The NHL’s Olympic break offers general managers an opportunity to survey their needs and start planting seeds ahead of the March 6 trade deadline.

They’ll be left with just a 12-day window to make deals once the trade freeze lifts following the Milan Cortina Games.

Now that the NHL season is paused, it’s a good time to try to identify some fits.

With an eye on our latest Big Board, let’s play another round of matchmaker.

Vincent Trocheck

Team: New York Rangers
Position: Center
Shoots: Right
Age: 32
Contract term: 2029 UFA
Current cap hit: $5,625,000
Trade Board ranking: No. 2

Johnston: Minnesota Wild

There’s no mystery about how Wild GM Bill Guerin feels about Trocheck after selecting him to join Team USA for two best-on-best tournaments in the past 14 months. And there’s no doubt about how seamlessly Trocheck fits Minnesota’s needs as it tries to find its way out of the NHL’s deepest division.

The Wild need to add another capable center after parting with Marco Rossi as part of the package to acquire Quinn Hughes.

They will be challenged to put together the right deal to get Trocheck from the Rangers because of the A-plus assets they’ve already spent elsewhere, but Guerin has shown an ability to get things done. He’s certainly not shy about taking a big swing.

Trocheck is excellent in the faceoff dot, which holds appeal for Minnesota, and brings dressing room intangibles that a contender covets.

Guerin’s decisions with USA Hockey already tell us that he’s a player he believes you can win with.

Mirtle: Montreal Canadiens

The Canadiens’ biggest hole all season has been down the middle, and it’s going to be a battle at the deadline for the limited options who can fill the 2C role on a contender. Even at 32, Trocheck certainly fits that description, and the fact he comes with some term at a reasonable cap hit will help the Habs bridge the gap as their youth movement progresses.

Trocheck isn’t the biggest player, but he’s crafty and can play in all situations, including on a top power-play unit as a high-end playmaker. He would also be able to take some of the tough matchup load off Nick Suzuki and serve as a strong mentor for Ivan Demidov.

Trocheck is American, has a limited no-trade clause and has never played in Canada, but Montreal is an exciting, rising team he could chase a Cup with, so this could be win-win.

Bobby McMann

Team: Toronto Maple Leafs
Position: Winger
Shoots: Left
Age: 29
Contract term: 2026 UFA
Current cap hit: $1,350,000
Trade Board ranking: No. 17

Johnston: Edmonton Oilers

The Oilers are all-in to chase a championship, but they’re operating with limited cap flexibility while sizing up new pieces.

Enter McMann.

There won’t be another 20-plus goal man available at this deadline who commands a cap hit below the league’s average salary. But the Leafs can get him there with full retention. There’s going to be a premium charged for doing that, but part of being all-in is doing whatever it takes to increase your odds of winning.

While certainly not the most important part of this equation, McMann is an Albertan who was raised a few hours from Edmonton in Wainwright. It’s conceivable he might be more than just a rental if the fit is right. He has shown in Toronto that he can go get the puck for highly skilled linemates and play anywhere you need him in the lineup.

Mirtle: Colorado Avalanche

Maybe the Avs aim higher, given the season they’ve had and their recent struggles. Or maybe this is just one of multiple additions they make.

But McMann’s speed and booming shot would fit in well here in the middle six, giving Colorado some secondary scoring beyond their superstars. And his super-reasonable cap hit, especially with retention, would allow the front office to add elsewhere.

The Leafs are hoping for a first in return here, but McMann may top out at two seconds the way Kiefer Sherwood did last month. Either way, the Avs would need to dip into their 2027 picks if the bidding reaches that level, as they’ve exhausted their 2026 supply Cup-chasing in years past.

Evander Kane

Team: Vancouver Canucks
Position: Winger
Shoots: Left
Age: 34
Contract term: 2026 UFA
Current cap hit: $5,125,000
Trade Board ranking: No. 8

Johnston: Colorado Avalanche

The Canucks are willing to retain salary on Kane, and they’d likely take back a third-round pick as compensation, which makes him a relatively low-risk add for a contender like Colorado.

He plays a black-and-blue game that tends to pay dividends in the playoffs. He certainly doesn’t shy away from contact or wilt under pressure, as evidenced by his role in multiple long runs with the Edmonton Oilers.

The league-leading Avalanche don’t need to chase players for the top of the lineup. They’ve already got that part of the roster taken care of. Dropping someone like Kane onto a third line could make a difference, both in how he changes the complexion of a lineup and given he has shown a knack for scoring a big goal throughout his NHL career.

Mirtle: Dallas Stars

There’s definitely some risk here, given Kane’s age and baggage. But the Stars are a strong organization and have shown the ability to integrate all kinds of veteran additions in the past (i.e. Max Domi), especially in depth roles where they’re not asked to carry the load.

What Kane has left at 34 is a fair question, but with the Canucks simply looking to move off the deal, the acquisition cost is likely minimal and the cap hit is just a shade over $2.5 million with full retention.

Kane has scored 23 playoff goals for the Oilers over the past few postseasons, too, so there might be some value to be had down the lineup, especially if Tyler Seguin isn’t able to return.

Jesper Wallstedt

Team: Minnesota Wild
Position: Goalie
Catches: Left
Age: 23
Contract term: 2027 RFA
Current cap hit: $2,200,000
Trade Board ranking: No. 10

Johnston: Ottawa Senators

The Senators would almost certainly be holding down a playoff spot right now if they’d received better goaltending this season. They’re 32nd overall with an .873 team percentage at the Olympic break.

The allure of acquiring Wallstedt is that he’d give them insurance behind No. 1 Linus Ullmark and immediately improve their tandem. He’s also on a cost-controlled contract through next season that should fit in with Ullmark’s pricier deal.

In effect, the Senators would essentially be fortifying the organization’s present and future at the position by adding the young Swede.

Finding the right trade package is a notable barrier here. The Senators don’t own their 2026 first-round pick, but they do have multiple roster players who could get a deal like this one across the finish line.

Mirtle: St. Louis Blues

Goaltending has been one of the biggest issues for the Blues this season, and it may well finally be time to turn the page on Jordan Binnington seven years after his Cup-winning heroics.

Could a package that includes Brayden Schenn (or Robert Thomas) and Binnington entice the Wild to move their goalie of the future, plus other assets, to go really big on the present? If so, this could be a deal that makes sense for these two Central rivals at different ends of the standings.

Guerin has certainly shown a willingness to be bold, and this could set them up for multiple runs at a championship after decades in the mushy middle.