While the NHL trade deadline is one of the most exciting dates on the calendar, it could be even better if it was slightly earlier in the season. Specifically, the league should move it to just after the All-Star Game or whatever other competition might replace it as the NHL’s midseason break. Doing so would benefit the players, teams, fans and the league overall, raising the level of competition and entertainment while making life easier for those on the trading block.
NHL Teams and Players Get More Time Together
This year’s deadline is less than six weeks before the playoffs start. Most of the key players being traded will be headed to contenders, giving teams and players an incredibly short time to integrate. An earlier deadline would give players more time to adjust to a new setting and allow teams to better figure out how to incorporate them into the lineup.
Last season, Jake Guentzel and Noah Hanifin were traded at the deadline. They each played fewer than 20 regular-season games with their new teams before accelerating into the postseason. While they both played well, neither of their teams made it out of the second round. If they’d had just a little more time to build chemistry with their teammates, maybe they would have provided that extra boost to put their teams over the top. As a pending free agent, Guentzel stated he enjoyed playing for the Carolina Hurricanes but also admitted he didn’t get as much time with them as he wanted.
Major deadline deals require at least a partial reset of team chemistry, which can take a long time to build. Giving players and teams a little more time to develop a connection would make the deadline, the end of the regular season and even the playoffs more exciting.
Earlier Deadline Could Create More Blockbusters
The trade deadline is only exciting if teams take big swings and make aggressive moves as they push for the Stanley Cup. As the days count down, everyone eagerly anticipates who will be on the move and where they will go, hoping for big names to switch teams. An earlier deadline will make big splashes more commonplace.
Teams hold back on trades when the player available is a pending unrestricted free agent, only suiting up for a handful of regular-season and playoff games before their contract expires and they sign elsewhere. If teams had those players for more games, they might be more willing to go through with those risky trades.
Related: NHL Trade Bait List for 2025 Trade Deadline
Proponents of the later deadline would argue that teams need that time to gauge where they stand to determine whether they should be buyers or sellers. But teams have played over half the schedule by the All-Star Game, giving them more than enough time to determine where they are at. With more games remaining, teams on the playoff bubble might be more interested in making trades that push for title contention. As we’ve seen this season with the trades for Mikko Rantanen and Mikael Granlund, teams don’t have to wait until March to pull the trigger on big moves under the right circumstances.
The NHL playoff race is most exciting when many teams have a legitimate shot at winning the championship, and the trade deadline helps facilitate that possibility. Moving it earlier in the season would allow more teams to add star players for their stretch run, creating an impact that will last well into the postseason.
Deadline at All-Star Break Would Make Player Exchange Easier
Trades are complicated for many reasons, but especially the process of switching teams. Players have a lot to deal with when moving cities, not just as players but as husbands, fathers and human beings. On the other side, teams can get stuck with roster issues once they’ve agreed to a deal but before the incoming players arrive, something that recently became an issue in the NBA but can be a problem in any league.
Placing the trade deadline right after the All-Star Game would lessen the burden considerably. Players would get a few days to get their affairs in order before shifting their focus to hockey, while teams would avoid the roster crunch that forces them to play with an incomplete lineup for a game or two. Furthermore, by making the deadline after the actual All-Star Game, the league would avoid at least some of the awkwardness of players potentially representing a team that just traded them.
People tend to forget the human side of the business. A deadline during the All-Star Break isn’t just logical — it’s considerate, and doing so would help everyone.
Earlier Trade Deadline Would Benefit Everyone
Rescheduling the deadline would add even more excitement to an already-thrilling time of year. It would help players adjust to their new scenery, allow teams to determine their best path and draw more focus to the NHL. This season has shown just how exciting hockey can be when the sports world is paying attention. The trade deadline accompanying the All-Star Break would only increase the league’s stature.
