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          Cross Checks Blog

          Arizona Coyotes finally trending up, while Los Angeles Kings skidding out West

          • Katie Strang, ESPN.comMar 2, 2015, 10:49 AM ET
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              Katie Strang covers the Detroit Tigers for ESPN.com. She is a graduate of Michigan State University and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
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          Trending up

          • Arizona Coyotes -- General Manager Don Maloney and Glen Sather consummated a whopper of a deal Sunday, with the Rangers in win-now mode and the Coyotes cutting bait on what has been a disastrous season. In trading defenseman Keith Yandle to the Blueshirts, along with fellow blueliner Chris Summers and a fourth-round pick in 2016, the Yotes took back a mighty haul in defenseman John Moore, forward Anthony Duclair, a first-round pick in 2016 and a second-round pick in 2015. Considering the chemistry Duclair forged with Arizona forward Max Domi at this year’s world juniors, the Yotes have a lot to look forward to. And let’s not forget, they are in the running for highly touted prospects Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel at the draft this year.

          • Andrew Ladd, Winnipeg Jets -- The Jets' captain tallied twice in his team's 5-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday, a critical win for the Jets. They are currently holding the first wild-card spot, three points ahead of the Minnesota Wild. Ladd has four points in the past three games.

          • Chicago Blackhawks -- Look, any team that loses a player of Patrick Kane’s caliber is going to stumble a bit as it tries to make up for the void his absence creates, but credit to general Stan Bowman for acting quickly in the wake of the injury and snagging one of the top rentals available by making a deal with Arizona for center Antoine Vermette. The Hawks may still search for extra depth up front with the clock winding down on Monday’s 3 p.m. deadline. They also shored up their blue line with the acquisition of Kimmo Timonen from the Philadelphia Flyers.

          Trending down

          • Calgary Flames -- The Flames enter this week on the outside of the playoff picture looking in, trailing the Wild by three points for the last wild-card spot. It doesn’t help that they lost their captain and top defenseman Mark Giordano, who was placed on injured reserve Sunday. The team also said goodbye to one of their top offensive producers when Curtis Glencross was shipped to the Washington Capitals.

          • Los Angeles Kings -- General manager Dean Lombardi made a couple of key moves this past week in locking up restricted free agents Jordan Nolan and Kyle Clifford, then made a major splash in landing one of the top trade targets on the market, acquiring blueliner Andrej Sekera from the Carolina Hurricanes. The Kings, however, have now dropped three straight games and are outside the top eight in the Western Conference.

          Injury report

          • Coyotes defenseman Zbynek Michalek was frequently bandied about with the trade deadline approaching, but a head injury has put the pending UFA’s status in question. The 32-year-old defenseman has not played for over two weeks, though he is reportedly still generating “significant interest” among teams looking to bolster their blue line.

          • The Flames’ playoff chances took a serious hit Sunday, when the team put Mark Giordano on IR with an undisclosed upper-body injury. The veteran defenseman is considered one of the top candidates for this year’s Norris Trophy.

          • Veteran defenseman Kimmo Timonen has yet to play in a game this season, but he has reportedly been cleared for contact after a prolonged absence while dealing with blood clots in his leg and both lungs. The 40-year-old Finn was acquired by the Chicago Blackhawks last week in a deal that sent two draft picks to the Philadelphia Flyers.

          What to watch for

          • St. Louis sniffing around -- While the trade frenzy unfolded over the weekend, the St. Louis Blues haven’t made any big moves yet, but don’t sleep on them. Sources have told ESPN.com that the Blues would like to add some defensive depth before the deadline. And with other teams out West stocking up, you can imagine the Blues won’t be satisfied to stand pat.

          • San Jose struggling -- The San Jose Sharks fell out of a playoff spot last weekend on the big stage, falling to the Kings in the outdoor game at Levi’s Stadium, and their downward spiral continues. The Sharks have lost two games since then and face a tough week ahead with Monday’s match against the Montreal Canadiens and a home-and-home set against the Vancouver Canucks, another team they are battling for a playoff spot.