NHL Weekender: Playoff races heat up as trade deadline looms

All things are coming up Pennsylvania in the Eastern Conference with the Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins making a ton of noise over the last week. Philly has notched four victories in a row, while the defending Stanley Cup champs have notched five — both with eight victories in their last 10 tilts. So who's the hotter team? We may know March 7, when the bitter rivals meet up in Philadelphia.

Out in the Western Conference, the Anaheim Ducks have moved into a playoff spot thanks to four straight wins — taking advantage faltering Pacific Division foes like the Los Angeles Kings and Calgary Flames. After shutting out a feisty Dallas Stars team Wednesday, Anaheim now has a stretch of games against teams out of the playoff race, starting with a visit to Arizona to play the Coyotes on Saturday.

Who's on a skid

While Philly and Pittsburgh have gone on surges, things have cooled off for the New Jersey Devils. The scrappy young team that was surprising everyone at the start of the season has gone on a bit of a skid, only winning four of its last 10. Could things be turning around with the acquisition of forward Michael Grabner? We'll see if there's a turnaround when the Devils face the New York Islanders this weekend.

Meanwhile, the fight to stay in Wild Card contention in the Western Conference has gotten even tighter. Teams on the outskirts like Calgary, L.A. and the Colorado Avalanche are all trying to push their way back into the conversation, though each squad has been up and down of late. That makes the games this weekend even more important, as the Flames host the Avalanche on Saturday, while the Kings host the downtrodden Edmonton Oilers.

Trade talk

We can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel with the trade deadline looming at weekend's end. The big talk headed into Friday was the New York Rangers scratching Rick Nash and Michael Grabner amid trade talks. Grabner, of course, is now on his way to New Jersey, and all eyes are on Nash as perhaps the biggest offensive threat on the market.

There is likely more movement on the horizon, especially from sellers like the Ottawa Senators — although beware of getting too caught up in the Erik Karlsson rumor mill. Another team to keep an eye on is the faltering Chicago Blackhawks, who could potentially end up being one of the big sellers by midday Monday.

As for buyers? Keep an eye on the Toronto Maple Leafs, Tampa Bay Lightning and Nashville Predators. These are competitive teams looking to add pieces ahead of the playoffs. You might as well keep tabs on the Las Vegas Golden Knights as well. This season's Cinderella still appears to be full of surprises, so an unexpected move at the deadline is quite possible.

What to watch this weekend

Saturday, Bruins at Maple Leafs, 7 p.m. EST, NESN

Two of the hottest teams in the East finally meet up for the second time this season. The last meeting ended with Toronto snagging the 3-2 victory in overtime, but that was back in November, before Boston caught fire and steamrolled its way toward the top of the Atlantic Division. This will likely be a game that will have fans so far on the edges of their seats that they fall off their chairs.

Sunday, Blues at Predators, noon EST, NBC

St. Louis is looking to get back into the playoff picture and faces steep competition ahead in the Central Division-leading Preds. Nashville is coming off a 7-1 rout of the San Jose Sharks and has some of the most intimidating records on home ice this season. The Predators are 21-7-3 at Bridgestone Arena. These teams tend to play each other tough, however, which makes for perfect viewing on a Sunday morning or early afternoon.