Edmonton brass quietly circles a star veteran defenseman available as the roster freeze ends, aiming to shore up their blue line for a Cup run. Heavy.com sources hint at cap-friendly fits amid rising rumors like Weegar and Ristolainen chatter. Holland's crew knows one deadline deal could flip their contender status, but rivals lurk.

Calgary's defensemen log heavy minutes night after night, but their year-over-year scoring trends raise eyebrows in a blue line stacked with Weegar and Andersson. Front offices whisper about whether midseason tweaks like Whitecloud's arrival spark offense or just shuffle the deck. As the Flames cling to Pacific scraps at 23-27-6, this deep dive uncovers if their back end delivers playoffs or excuses.

The Flames finally receive the 32nd overall pick to wrap up the blockbuster Tkachuk deal from three summers ago, a conditional first that activates after Florida's back-to-back Cup runs. Calgary front office folks know this draft asset lands in their lap amid $20 million in cap space and five early picks, fueling their rebuild dreams. Panthers management rides high, proving their all-in strategy pays dividends while the Flames grapple with Huberdeau and Weegar's futures.

Flames defenseman MacKenzie Weegar fields serious interest as contenders circle Calgary's trade bait. One Eastern powerhouse leads the pack, eyeing his right-shot stability to shore up their back end for a Cup run. Conroy weighs blockbuster returns against keeping a cornerstone, with deadline drama heating up fast.

The Bruins cling to that second wild card spot in the East with a 32-20-4 mark, but insiders like Fluto Shinzawa scream they need a right-shot defenseman before the deadline hits. Names like Justin Faulk, Connor Murphy, and even Mackenzie Weegar from Calgary bubble up in trade chatter after Boston nearly landed Rasmus Andersson. Don Sweeney knows one more blueliner could turn this roster from playoff pretender to contender, especially with the Olympic freeze looming.