Music: {allcanada} 10 pressing questions about the approaching trade deadline

Questions begging for answers with the NHL trade deadline five days away:

1. Are the Vancouver Canucks, the NHL's No. 1 team, going to make a deal?

GM Mike Gillis is not going to disrupt the chemistry of a team that looks like it has everything that it needs to compete for the Stanley Cup. Word around the league is that Gillis isn't interested in moving people off his roster, and is learning toward doing nothing at the deadline. Although his defense has been beat up by injuries, everyone except Alexander Edler will be back before the playoffs. Still, when a team has this much talent, it would seem like Gillis might at least consider looking at an inexpensive insurance defenseman.

2. Will Dallas trade Brad Richards?

GM Joe Nieuwendyk indicated on NHL Live that he prefers to re-sign him, but he has talked to other teams about dealing him. The major issue about Richards is the timetable for his return. He hasn't played since Feb. 13 because of a concussion and everyone in the hockey world, particularly in Pittsburgh, understands that it is impossible to predict when a player will return from a concussion. The other issue for Nieuwendyk is that his team is in a dogfight for a playoff spot in the Western Conference.

3. Will Pittsburgh general manager Ray Shero stay active in the trade market?

Count on it. Although he already hit a home run with his acquisition of James Neal, he's probably going to land another scoring winger, and Ottawa's Alexei Kovalev still seems like a logical move, provided the price isn't too steep. But Shero's decisions aren't easy this week because he still doesn't know when/if Sidney Crosby (concussion) will be back in the lineup. Common sense would suggest that it is almost to the point where the best the Penguins could hope for would be having him ready for the playoffs. Remember, he is in his second month of no physical activity. He has to follow the concussion protocol and then he would have to get in shape. Even if he gets cleared soon, we would be looking at the beginning of April for a return. The gain of Crosby's pain is that his injury and Evgeni Malkin's injury gives Pittsburgh plenty of cap space.

4. Will the Phoenix Coyotes be as aggressive in the trade market as they were last season?

No, GM Don Maloney wasn't able to save enough pennies in the jar to do as much as he did last season when he aggressively added players. He is right at his budget and would have to trade dollar for dollar. Also, the team has been playing well of late. Maloney's earlier acquisition of Michal Rozsival has paid dividends on defense. The Coyotes would be interested in a center, but there doesn't seem to many good fits out there.

5. Will there be any major surprises?

Based on what we have seen thus far, it would seem as if it is likely there will be a surprise or two. We certainly didn't expect Erik Johnson to be dealt or that the Penguins would land Neal. The hockey community is still abuzz over those transactions. GMs seem to be taking more risks this season, maybe because the races are tight. Parity prompts aggressiveness. No general manager wants to be viewed as sitting on the porch when everyone else in the neighborhood is sprucing up their houses. This trade deadline also seems unique because you hear trade chatter about players you wouldn't expect to hear talk about, such as Atlanta's Zach Bogosian or Colorado's Paul Stastny. Doesn't seem likely that Bogosian would move unless the Thrashers received a comparable young player back and Stastny's $6.6 million contract over the next three years would be a major roadblock for most teams.

6. Is Florida center Stephen Weiss likely to be traded?

Although general manager Dale Tallon is trying to do a complete makeover of his team, you wouldn't see Weiss going unless it is a trade that would help both teams now. The Panthers want grittier players for their lineup. We would expect that Florida's potential unrestricted free agents, such as Cory Stillman, Radek Dvorak, Bryan McCabe and Chris Higgins, would be traded.

7. Are the Los Angeles Kings going to make a move?

Yes they are. They have cap space and they have desire. The only question seems to be how big of a move they will make. They want a top-six forward and it would seem likely that Richards and Ales Hemsky would be on their radar. The other question is whether prospect Brayden Schenn would be in play if the Kings find the right forward they want. He's the prospect most teams covet. The Kings would prefer to land a player that would be permanently in their lineup, which makes Hemsky more attractive unless Richards is willing to sign an extension.

8. Now that the Calgary Flames are in playoff contention, will they act boldly?

If they do anything, it will be to add a defenseman. Acting GM Jay Feaster is leaning toward standing pat out of respect for the players in his dressing room who have scrapped their way back into the playoff hunt. Even if Feaster goes after a defenseman, he won't deal someone off his roster.

9. What's in short supply on the trade market?

Centers, particularly if the New Jersey Devils, now playing well, keep Jason Arnott. The Nashville Predators were smart to grab Mike Fisher early.

10. What does Buffalo's new ownership mean for the Sabres' trade hopes?

Plenty. The Sabres have cap space and enthusiastic new owner Terry Pegula seems to be saying GM Darcy Regier has the green light to spend. I think the NHL community will be fascinated to watch how Regier will react to the new spending strategy. He has had to be fiscally conservative for a long while. Have to believe Regier will make a deal because he wants to get his team in the playoffs and because he wants to please his new boss. If there were a time for Regier to dive in and make a big splash, it might be now.