The NHL Trade Deadline is now less than a month away. And as always, rumors around various players are beginning to kick into high gear. One player in the rumor mill is Ottawa Senators forward Vladimir Tarasenko. The former Stanley Cup champion has 14 goals and 34 points in 46 games with the Sens this year.

Tarasenko joined Ottawa on a one-year contract in NHL Free Agency. With the Senators' playoff chances continuing to fade, the 32-year-old winger is a prime candidate to be moved by March 8. However, Tarasenko has enjoyed his time in Canada's capital city this year.

“I have a good group of guys [here],” Tarasenko said of his teammates, via NHL.com. “I enjoy the guys a lot. They're very fun. I think it's a very tight group.”

He went on to explain that it isn't always about the place specifically. The people around you are just as important as the city itself. And for Tarasenko, the Senators have put together a quality locker room.

I was fortunate [with] both the (St. Louis) Blues and (New York) Rangers, there were good people around me. Here, it's the same thing. A lot of people willing to help. … I'm enjoying it,” Tarasenko said, via NHL.com.

Senators' Vladimir Tarasenko not concerned with NHL Trade Deadline

Many people simply don't understand the effects trade rumors can have. The constant whispering and speculation around a player's future on a team can have a toll on those players. For Tarasenko, though, he tries not to focus on the NHL Trade Deadline.

“I don't think about it,” the Senators forward said, via NHL.com. “I think about the game tomorrow, I think about things today. You know, if you focus on the past and the future too much, you just lose the present time, lose excitement, and being stressed out every time.”

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Tarasenko told reporters that one major reason for this is his avoidance of internet rumors. He doesn't read hockey news, so the noise doesn't reach him as much as it may reach other players.

“There's many people, there's many opinions. I know a lot of guys like to read it and they take it very [personally], but I think you have to be focused on yourself mostly and do whatever you can do in your situation, and the rest will take care [of itself],” Tarasenko said, via NHL.com.

Vladimir Tarasenko could be a popular name ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline. It'll certainly be interesting to see if the Senators decide to move on from the former Stanley Cup champion before time runs out on March 8.