The Los Angeles Kings (21-18-12) could be on their way to righting the ship.
No, their recent play isn't the reason - they're 2-5-3 in their last 10, leaving them with a 26.3 percent chance of clearing the Western Conference field and making it into the NHL playoffs, according to sportsclubstats.com - but a pending deal from GM Dean Lombardi could be.
"They're going to do something. They're impatient. There's a real sense that Dean Lombardi always believed in his team the last few years, that we could get a piece and we could do something. He was proven right. I don't think he believes in this group anymore. He's looking at them like they need help and we need help," said TSN's Elliotte Friedman on an episode of Calgary's Sportsnet 960, according to NicholsOnHockey.com.
"They're going to get a defenseman."
What players have they focused their attention on?
"They made a pitch for Dion Phaneuf," Friedman revealed. "They've made their interest in Andrej Sekera pretty clear. I believe also they had told Pittsburgh they would be interested in Paul Martin if Pittsburgh wanted to make that move, which I don't think they do right now."
Friedman, in a radio appearance later in the day, pointed to the Oilers Jeff Petry as a possible target as well.
Lombardi has never been afraid to make deadline deals aimed at upgrading his team for the season's stretch run. Last season, he nabbed Marion Gaborik from the Columbus Blue Jackets. In 2011-12, he brought Jeff Carter on board.
While there's no certainty that Lombardi and the Kings will do anything, their usual late season surge isn't guaranteed and for some reason looks unlikely this year, so a playoff berth could hinge on their ability to add a piece ahead of the NHL's trade deadline.