The NHL Trade Deadline is on Friday, March 6, and it’s set to be an entertaining one this year. With a lot of surprising teams emerging from the woodwork and disappointing teams looking for a final push to reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs, this deadline could impact who wins the Stanley Cup.
This trade deadline has been described as a seller’s market, with more sellers than buyers this time around. The Vancouver Canucks have shipped off franchise defenseman Quinn Hughes to the Minnesota Wild, and the Calgary Flames have already traded defensemen Rasmus Andersson and MacKenzie Weegar. Still, several teams are looking for more pieces for their playoff push, and some should make big moves to get over the top.
Buffalo Sabres
There’s a feeling of hope and optimism in Buffalo that hasn’t been seen in over a decade. The Sabres have missed the playoffs every year since the 2010-11 season, but just two days before the deadline, they find themselves with a 36-19-6 record.
They have 78 points, which puts them in second place in the Atlantic Division, and they are within striking distance of the top spot in both the division and Eastern Conference.
Their young core has always shown tons of promise, with Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch, and Rasmus Dahlin headlining it. However, there’s always been a wrench in the engine that’s prevented the Sabres from reaching the Stanley Cup Playoffs, such as inconsistent goaltending or a lack of scoring.
This season, everything has come together, with Alex Lyon and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen coming out of nowhere to be one of the best goaltending tandems in the league. Skaters like Josh Doan, Jack Quinn, and Matthias Samuelsson have had career seasons, too.
Related: 2026 NHL Trade Deadline Tracker
Buffalo already has an awesome defense core, and they have reportedly fortified it with St. Louis Blues defenseman Colton Parayko, if he ends up waiving his no-trade clause. However, a top center or winger can bring them over the top. Parayko’s teammate Robert Thomas or Jordan Kyrou, could be good options to add depth to the team.
They should also discuss a contract extension with winger Alex Tuch. He’s an unrestricted free agent after this season, and he’s transcended into a superstar with the Sabres over the past four years. He and this core are in the best position to reach the Stanley Cup in the past 15 years, and they should fortify it to improve their chances.
Utah Mammoth
The same scenario is taking place in Utah. They’re in a stronger Central Division, so their 32-25-4 record and 68-point tally rank fourth in the division, but they’re in a wild card spot as of two days before the trade deadline.
That arguably means more urgency for them to push for an all-in move. The Utah Mammoth haven’t made the playoffs in their existence, and the Arizona Coyotes, their previous team, had only made the playoffs once, dating back to the 2012-13 season.
The top six of the Mammoth is already good enough to compete with anyone, and the fourth line and first pairing aren’t bad either. However, they probably need another defenseman, especially a right-shot, to take some pressure off of Sean Durzi.
That’s why they went out and acquired MacKenzie Weegar from the Flames for Olli Maata, prospect Jonathan Castagna, and three 2026 second-round picks from themselves, the New York Rangers, and the Ottawa Senators.
They could get more of a scoring punch, as they rank just 15th in goals for (193) and 26th in power-play percentage (16.9%). Getting a guy like New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck would push the offense over the top.
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks have taken major steps forward from the previous two seasons. They’ve gone from a lottery team to a team within striking distance of a playoff spot, currently sitting at 30-25-4 with 64 points.
They also get the benefit of playing in a weak Pacific Division, with the Vegas Golden Knights on top with 72 points. The Sharks could go on a solid winning streak and be at the top of the division.
However, two things are holding them back from a playoff spot: a right-shot defenseman and a middle-six forward. They earned some more depth on the wings (to a degree) with the acquisition of Kiefer Sherwood from Vancouver, but they still need a right-shot defenseman and a middle-six forward.
New Jersey Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton would be the perfect fit for a right-shot defenseman, despite injuries and age decreasing his production a bit. For the middle six, they could call Vancouver again for Jake DeBrusk, Conor Garland, or Evander Kane. If they’re feeling really bold, they could try for Elias Pettersson or Nashville Predators center Ryan O’Reilly.
The Sharks don’t have a ton of first-round picks, but they have a lot of cap space. Why not invest in this trade deadline to give a jolt to your young squad?
Detroit Red Wings
Similar to the Sabres and Mammoth, the Detroit Red Wings have endured a long playoff drought. Their last playoff appearance came in the 2015-16 season, and this season, it finally feels like they’re going to reach that mark.
The Red Wings currently have 77 points, with a 35-20-7 record. Goaltender John Gibson has been a rock in the net, and the main pieces of the core (Lucas Raymond, Moritz Seider, Dylan Larkin, Alex DeBrincat) have driven the team to playoff contention.
However, the Red Wings have been slumping lately. They have a 4-4-2 record throughout the past 10 games. Part of that is because of a few deficiencies on the back end and a lack of grit in the forward lines.
Simply put, the Red Wings need a top-four defenseman with term. If the Toronto Maple Leafs start fielding calls for Morgan Rielly, the Red Wings should call in immediately. They could also call for Hamilton or Blues defenseman Justin Faulk. If the price is right, they could go for Mario Ferraro, too.
As for grit, that doesn’t get solved with a fight-heavy forward like Ryan Reaves or Matt Rempe, but a guy like Kane or Nazim Kadri would go a long way toward making Detroit more menacing. If they don’t want to go that direction, O’Reilly adds some extra veteran leadership to the team, too.
Similar to the Sharks, the Red Wings have a lot of cap space to work with. Unlike the Sharks, they are firmly entrenched in the playoff conversation, so there should be more urgency for them to make a big move. They have a ton of goaltender and forward prospects to deal for players with more term.
Honorable Mentions
The Carolina Hurricanes are more than likely going to make a splash at the trade deadline. Dating back to the 2023-24 season, they’ve traded for at least one high-scoring forward to enhance their defensive system. Jake Guentzel from the Pittsburgh Penguins and Mikko Rantanen from the Colorado Avalanche are prime examples.
While Rantanen struggled to gel with the Hurricanes, culminating in an eventual trade to the Dallas Stars, Guentzel was a great fit, with 25 points in 17 games. There’s reason to believe they will go after another top-six option this trade deadline (especially at center).
However, considering how Rantanen burnt them last time, there’s decent reason to imagine the Hurricanes making just minor tweaks to keep the formula together.
The Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals are in interesting roster positions. They have a lot of young talent in the farm system, but the aging superstars on each team’s roster could encourage them to push for one final Stanley Cup run.
The NHL trade deadline has been considered a seller’s market, so potential buyers might have to overpay for key players. However, if any of these teams buy smartly, they could improve their chances of winning the Stanley Cup this season or the next. They’ll have until March 6 at 3:00 p.m. ET.
