NHL Trade Buzz: Flyers consider 'buying and selling,' GM says

Welcome to the NHL Trade Buzz. There are 28 days remaining until the 2019 NHL Trade Deadline (3 p.m. ET, Feb. 25) and the buzz is just starting. Will the Philadelphia Flyers be buyers or sellers? Will the Nashville Predators add another piece to their lineup?
Here's a look around the League at the latest deadline doings:

Philadelphia Flyers

General manager Chuck Fletcher is hopeful the Flyers can get to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Whether that happens, he'll do what's necessary to help them not just now, but in the future.
"I could see us buying and selling," Fletcher said prior to the Flyers hosting the Winnipeg Jets at Wells Fargo Center on Monday (7 p.m. ET; NBCSN, NBCSP, TSN3, NHL.TV). "The bigger focus is we'd like to get some pieces who can be a part of this for a few years. That's where my focus has been. From this point forward, we have to get better. To be better next year, we have to try and get better this year. Whether it's coaches on the ice or adding players, whatever we have to do."
The Flyers (19-23-6, 44 points) are 14 points behind the Pittsburgh Penguins for the second wild card into the playoffs from the Eastern Conference.
Asked about trading a core player, Fletcher made it clear that forward Claude Giroux was untouchable. One would imagine that goalie Carter Hart is also on the no-sell list.
Outside of that, Fletcher said, "never say never."
If the Flyers sell, Wayne Simmonds could attract interest and assets from contending teams. The 30-year-old forward, who is in the final season of a six-year contract and can become an unrestricted free agent July 1, has 23 points (15 goals, eight assists) in 48 games.
Simmonds' availability may or may not be tied to the Flyers' place in the standings. If they are not going to sign him to a new contract before the deadline, the hope is to receive some assets for him from a contender.

Fletcher isn't ruling out a charge toward playoff contention. Last season, Philadelphia went 18-7-5 in its final 30 games and finished third in the Metropolitan Division with 98 points.
"The odds aren't great, but with this group you never count them out," said Fletcher, who replaced Ron Hextall on Dec 3. "But we're at a stage where we need a big run here."

Nashville Predators

The Predators (30-18-4, 64 points) are in good shape beginning their mandatory five-day break after the 2019 Honda NHL All-Star Weekend. But that doesn't mean they'll stand pat before the NHL Trade Deadline on Feb. 25.
General manager David Poile told Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic that he will keep an eye on all possibilities.

"I'm going to be out there making calls after the break and see what's available," Poile said. "But first and foremost, I want to see our team play when we're a bit healthier."
The Predators are second in the Central Division behind the Jets (31-15-2) but still without forwards Kyle Turris (lower body) and Miikka Salomaki (upper body). Turris, who last played in a 2-0 loss to the Dallas Stars on Dec. 27, has 18 points (six goals, 12 assists) in 30 games.
Salomaki (seven points; three goals, four assists in 37 games) hasn't played since a 4-3 overtime loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Jan. 4. He and Turris could return in early February.
Nashville remains strong on defense, especially since P.K. Subban's return from a lower-body injury that kept him out more than a month (Nov. 14-Dec. 27). But adding another forward could benefit the Predators in the postseason.
The Predators visit the Florida Panthers at BB&T Center on Friday (7 p.m. ET; FS-F, FS-TN, NHL.TV).

St. Louis Blues

The Blues are weighing their options before the deadline while seeking consistency on the ice, general manager Doug Armstrong
told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch
on Monday.
"It's a cliche, but the players tell you what you're supposed to do at the deadline," Armstrong said. "You don't tell the players. Their play will indicate what we do."
Ryan O'Reilly has had a strong first season in St. Louis. The center has 50 points (18 goals, 32 assists) in 49 games and was the Blues representative at the 2019 Honda NHL All-Star Weekend.
O'Reilly believes the Blues are playing better and
is confident they can make the Stanley Cup Playoffs
. St. Louis (22-22-5, 49 points) is 6-3-1 in its past 10 games and three points behind the Colorado Avalanche for the second wild card into the playoffs from the Western Conference.
"We're starting to get a lot more consistent and we have a lot more confidence in our game," O'Reilly said during All-Star media day Thursday. "When bad things happen, we don't deviate from our game plan and we get back into it and understand that bad bounces happen and there are going to be breakdowns. But when that happens we have to come together and work out of it, and that has been the trend for us lately."
The Blues still need more players to improve, including Vladimir Tarasenko. The forward has 32 points (17 goals, 15 assists) in 48 games after getting 66 points (33 goals, 33 assists) last season.
Where St. Louis won't make a change right now is at coach. Armstrong said that Craig Berube, who replaced Mike Yeo on Nov. 19, will remain coach through the rest of this season. As for the roster, Armstrong will see what the next few weeks bring.
The Blues return from their mandatory five-day break after All-Star Weekend to play the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; FS-O, FS-MW, NHL.TV).
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Penguins traded defenseman Jamie Oleksiak to the Dallas Stars for a fourth-round pick in the 2019 NHL Draft on Monday, a move that clears some salary-cap space.
Oleksiak signed a three-year contract (average annual value of $2.137 million) with the Penguins on July 12.
The trade is one of a few made by the Penguins this season. Pittsburgh acquired forward Joseph Blandisi from the Anaheim Ducks for forward Derek Grant on Jan. 17, got defenseman Marcus Pettersson from the Ducks for forward Daniel Sprong on Dec. 3 and sent forward Carl Hagelin to the Los Angeles Kings for forward Tanner Pearson on Nov. 14.
The Penguins (26-16-6, 58 points) are four points ahead of the Buffalo Sabres for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference. They play the New Jersey Devils at PPG Paints Arena on Monday (7 p.m. ET; SN, ATTSN-PT, MSG+, NHL.TV).