The trade deadline has come and gone and is now in the rearview mirror for the Vegas Golden Knights with wild storylines across the league. The aftermath left general manager Kelly McCrimmon making one swing for an original misfit, Reilly Smith.
It wasn’t the typical splashy deadline that Vegas usually has, but they added a veteran winger, something they’ve been searching for in the lineup this season. Even though it was a solid deal, it was overshadowed by the chaos that was the Western Conference leading up to the trade deadline.
Related: Winners & Losers From the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline
Teams took mammoth swings to bolster their lineups, and now we’re only a month out from the playoffs. Here’s how the West looks post-trade deadline, as the Golden Knights search for their second Stanley Cup, with potentially the hardest path there.
Dallas Stars
In 2020, when COVID-19 broke out throughout the world, sports across the globe entered uncharted territory. The NHL had to postpone the season, and the Stanley Cup Playoffs took place in August and September.
The Tampa Bay Lightning would win the Stanley Cup in six games, the beginning of their dynasty. On the other end was the Dallas Stars, a team that has yet to be back since. GM Jim Nill looked to change that during this season’s trade deadline by acquiring superstar Mikko Rantanen.
Since 2020, the Finnish forward places sixth in the NHL for points with 523. The Rantanen situation was super unique since he was dealt twice within the span of a month and a half. The Stars sent Logan Stankoven, along with some draft assets, to the Carolina Hurricanes.
With the likes of Rantanen in Dallas, they’re undoubtedly one of the biggest threats to the Golden Knights in the West. The combination of Jason Robertson, Wyatt Johnston, and Jake Oettinger makes for a scary lineup come playoff time.
The Stars only made this lone move, as it took a while to reach the finish line, but are loaded from top to bottom.
Edmonton Oilers
Last season, the Edmonton Oilers finally broke through and made it to the Stanley Cup Final. However, they met a scorching hot Florida Panthers team and ultimately failed the 3-0 comeback, losing in seven games. It was an entertaining series for everyone other than Connor McDavid and company, falling short once again.
As we sit today (March 11), the Oilers are second in the Pacific Division, posing arguably the biggest threat to the Golden Knights, only five points back from first place. They didn’t make a blockbuster deal like the Stars did, but they added depth and skill to an already extremely talented team.
They added Trent Frederic, Max Jones, and prospect Petr Hauser, alongside one of the best defensemen on the market, Jake Walman. How much better do these players make Edmonton? We can’t quite measure that now, but they no doubt bolstered their roster.
With Walman, the biggest addition to their defense, they only get stronger, with the former San Jose Shark having a tremendous
season. Staying in that first-place spot in the Pacific Division is crucial for the Golden Knights, as it 100% dictates who they’ll play. As of now (March 11), if they maintain first place, they’ll take on the Minnesota Wild. If they slide to second place, they’ll take on the Stars.
Pick your poison, but I don’t think McCrimmon and company want to play the Stars again, especially after this mind-boggling trade deadline.
Winnipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets always awe people during the regular season and then collapse during the postseason. There’s no doubt they’re one of the best teams in the NHL (tied for first with the Washington Capitals), but can they get over the hump that is the playoffs?
During the deadline, they were one of the busier teams, but most agreed that they overpaid for the players they traded for. They sent a 2026 second and 2027 fourth-round pick to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Luke Schenn. They then added to their bottom six by adding Brandon Tanev from the Seattle Kraken for a 2027 second-round pick.
Second-round picks are suddenly growing on trees for Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff, but all jokes aside, while they likely overpaid, they improved. Tanev, who returns to Winnipeg, is scoreless through two games with the Jets, but offense isn’t quite his game, as we all know.
The Jets prioritized size and grit over speed and skill, which will be needed in the Central Division with some highly touted teams. The Golden Knights likely won’t have to worry about the Jets in the playoffs for now, but we’ll see if their paths cross in April/May.
Colorado Avalanche
It’s exciting to see several teams go all-in all at once because it seemed like that’s exactly what happened during the trade deadline, and the Colorado Avalanche were right in the mix of it. They made a splash for Brock Nelson, sending a conditional 2026 first-round pick along with Calum Ritchie and more.
Nelson was one of the players many thought could get dealt, but they weren’t sure what New York Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello was cooking up. It’s a massive return for the Islanders, but assuming Nelson doesn’t re-sign, the Avalanche will get him for one postseason run.
Of course, they could re-sign him; we don’t know what they’ll do, but it’s for certain they’ve got their eyes locked on the playoffs, which are quickly approaching. For most teams, this would be enough to satisfy a GM, but Chris MacFarland wanted more. They proceeded to make numerous moves, adding Charlie Coyle, Ryan Lindgren, Jimmy Vesey, and some other pieces.
These moves more than certainly position the Avalanche in the race for being the top contender in the Western Conference, but with the moves others have made, it’ll be fun to find out.
Did Vegas Do Enough?
The question then looms: Did Vegas do enough? Probably not for what we’re used to from McCrimmon at the trade deadline. That’s not to say that they won’t make a deep run this season, but they didn’t acquire a superstar like Rantanen or Brad Marchand. Of course, only time will tell, but even though the Smith acquisition helps them on the wing, the playoffs could feature them playing one of the teams listed, which would be an arduous task.
We’ll see where the rest of the season takes them, but finishing first in the Pacific Division could be vital for a favorable first-round matchup.
