What would work for Eastern Conference contenders as trade deadline approaches?

The Pittsburgh Penguins, as they are wont to do under general manager Jim Rutherford, didn’t wait until the Feb. 24 trade deadline to make a deal that could alter the trajectory of their season.

On Monday, Rutherford swung a major trade by bringing forward Jason Zucker from the Minnesota Wild in exchange for forward Alex Galchenyuk, defensive prospect Calen Addison and a conditional first-round draft pick.

That transaction already has paid dividends as Zucker scored two goals, including the winner, during Friday’s 4-1 home win against the Montreal Canadiens.

Zucker’s arrival shouldn’t be seen a final move for the Penguins, especially because other contenders in the Eastern Conference have yet to make any trades of significance.

Here’s a quick look at the top teams in the Eastern Conference and what they could use:

(Note: All records are through Friday.)

Pittsburgh Penguins

Record: 35-16-6 (76 points)

Standings: Second place of the Metropolitan Division

What they need: Depth on defense. A No. 6, 7, 8 (or beyond) defenseman could be useful for a playoff series against teams with heavy forechecks like the New York Islanders, Boston Bruins or especially the Washington Capitals, a team that has injured several Penguins players, particularly defensemen, over the past half-decade. Additionally, with defensemen Brian Dumoulin and John Marino on the mend from injuries, the blue line already is battered.

Who would make sense if the price was right: Brenden Dillon, San Jose Sharks; Erik Gustafsson, Chicago Blackhawks; Trevor Daley, Detroit Red Wings

Boston Bruins

Record: 35-11-12 (82 points).

Standings: First place of the Atlantic Division

What they need: Complementary scoring. The Bruins’ top line of Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak drives so much of this team’s offense. A little balance, particularly on the second line, would go a long way toward making life easier for that trio.

Who would make sense if the price was right: Chris Kreider, New York Rangers; Mikael Granlund, Nashville Predators; Tyler Toffoli, Los Angeles Kings

Tampa Bay Lightning

Record: 38-15-5 (81 points).

Standings: Second place of the Atlantic Division

What they need: Defensive depth. Like the Penguins, the Lightning are dealing with some injuries on the blue line to Ryan McDonagh and Jan Rutta. Unlike the Penguins, the Lightning have some older, slower options filling out their bottom pairing in Braydon Coburn and Luke Schenn. Some youth and speed would help this group.

Who would make sense if the price was right: Marco Scandella, Minnesota Wild; Dillon; Gustafsson

Washington Capitals

Record: 37-15-5 (79 points).

Standings: First place of the Metropolitan Division

What they need: Bottom-six centers. There are few teams with a better 1-2 punch at center than the Capitals duo of Nicklas Backstrom and Lars Eller. The problem is on the bottom two lines, where the Capitals have the adequate but hardly overwhelming duo of Travis Boyd and Nic Dowd. A playoff series against the Penguins, the Bruins or even the Islanders would present some issues down the middle among those lines.

Who would make sense if the price was right: Miiko Koivu, Minnesota Wild; Trevor Lewis, Los Angeles Kings; Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Ottawa Senators

New York Islanders

Record: 33-17-6 (72 points).

Standings: Third place of the Metropolitan Division

What they need: A little of everything. The Islanders have plenty second- or third-liners playing to their full potential. A legit top-six forward could push this team past the Penguins and Capitals in this division. It’s a similar story on defense, where there are plenty of second- or third-pairing-caliber players.

Who would make sense if the price was right: Mike Hoffman, Florida Panthers; Ilya Kovalchuk, Montreal Canadiens; Toffoli