from Frank Seravalli of TSN,

Over the last five NHL trade deadlines, there has been an average of 13 trades of significance in the month leading up to Deadline Day.

Just one week away from TradeCentre, there have been exactly two this season. Eric Staal is scheduled to make his debut on Monday night for Montreal after his March 26 trade from Buffalo for third and fifth-round picks. The Rangers dealt Brendan Lemieux the next day to Los Angeles for a fourth-round pick.

That’s it.

There is no shortage of limiting factors: the flat salary cap; that a shortened schedule reduces an acquisition’s impact; that nearly half the NHL is operating in long-term injured reserve; diminished financial incentive to win an extra playoff round with arena capacity restrictions; tightened internal team budgets; a looming Expansion Draft.

Then there is the list of firm buyers, which seems to be way down compared to a typical season.

Given all that, market prices for players have not yet seemed to adapt to those factors.

“Teams would like me to pay full freight, essentially normal historical trade deadline prices, for what amounts to a half tank of gas,” one GM said last week.

continued, includes Trade Bait board...