The NHL's March 7 trade deadline is less than two months away. General managers are currently assessing their rosters to determine their needs and whether to become buyers or sellers.

Teams holding playoff berths or jockeying for one of the two wild-card spots in the Eastern and Western Conferences tend to be buyers, shopping for players to boost their roster depth down the stretch and into the postseason. The Toronto Maple Leafs and the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers fall into this category.

Sellers are usually clubs already well out of playoff contention or those who feel they have little chance of getting past the first round. They often peddle players slated to become unrestricted free agents on July 1 who don't fit into their long-range plans. The Nashville Predators and New York Islanders could be considered among this group.

The Leafs, Panthers, Predators, and Islanders are among the 10 teams we believe should be buyers or sellers at this year's deadline. Read on to find out why and which roster needs they must address.

Do you agree or disagree with our list? Are there other clubs you believe belong here? Let us know in the app comments below.

Buyer: Boston Bruins

The Boston Bruins felt they'd bolstered their depth at center by signing Elias Lindholm to a seven-year contract last July. He was two years removed from a career-high 82-point performance in 2021-22 with the Calgary Flames and tallied 44 points in 75 games split between the Flames and Vancouver Canucks.

Any thought that the 30-year-old Lindholm would regain his scoring touch with the Bruins has been dashed thus far. He's managed 22 points in 47 games playing mostly as their second-line center, leaving them again needing a reliable scoring center.

The ongoing lack of a first-line center has contributed to the Bruins' struggles this season. Their goals-per-game average (2.70) ranks 26th overall, leaving them battling for a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. It could put them into the trade market to address this issue before the deadline.

On Jan. 15, Bruins president Cam Neely said his club's performance will determine if they become buyers or "retooling a little bit" by the trade deadline. Adding a center won't be easy given the Bruins' lack of depth in tradeable assets such as prospects. Nevertheless, they must address that issue or miss the playoffs for the first time since 2015-16.

Seller: Buffalo Sabres

After barely missing the playoffs in 2023, the Buffalo Sabres have failed to take their much-anticipated next step toward becoming a perennial postseason team. Sitting at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings, they're in danger of extending their league-record playoff drought to 14 seasons.

General manager Kevyn Adams wants to add to his roster rather than subtract. However, he might have to reevaluate some of the young talent on his roster and determine if they have the potential to turn this moribund franchise into a success.

Players like center Dylan Cozens and defenseman Owen Power have been singled out for their disappointing play this season. Adams could consider shopping them for other established young NHL players who might work better for the Sabres.

Adams did that last year by sending center Casey Mittelstadt to the Colorado Avalanche for defenseman Bowen Byram. Finding comparable offers for Cozens or Power could be what the Sabres need to put them back on the right path starting next season.

Buyer: Detroit Red Wings

The Detroit Red Wings are enduring their longest playoff drought in franchise history. They're battling to remain in contention for a wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference but need to bolster their roster to avoid extending that drought to nine years.

Adding a reliable second-line center could be their most pressing issue. Andrew Copp currently fills that role but the versatile two-way forward would be better employed in a checking-line role.

During the Jan. 10 edition of Sportsnet's 32 Thoughts: The Podcast, Elliotte Friedman reported the Red Wings and Buffalo Sabres scouted each other before the December holiday break. He said it got out that the Wings were scouting Cozens, with two sources claiming a deal may have been close at one point.

It remains to be seen if Cozens is available, but Friedman's report suggests Wings GM Steve Yzerman is taking his need for an upgrade at center seriously, preferably one in his twenties with term left on his contract.

Seller: Chicago Blackhawks

Mired at the bottom of the NHL standings, Chicago will be among the sellers leading up to the March 7 trade deadline. Pending unrestricted free agents like Taylor Hall, Ryan Donato, Pat Maroon, Alec Martinez, and Craig Smith are expected to be trade candidates in the coming weeks.

Those players will fetch draft picks and prospects to bolster Chicago's deep prospect pool. Some of them could be used as trade chips to add established talent. Management should also consider moving players with a year or two remaining on their contracts for players with term left on their deals.

If the salary cap rises to $92.4 million, Chicago will have $34.2 million in cap space. They'll have plenty of room to pursue prime talent on long-term deals in the trade market or to bring in those players as free agents. However, the more cap room they can free up, the better their chances of adding more quality depth.

Bringing in veterans past their prime like Hall, Maroon, and Martinez did nothing to advance Chicago's rebuild. Young franchise star Connor Bedard is growing frustrated as the losses pile up. They must bring in talent who can provide immediate improvement while allowing their promising players the time and space to develop.

Buyer: Florida Panthers

Over the past four years, the wheeling and dealing of general manager Bill Zito turned the Florida Panthers into a Stanley Cup champion. Zito could again become a buyer to improve their chances of repeating as Cup champions.

The Panthers are loaded with scoring punch and grit up front led by captain Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Reinhart, Sam Bennett, Carter Verhaeghe, and Anton Lundell. Sergei Bobrovsky and Spencer Knight provide solid reliable goaltending.

However, the defense corps could use some help. The depth drops sharply beyond long-time Panther Aaron Ekblad and the underrated Gustav Forsling. They need to find at least one strong second-pairing defenseman.

Zito won't have much to draw from for trade bait within a prospect pipeline ranked 32nd by The Athletic. He also has no picks in the first three rounds of this year's draft and only $573,032 in projected trade deadline cap space. It'll test his management savvy, but he must bolster his blueline for the playoffs.

Seller: Nashville Predators

The Nashville Predators were considered the winners of the 2024 offseason by signing top free agents Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, and Brady Skjei. However, those moves did nothing to improve their position as a playoff contender, as they've been stuck near the bottom of the Western Conference standings since October.

Predators general manager Barry Trotz has been the busiest GM in the regular-season trade market, making five deals since November. The notable moves sent winger Philip Tomasino to Pittsburgh, goaltender Scott Wedgewood to Colorado for netminder Justus Annunen and defenseman Alexandre Carrier to the Montreal Canadiens for blueliner Justin Barron.

Barring another stunning second-half win streak like the one that propelled the Predators into the 2024 playoffs, Trotz should continue peddling players or assets that don't fit within his club's long-term plans. That includes easing out veterans for draft picks and prospects to free up room for young talent from within their system and acquired via trades.

Forward Gustav Nyquist could be a trade candidate based on his UFA eligibility in July. The Tennessean's Alex Daugherty suggested Colton Sissons and Jeremy Lauzon. Center Ryan O'Reilly is drawing lots of interest, but Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported they'll only move him if they get a terrific offer and if O'Reilly finds it acceptable.

Buyer: Toronto Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs' Stanley Cup drought is approaching 58 years unless general manager Brad Treliving and his staff can finally find the right combination of players to win hockey's holy grail.

Treliving spoke with Toronto reporters on Jan. 13, indicating he's seeking depth at the center position. He also acknowledged between 15 and 18 other clubs are likely seeking the same thing. A recent injury to second-line center John Tavares highlights the need to address that issue.

The Toronto Star's Kevin McGran observed the Leafs were using Max Domi as their third-line center, but he's best used as a winger. They've also tried Pontus Holmberg, David Kampf, and promising center Fraser Minten, who's now back with their AHL affiliate.

McGran suggested Scott Laughton of the Philadelphia Flyers, former Leaf Ryan O'Reilly of the Nashville Predators, Ryan Strome of the Anaheim Ducks, and Nick Bjugstad of the Utah Hockey Club as possible trade targets. He also noted the Leafs possess limited trade capital in draft picks and prospects.

Seller: New York Islanders

New York Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello has been loyal to his club's aging core, hoping they can recapture the form that saw them reach the Conference Finals in 2020 and 2021. However, he could face pressure to become a seller at the trade deadline.

Since 2021, the Islanders missed the playoffs in 2022 and squeaked into the postseason the following two years only to be bounced from the opening round both times. They're now past the midpoint of 2024-25 and are struggling to remain in the chase for a wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference.

Ethan Sears of the New York Post reported on Jan. 9 that Lamoriello was focused on his club's performance rather than the trade deadline. He's hoping they can rally into a playoff spot, but he could be a seller if they remain out of contention.

The Islanders are overdue for a roster remake. It's time for Lamoriello to accept reality. Pending free agents like 33-year-old forwards Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri could fetch draft picks and prospects to restock the Isles' prospect pipeline.

Buyer: Winnipeg Jets

Jockeying for first place in the overall standings, the Winnipeg Jets have been among this season's dominant clubs. They began the season with 15 wins and one loss, and while they've cooled from that torrid pace, they look like a Stanley Cup contender.

The Jets have the game's best goaltender in two-time Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck, a potent offense led by forwards Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor, and a defense corps led by puck-mover Josh Morrisey. A couple of roster tweaks near the trade deadline could help them put their recent playoff disappointments in the past.

The Athletic's Murat Ates believes the Jets could use a big, mobile right-handed defenseman on their first defense pairing alongside Morrissey. That would enable them to shift Dylan DeMelo to their second or third pairing.

Ates speculated the Jets could revisit previous interest in Philadelphia Flyers blueliner Rasmus Ristolainen. He also noted Pittsburgh Penguins' Marcus Pettersson could be a good left-shot option while the Montreal Canadiens' David Savard would be another right-shot possibility. Ates believes those players wouldn't cost the Jets a first-rounder to acquire.

Seller: Seattle Kraken

One year after their inaugural season, the Seattle Kraken qualified for the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs, finishing seventh overall in the Western Conference. They upset the defending Cup champion Colorado Avalanche in seven games and pushed the Dallas Stars to seven games before bowing out in the second round.

The Kraken struggled to replicate that success last season. Their goals-per-game average plummeted from fifth overall (3.52) in 2022-23 to 29th (2.61) in 2023-24. They've improved this season as their 2.89 goals-per-game ranks 19th overall. Nevertheless, they're eight points out of the final wild-card berth in the Western Conference.

Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman observed on Jan. 13 that Kraken general manager Ron Francis is "a very careful and cautious guy" who doesn't act impulsively. However, he suggests the club might be due for a change. He claimed forwards Andre Burakovsky and Oliver Bjorkstrand have surfaced in the trade market.

Friedman observed the challenge for the Kraken is they lack a big enough pool of prospects because they haven't been around that long. It may be time for Francis to consider shipping out some veterans, especially those with a year or two left on their contracts, for returns of younger players and prospects to build up for the future.

Stats and standings (as of Jan. 19, 2025) via NHL.com. Salary information via PuckPedia. Line combinations via Daily Faceoff.