Corey Perry. Photo courtesy Flickr user bridgetds.

Jason Botchford of the Vancouver Province analyzed a rumor that originated on an Internet message board and made the rounds during the All Star break. Word was that the Canucks were preparing to send Cory Schneider, forward Mason Raymond, defenseman Keith Ballard, and perhaps a third-round pick to the Anaheim Ducks for 50-goal scorer Corey Perry. Like all message board rumors, it fizzled. It never made any sense to begin with. The Canucks get the best player in the deal. The Ducks get Schneider and spare parts. Don’t think so.

Still, Ben Kuzma of The Vancouver Province speculates that the Canucks are showcasing Schneider by playing him important games like in the Stanley Cup Finals rematch against the Boston Bruins January 7 perhaps in the hope of getting a player like Corey.

However, Canucks head coach Alain Vigneault says that playing the 26-year-old netminder in high-pressure games is just part of his development process. Nothing more.

For us, Cory is a real young guy who has a tremendous amount of potential and it’s important for him to play some games like this. That’s part of our reasoning.

And that could be true. Or not. There have been numerous conflicting reports.

ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun source are indicating the Canucks want to hang on to Schneider because they feel feel he provides great insurance in case Luongo goes down with an injury. Having said that, LeBrun thinks that the Canucks may consider moving their backup goalie if they were presented with an offer they couldn’t refuse.

Similarly, during a recent segment of SportsNet’s HockeyCentral Trade Tracker, the panel hinted that the Canucks are leaning towards keeping the impending restricted free agent but would listen to “significant” offers.

Randy Sportak of the Calgary Sun also wrote recently that the Canucks could be persuaded to move Schneider if teams are willing to part with a roster player and a prospect or high draft pick in exchange.

For his part, Schneider says he doesn’t concern himself with all the speculation of perhaps playing for another team after February 27.

I just think it’s not in your control and I don’t like worrying about things I can’t control. If I’m going to get traded, I can’t control that. It would be selfish to just think of me and not the team. Again, I could make it easy and not perform the way I want to and there wouldn’t be talk of anything. Hopefully it’s enough to make them think or help me play a few more games.

SportsNet‘s HockeyCentral Trade Tracker panel recently analyzed the situation of three Canadian teams in the Western Conference heading into the February 27 trade deadline.

Here is a quick look at what they discussed (see video for more details):

In Edmonton, Ales Hemsky and Sam Gagner appear to be on the block. Hemsky is no longer a fit on the club’s top-two lines, may be dumped for picks. Gagner, on the other hand, could be used as part of a package to land a Rick Nash type of player.

Columbus Blue Jackets forward Rick Nash. Photo courtesy Flickr user bridgetds.

The ownership in Calgary feels they are a playoff team, don’t want to rebuild — so they will be buyers. The trade with the Montreal Canadiens for Mike Cammalleri was just the start. Look for them to try and improve at center.

The Vancouver Canucks need some grit and toughness up front, and depth on the blueline. They have Cody Hodgson to move. A rumor circulating during the All Star game had the Canucks dealing Cory Schneider, Mason Raymond, and Keith Ballard to the Anaheim Ducks for Corey Perry. It originated on an Internet message board — enough said.

Chicago Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman is investigating the trade market to improve his club ahead of the February 27 trade deadline, according to a recent segment of SportsNet’s HockeyCentral Trade Tracker.

Bowman is said to be intent on the Blackhawks recapturing the Stanely Cup this season, and believes is only a couple of players short of a roster that could accomplish that. The HockeyCentral panel reports that Bowman is looking to add a veteran top-six forward — preferably a center — and a top-four NHL caliber defenseman to fill out the Blackhawks’ bottom pair.

Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun also reports that a number of teams, including the Blackhawks, will explore the possibility of trading for Buffalo Sabres goalie Ryan Miller should he become available. However, the HockeyCentral panel shot down any suggestions the Blackhawks will look to make any changes between the pipes.

The HockeyCentral report is more in line with what Adam L. Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times also reported recently.

According to Jahns, the Blackhawks have been linked to Edmonton Oilers pending free agent center Sam Gagner — a friend and ex-teammate of Patrick Kane’s — and that the Winnipeg Jets have kept a close watch on their games. Before becoming the general manager of the Jets, Kevin Cheveldayoff was a part of the Blackhawks’s front office so he is familiar with the players.

Edmonton Oilers forward Sam Gagner. Photo courtesy Flickr user bridgetds.

Jahns suggests that a couple of Carolina Hurricanes players may be two worthwhile options to investigate — forward Tuomo Ruutu, and former Blackhawk, and defenseman Tim Gleason. However, the price for Gleason is said to two first round draft picks or a first round pick and a top prospect, according to Garrioch.

Jahns notes that the asking price for Drew Stafford, Derek Roy and Brad Boyes of the Buffalo Sabres, and the Anaheim Ducks’ Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf, Bobby Ryan and Francois Beauchemin, is also high and wouldn’t make sense for the Blackhawks to pursue.

Jason Brough of Pro Hockey Talk lists a number of pending UFA defensemen that may become available: Hal Gill of the Montreal Canadiens, Pavel Kubina and Brett Clark of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Bryan Allen of the Carolina Hurricanes, Adrian Aucoin of the Phoenix Coyotes, Andy Sutton of the Edmonton Oilers, and Steve Staios and Milan Jurcina of the New York Islanders.

Bowman is said to be willing to part with draft picks, prospects / AHLers (such as forwards Brandon Pirri and Jeremy Morin and defensemen Shawn Lalonde and Brian Connelly), and depth players off his roster, for the pieces he’s looking to bring in. Defenseman Dylan Olsen, center Kevin Hayes and winger Brandon Saad are believed to be off limits.

Red Wings general manager Ken Holland tells Khan that while the priority is the February 27 trade deadline, he and his staff will put together a more comprehensive plan going forward.

We’ll go over all the teams, we’ll go over our team, the real emphasis is on the trade deadline. But there’s also free agency on July 1. We’ll go over what we think we need and what might be out there for the trade deadline and also free agency.

Anaheim Ducks forward Teemu Selanne. Photo courtesy Flickr user bridgetds.

Khan suggests that the Red Wings’s immidiate focus will be on bolstering their forward group with a scoring winger and/or “an abrasive third- or fourth-line forward.” The names being floated around have been that of Carolina Hurricanes‘ Tuomo Ruutu, Edmonton Oilers’ Ales Hemsky and Anaheim Ducks’ Teemu Selanne. Selanne has long been a target of the Red Wings in the past, but have always failed to acquire. Should the Ducks make him available the Red Wings may make another attempt.

Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Bryan Allen. Photo courtesy Flickr user bridgetds.

Ted Kulfan of the Detroit News also believes that Hurricanes defenseman Bryan Allen and New York Islanders goalie Evgeni Nabokov may also be in the mix.

With $5.7 million of salary cap space at their disposal, the money is there to bring in a number of depth players before the deadline. Or perhaps go after an impact player. Not so fast, says Holland. The Red Wings GM is looking to add a more of a “complementary piece than a star player” and aren’t interested in parting with anything other than “draft picks, middling prospects and/or fringe players.”

Barring some star player getting moved, the trade deadline is about adding the right pieces, complementary pieces to fill out your roster. There’s the odd trade at the deadline that changes the balance of power, but at the end of the day, when I look at the Vancouver Canucks last year, they made some real nice trades at the deadline that gave them some depth, brought them some grit and were important players. Boston made two or three trades as well. They weren’t the big names, they were guys that were the perfect fit.

With both Shane Doan of the Phoenix Coyotes and Jarome Iginla of the Calgary Flames highly unlikely to be put on the trade market by their respective teams, high profile names may be few and far between.

The Ducks may decide that in addition to a veteran like Selanne, they may explore the possibility of trading stars Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf and Bobby Ryan, but the asking price (rumored to be established NHL players) may be too rich for the Red Wing’s blood.

That could leave New Jersey Devils forward Zach Parise and Nashville Predators’ defenseman Ryan Suter as the biggest names in play this trade deadline.

Nashville Predators defenseman Ryan Suter. Photo courtesy Flickr user bridgetds.

Both are impending unrestricted free agents and may be shopped if they can’t be re-signed by their respective clubs before the 27th of February. However, the Red Wings may opt to keep the assets they would have to trade for Parise and Suter, and go after them in the summer when they be acquired for money alone.

Regardless, Holland expects things to heat up witching the next month or so.

Some teams are going to see in the next 4-5 weeks if they’re playing their way into being a buyer, a seller or sort of status quo. Last year, (deals) started to happen a month out, early February, so we’ll see.

And he’ll be prepared for whatever comes his way.

We like the way the team has performed. A lot of people have had good first halves. But the trade deadline is coming. We have a lot of cap space. We’ve done a lot of drafting and developing since 2005, saving our picks. I don’t know if we have to do anything, but certainly in the next six weeks we’re going to explore.

While he didn’t divulge the players or teams involved, Burke says (at the 14:50 minute mark in the video below) that he is currently in trade talks and feels confident he’ll be able to pull the trigger on a trade to improve his roster.

And he reiterated his stance to the Toronto Star’s Mark Zwolinski two days later.

I hate talking about it. Our group has been successful and we’re happy with the way it’s going, but my job as GM is to improve this team and that never stops.

And a deal may come sooner rather than later. Burke has always made some of his biggest moves well before the NHL’s trade deadline — which falls on February 27 this year — because he detests waiting for the last minute to improve his team.

I’m a January guy. I set my price and try and let my team play through the deadine (without worrying about trades). The math doesn’t work at the deadline when 24 teams are buying. There can only be one (Stanley Cup) parade.

As for what he may be looking to add, Burke mentioned a couple of areas where he thinks his current roster needs some improvement.

We’re a little small up front and we don’t have much playoff experience.

So what might the Leafs be in the market for?

Definitely not goaltending, as Burke told ESPN’s Cross Checks blog.

Not a chance. We’re not talking to any teams right now about getting a goalie.

Defensemen? Nope. That’s the one area on the team where they have the most depth.

That leaves the forwards.

Numerous reports from Frank Seravalli of Philadelphia Daily News, the Toronto Star’s Bob Mitchell, and Terry Koshan of the Toronto Sun, linked the Leafs and James van Riemsdyk. While the 22-year-old winger is 6-feet-3 and 200 pounds, he does not fill the Leafs’ need for a big, tough, first-line center.

As well, Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Daily News reports that the Flyers’ front office have denied they are looking to move van Riemsdyk. But denilas don’t always squash rumors. What does however, is the news today coming via SportsNet that van Riemsdyk is suffering from a concussion and will be out of action indefinitely. So, scratch van Riemsdyk off the list.

Philadelphi Flyers forward James van Riemsdyk.

The Toronto Star’s Damien Cox suggests that Anaheim Ducks’ captain Ryan Getzlaf may be an option, though.

Anaheim Ducks Captain Ryan Getzlaf.

With the Ducks struggling and not making any progress in the standings since the firing of head coach Randy Carlyle and hiring of Bruce Boudreau, Ducks General Manager Bob Murray told the Los Angeles Times’ Helene Elliott back on January 4th that it might be time to start retooling for next season. And the changes may start with established stars such as Getzlaf, Corey Perry, Bobby Ryan, Jonas Hiller, and Toni Lydman.

We’re going to get ready for next year. I still believe we have some core players. Now, whether we have to change a few core players, so be it. They’re deciding who’s staying and who’s not staying at this point.

Since Burke’s arrival in Toronto, he and Murray have completed three trades, so it’s not out of the realm of possibility that the two have talked or will eventually talk about Getzlaf. However, it’s still uncertain that the talented center will be made available. And if he is, Murray will not move any of his core players on the cheap. He’ll want a package that includes roster players and/or prospects that can step into the NHL right away or next season.

[W]e will not go to draft picks. It’s not my intention.

In the end, whether it’s Getzlaf or someone else, it’s very apparent that the Leafs GM is intent of making a deal to solidify a playoff spot for his club. Even at the cost of the team’s first round picks, as Burke made clear during the Prime Time Sports interview (starting at the 9:20 minute mark):