The Olympic roster freeze is in effect, but that hasn’t stopped the trade speculation. Check out the latest on the Canucks, Senators, and Blackhawks in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.

COULD THE CANUCKS TRADE CONOR GARLAND?

THE ATHLETIC: Thomas Drance reported the Vancouver Canucks had been active in trade talks leading up to the implementation of the current Olympic roster roster (Feb. 4 – 22). However, the club didn’t feel any pressure to make a move before then.

The Canucks won’t execute a trade unless their price is met for one of their pending unrestricted free agents. They include Evander Kane, Teddy Blueger, and David Kampf, or one of their veterans with term remaining on their contracts.

Vancouver Canucks forward Conor Garland (NHL Images)

Of the latter group, Drance thinks Conor Garland and Brock Boeser should be considered the most likely who could be realistically traded by March 6. However, the Canucks aren’t proactively pursuing deals to move one of them.

THE PROVINCE: Paul Chapman believes the biggest trade question facing the Canucks is whether they’ll move Garland at the deadline. The 29-year-old forward lacks no-trade protection on his current contract, but his new deal ($6 million annually with a full no-movement clause) begins on July 1.

Chapman indicated that teams like Garland’s style of play. However, they aren’t fond of the six-year term on his next contract.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Garland seems more likely to be moved than Boeser, who is in the first year of a seven-year contract with an average annual value of $7.25 million with a full no-movement clause. However, that six-year deal could scare off contenders with limited cap space for next season.

SENATORS TO CONSIDER THEIR OPTIONS DURING THE OLYMPIC BREAK

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports league executives claim Senators general manager Steve Staios continues to seek a right-shot, top-four defenseman and a top-six winger.

Acquiring a right-shot defenseman and a scoring winger are difficult because of the asking prices and the number of teams seeking them. The list of sellers is short, with the Canucks, St. Louis Blues, and Calgary Flames in the Western Conference, and only the New York Rangers thus far in the East.

Garrioch claimed the Senators have spoken with the Flames about defenseman MacKenzie Weegar. It’s believed they’d want a second-round pick and a top prospect in return. The Detroit Red Wings could also be pursuing Weegar.

The Senators are hoping to string some wins together coming out of the Olympic break to close the gap on the teams they’re chasing in the Eastern Conference playoff race. However, they could go from buyers to sellers if they fail to gain ground in the standings, meaning they’ll face decisions about pending UFAs such as Claude Giroux, Nick Cousins, David Perron, Lars Eller, and Nick Jensen.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Weegar, 32, is signed through 2030-31 with an AAV of $6.25 million and a full no-trade clause. Assuming he’s willing to move, the Flames can afford to wait patiently for someone to meet their asking price, which could be higher than what Garrioch cited if enough teams get into the bidding. If they don’t find any suitable offers by March 6, they’ll wait until the offseason.

BLACHAWKS TRADE CANDIDATES

THE ATHLETIC: Scott Powers, Mark Lazerus, and Chris Johnston examined which Chicago Blackhawks players could be moved by the March 6 trade deadline.

Connor Murphy is considered their best trade chip. He’s eligible for unrestricted free-agent status on July 1 with an affordable $4.4 million cap hit. While the Blackhawks don’t need to trade him, he has value as an experienced defenseman with a right-hand shot.

Like Murphy, Jason Dickinson is UFA-eligible with a cost-effective cap hit ($4.25 million). He can fill a third or fourth-line center role on a playoff team.

Winger Ilya Mikheyev, left-shot defenseman Matt Grzelcyk, and team captain Nick Foligno could also become trade candidates. They’re also UFA-eligible players with affordable cap hits.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Murphy would have the best value in the trade market, but he’s also made no secret of his desire to stay in Chicago. The Blackhawks could trade him and attempt to bring him back this summer as a free agent.