4 veterans who could be dealt before the deadline

As the NHL becomes a league shaped primarily by teenagers and 20-somethings, veteran players remain crucial pieces for any team hoping to make a run at the toughest trophy to win in professional sports.

With the Feb. 26 trade deadline approaching, general managers across the league will look to augment their rosters with the right mix of experience and skill.

Here are four veteran players who can still contribute and could be dealt before the deadline.

Radim Vrbata, Florida Panthers

Vrbata may currently be struggling to fill the back of the net, but the 36-year-old journeyman would still make an excellent addition to any playoff-bound club looking for some scoring depth.

Despite being hindered by illness this season and playing with offensively challenged linemates (Vrbata has been skating with Connor Brickley and Denis Malgin on the Panthers' third line), he still has 13 points in 32 games played.

Those numbers don't exactly jump off the page, but come on: Brickley and Malgin?

Throw Vrbata into the mix with some offensively minded, top-six-caliber forwards and he could prove to be just the type of veteran presence a club is looking for.

Antoine Vermette, Anaheim Ducks

At 35 years young, Vermette still holds value as a responsible two-way player who can win big faceoffs and chip in with timely goals.

The veteran pivot also brings a winning pedigree, as he was dealt to the Chicago Blackhawks at the 2015 deadline and went on to win the Stanley Cup. He registered seven points in 20 games while serving in a key bottom-six role for Chicago.

Vermette is perhaps most attractive to potential trade partners at the faceoff dot, where the experienced centerman owns stellar win-loss numbers. This season for the Ducks, Vermette is winning his draws at an almost 60 percent clip and has a career mark of 56.8.

Anaheim is still in the playoff mix and might not be willing to move Vermette, but expect his skill set to be coveted by quite a few postseason-bound teams.

Johnny Oduya, Ottawa Senators

Another player whose name is seemingly mentioned at every trade deadline, Oduya continues to demonstrate his worth as a cheap, reliable option for GMs in search of some blue-line stability.

Through 37 games for the Senators, Oduya has put up respectable numbers, registering six points and a minus-4 rating while logging just under 17 minutes of ice time per night.

Again, those stats aren't much to write home about, but any team looking to acquire Oduya is interested in his leadership and playoff experience, not his numbers. He won't be winning the Conn Smythe anytime soon, but he does have two Cups and 106 career postseason games to his credit.

Don't be shocked if Oduya is on the move once again.

Thomas Vanek, Vancouver Canucks

Added to Vancouver's roster in the offseason to very little fanfare, Vanek is experiencing something of a renaissance with the Canucks, tallying 13 goals and 19 assists across 45 games.

On pace for his highest point total (58) since notching 68 for the Sabres during the 2013-14 season, Vanek's trade value grows with each passing week.

Obviously, Vanek is benefiting from playing alongside Brock Boeser, one of the best young players in the game, but Vanek himself can still bury the biscuit.

A wicked slapper, nose for the net, and soft hands make him the perfect veteran addition to any group in need of offensive help.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)

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