With the Olympic roster freeze lifting soon, GMs across the league huddle over mock trade boards, eyeing top targets like Dawson Mercer and Dougie Hamilton from a restless New Jersey Devils squad desperate to jolt their locker room. Edmonton's pivot to defense has names like Connor Murphy and Justin Faulk circling their radar, while Los Angeles scouts replacements for the injured Kevin Fiala, whispering about a Stamkos reunion.

Blackhawks fans brace for a wild post-Olympic ride as playoff brackets shake out and the Western Conference lights up the scoresheet. Los Angeles Kings chart a tricky path forward without Kevin Fiala, who's out for the year after that Olympic leg breaker, forcing GM Ken Holland to eye scorers like Steven Stamkos amid their $15 million cap war chest.

Steven Stamkos and Dougie Hamilton sit as prime trade chips with the deadline closing in, their names buzzing every GM's phone. Tampa and New Jersey weigh moving captains and blueliners who could transform contenders overnight. Front offices salivate at the packages these vets command, potentially reshaping playoff races in one swoop.

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Pairing Steven Stamkos with Minnesota injects elite scoring punch and veteran poise the Wild crave right now. His track record as Lightning captain translates seamlessly to a contender hungry for playoff edge. Guerin eyes this fit amid cap room post-Olympics, transforming XGF woes into Cup contention.

Minnesota's front office eyes Steven Stamkos as the ultimate plug-and-play solution for their scoring droughts and leadership vacuum. The veteran sniper brings sniper's touch and captain's gravitas that Bill Guerin covets amid a playoff push post-Olympics. Wild fans whisper about cap gymnastics, but adding him transforms a good team into a contender before the March deadline hits.