NHL Trade Deadline needs for Panthers, Maple Leafs, Avalanche, Stars

The Coaches Room is a regular feature throughout the 2021-22 season by former NHL coaches and assistants who will turn their critical gaze to the game and explain it through the lens of a teacher. Rocky Thompson and Dave Barr will take turns providing insight.
In this edition, Barr, former assistant with the Colorado Avalanche, Minnesota Wild, New Jersey Devils, Buffalo Sabres and San Jose Sharks, picks four teams, two from the Eastern Conference and two from the Western Conference, and analyzes areas they need to address before the 2022 NHL Trade Deadline at 3 p.m. ET on Monday.

Coaching staffs have likely already met with their general managers to relay what they feel is their No. 1 need before the 2022 NHL Trade Deadline.
More often than not, the GM already had a few names of players who might be available and interesting to the coaching staff before the conversation. The staff will give their two cents on those players and then offer some thoughts on a secondary position of need. If it's important enough, they'll tell the GM a third position to look at just in case they can't get No. 1 or No. 2.
Again, players will be discussed, but at this point the coaching staff will go back to coaching, allowing management to do its thing, figuring out exactly who is available and what the acquisition cost would be.
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There won't be much communication between the staff and GM until there is something firm to present. It could be as simple as the GM telling the staff, "I can get you Player A and we can live with the price. We don't like the price as much for Player B, but we can make it happen."
The coaching staff again will offer their opinion, maybe telling the GM to try to fill a different need because the players available don't work for them.
The GMs have to work their magic to make it all happen, and with the NHL salary cap it's become harder to do, but conversations are ongoing, and analysis is always taking place.
The deadline is 3 p.m. ET on Monday, so I put myself in the shoes of four coaches and address what I feel are their wants and needs.

FLORIDA PANTHERS

From my perspective, it seems Florida could need a solid depth defenseman, a guy who can play on the power play, the penalty kill and play important minutes for them in all situations.
The Panthers added defenseman Petteri Lindbohm, who was playing for Jokerit in the Kontinental Hockey League. He's working his way into their system, but that might not be enough.
I'd be targeting Jeff Petry from the Montreal Canadiens. He can play big minutes, make plays, skate well. He's having a tough season, but it shouldn't define who he is.
Petry was a big part of Montreal's run to the 2021 Stanley Cup Final, a five-game loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. His $6.25 million salary cap charge could be a sticking point, but that's where the GM will take over and figure out if he can make it work. As a coach, he'd be my No. 1 target because I feel the Panthers can win the Stanley Cup this season and Petry bolsters their chances.
Look at the Lightning and the depth they had on their blue line. That's a big reason why they won the past two seasons and why they're a favorite again.

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS

I think Marc-Andre Fleury might say yes to Toronto.
The Chicago Blackhawks goalie is smart and recognizes the market. I don't know if there is a better place to win than Toronto. It also might be one of the toughest places to lose.
But if I was involved with the Maple Leafs' coaching staff, I would be talking about the need for a rock-solid defenseman in the mold of Alec Martinez.
In fact, one of the reasons the Vegas Golden Knights are struggling is because Martinez is injured and hasn't been in the lineup. Another reason, of course, is they're missing forward Mark Stone, but Martinez' absence is notable because he's so good at moving the puck, defending, and playing physical through 18-20 minutes per game, if not more.
Hampus Lindholm of the Anaheim Ducks might be the ideal fit. He's a pending unrestricted free agent and if he's available, I think he would fill a big need for the Maple Leafs.

COLORADO AVALANCHE

The Avalanche are good, we know that. But I see a need for another veteran forward, a middle-six player, center, or wing with the added belief that forward Gabriel Landeskog will be back from a knee injury.
Tomas Hertl would be a fantastic fit here with his big body and versatility. But I'm not sure the San Jose Sharks forward will be available.
Claude Giroux is another who could fit because he would bring some extra bite to their lineup, obviously scoring ability, skill and leadership, and bolster their center depth. The Avalanche could then have an All-Star playing third-line center behind Nathan MacKinnon and Nazem Kadri.
Short of Hertl and Giroux, a versatile forward who could slide into at least their third line would be another nice fit.
Colorado has elite players, but an extra forward would go a long way toward winning the Cup. The Lightning recognized that two years ago and got Blake Coleman and Barclay Goodrow. The Avalanche could follow a similar path.

DALLAS STARS

The Stars are on the Stanley Cup Playoff bubble, one point behind the Golden Knights for the second wild card from the West, but they signed forward Joe Pavelski to a one-year contract March 11. They didn't do that to win in five years, so you know they believe their window is open now.
When I look at Dallas, it comes down to 5-on-5 scoring and the need for more of it. The Stars are good on the power play (ninth, 23.8 percent and their defense is strong provided Miro Heiskanen can return to form following his bout with mononucleosis. If goalie Jake Oettinger can continue to deliver, they seem to be set there as well.
But the Stars are near the bottom of the NHL in 5-on-5 scoring (29th, 104 goals for).
I'm sure the Stars coaching staff is asking their players for better net-front play, middle-lane drives, going low-to-high, defensemen getting pucks to the net and being the fourth man on the rush, but you need players who can make plays and who can score.
The Stars could benefit from a forward like J.T. Miller of the Vancouver Canucks, someone who could make any line he's on better.
Again, a player like Hertl or Giroux would benefit the Stars and possibly bring them up to the next level. Someone like Miller, Hertl or Giroux could also give forwards Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin a little bump because it's a sign from management that they're going for it and they can again be part of something special.