The NHL’s Olympic roster freeze is over and the final push towards Friday’s trade deadline is under way. TSN.ca keeps you up to date with all the latest news and rumours with the daily Countdown to TradeCentre blog.

Follow all the latest trades here and the most up to date signings here.

Laine on the move?

The Montreal Canadiens are in position to be a buyer ahead of Friday’s trade deadline, but the team is expected to continue to look into moving winger Patrik Laine.

Laine has not played since October, when he underwent core muscle surgery. He has returned to practice with the Canadiens, but appears to be without a place in their lineup.

TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun has reported that Laine’s agent, Andy Scott, has been given permission to speak with other teams in hopes of working out a trade.

Arpon Basu of The Athletic believes the Canadiens are trying to find a way to include Laine in a trade that allows the team to bring back a player who will help with their playoff push. If that can’t be done, the Canadiens may have to pay a team to take on Laine’s expiring $8.7 million contract while retaining half of it.

Basu believes a right-shot defenceman and a physical forward are on Montreal’s wish list, but their cap situation is currently limiting their ability to make a deal.

“Whatever happens, happens,” Canadiens captains Nick Suzuki said of the upcoming deadline over the weekend. “I think we were able to grab Phil (Danault) probably earlier than teams do for trade deadline, and he’s helped us out. Our cap situation’s a bit tight, so there’s not a lot of room, and we already have a lot of NHL talent.

“So I’m not really expecting that much.”

Basu notes that the Canadiens are still unwilling to risk their long-term future on a piece that only helps them in the present.

Montreal is in position to make the playoffs for the second straight year, currently sitting in the top wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, but just on point back of the Buffalo Sabres for second in the Atlantic Division with a game in hand. The Canadiens will visit the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday.

Sherwood on the move again?

It appears Kiefer Sherwood could be on the move for the second time this season after a brief stint with the San Jose Sharks.

Sherwood popped up way down at No. 51 on The Athletics’s trade board, with TSN Hockey Insider Chris Johnston writing the Sharks are now open to trading the winger rather than risk losing him for nothing to free agency this summer.

Speculation around Sherwood’s future seemed to start soon after he was acquired by San Jose from the Vancouver Canucks for defenceman Cole Clayton and two second-round picks in January.

The 30-year-old winger has appeared in just four games with the Sharks, failing to post a point. He had 17 goals and 23 points in 44 games with Vancouver before the trade. Having posted a career-best 19 goals and 40 points in 78 games last year, Sherwood is reportedly seeking a contract extension in the range of $5 million per season.

The Sharks remain in the playoff race, sitting four points back of the Edmonton Oilers for the final wild-card spot with three games in hand.

Trocheck Staying East?

If New York Rangers centre Vincent Trocheck is dealt this week, it appears he will be staying in the Eastern Conference.

A candid Trocheck spoke Monday, admitting he is fully aware he could be dealt, but will use his 12-team no-trade list to rule out teams in the West.

“It’s no secret. [West teams] are on my no-trade list,” Trocheck said.

One exception appears to be the Central Division’s Minnesota Wild, who have been long rumoured to covet Trocheck and, according to The Athletic, are not listed on his no-trade list.

Trocheck is listed at No. 2 on the TSN Trade Bait board and revealed Monday he has been kept abreast of his market by Rangers general manager Drury.

“I feel like I’m as involved as I can be,” he said. “I only have a 12-team no-trade clause. It’s not like I have full protection and I need to be in with them on every single phone call. But I mean, me and Chris have a great relationship. He’s been very open and honest with me and transparent, so I feel like I get as many calls as a player could get.”

“If I’m gonna get traded to a team that’s in the same situation as us, then I don’t want to move,” Trocheck added. “That sounds miserable in a new city. I am 32 years old. I would like to win a Stanley Cup, so if I am going to get traded, I would like to go to a team that’s winning, or has a chance to win.”

Trocheck has 12 goals and 39 points in 46 games with the Rangers this season. He is currently in the fourth season of a seven-year, $39.375 million contract that carries an annual cap hit of $5.625 million. He is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2028-29 campaign.

The Pittsburgh native is coming off a gold medal with the United States at The Winter Olympic Games in Italy. He also represented his country at last year’s 4 Nations Face-Off in a second-place finish.

The Rangers placed themselves as clear sellers with an open letter to fans in January and moved star winger Artemi Panarin to the Los Angeles Kings just ahead of the Olympic roster freeze.