NHL
2026 NHL
Trade Deadline
Will the Blues trade Robert Thomas, and where could he end up? Zak Krill / NHLI via Getty Images
Will the St. Louis Blues’ Robert Thomas be headed to the Colorado Avalanche or the Utah Mammoth? Will Vincent Trocheck join the Minnesota Wild?
This week, The Athletic asked its NHL staff for their bold predictions ahead of the March 6 trade deadline this Friday, and those were just a couple of the enticing (and sometimes contradictory) scenarios we heard about in response.
Here’s one pick for each team.
They will trade for a right-shot defenseman
When at full strength, the Ducks are fairly deep up front and have enough offense to be a playoff team. But their defense can still play a stiffer brand of hockey within their own end in order to take the step toward becoming a contender. Mobile youngsters Jackson LaCombe, Olen Zellweger and Pavel Mintyukov hold down the left side, but what about another tough, proven righty to go with Jacob Trouba and Radko Gudas? Could Tyler Myers or Rasmus Ristolainen be an answer? — Eric Stephens
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They will trade Matt Poitras
Poitras was once a rising star. He made the team unexpectedly as a 19-year-old. He broke camp with the varsity again in his second season. But as a third-year pro, the right-shot center was assigned to the AHL at the start of the season. He’s made only three NHL appearances this year. — Fluto Shinzawa
They will trade their first-round pick
It’s been a long time since the Sabres were in a position to trade their first-round pick at the deadline. But after more than a decade of drafting in or around the top 10, the Sabres are in a playoff position at the deadline. Jarmo Kekäläinen has a lot of assets to work with if he wants to make this team better, and I think the first-round pick could be in play for the right deal. This team could use another defenseman and another scoring threat up front. — Matthew Fairburn
They will trade Nazem Kadri to Colorado
The Avalanche know all about Kadri, who won a Cup with the Avs before signing with the Flames as a free agent. Reports surfaced this past weekend that members of the Avs’ management staff were in Anaheim to watch the Flames-Ducks game. Would’ve been an ideal time to chat with GM Craig Conroy about whether or not they could strike a deal with the Flames to add a center ahead of their playoff push. — Julian McKenzie
They will trade for Elias Pettersson
We know the Hurricanes have been interested in Pettersson in the past — Canucks GM Jim Rutherford used trade talks with the Hurricanes to leverage the Swedish center into signing his extension. Now, Pettersson is the subject of trade rumors with Vancouver residing near the bottom of the NHL standings. Carolina loves a distressed asset, though Pettersson’s $11.6 million annual price tag is steep even in today’s exploding cap world. A fair price and some cap relief could make this deal a reality. — Cory Lavalette
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They will trade Ilya Mikheyev
The Blackhawks were hoping to re-sign Mikheyev, but after some discussions, that seems less likely now. If the Blackhawks aren’t going to keep him beyond this season, they’re open to trading him. There’s expected to be some interest. The return probably won’t be huge, maybe a third-rounder, but the Blackhawks need to create roster space for more incoming young players. — Scott Powers
They will trade for Robert Thomas
I’ve long speculated that Colorado should upgrade at center behind Nathan MacKinnon and Brock Nelson. I’ve suggested the Avalanche bring back Ryan O’Reilly, but this is supposed to be bold, not reasonable. Acquiring Thomas would send shockwaves across the NHL and give Colorado a massive matchup advantage up the middle. It would be tricky to pull off underneath the cap, but we’ve seen more complicated deals get done. — Jesse Granger
They will trade to bring back Nick Foligno
Foligno was the Blue Jackets’ captain during the greatest run of play in franchise history, including four straight playoff berths (2017-20). He has spoken openly about his love of Columbus and has built his retirement home there. The Blue Jackets don’t have a lineup spot for Foligno, but there’s always room for a leader like him in the room. The 38-year-old is a pending UFA and most expect this to be his final season. It would be a memorable swan song if Foligno gets a second tour in Columbus. — Aaron Portzline
They will trade for Rasmus Ristolainen
Dallas has a spot for a top-six winger in light of Tyler Seguin’s season-ending injury, but it’s more realistic that Jim Nill addresses another need, for a right-shot defenseman. After missing out on Rasmus Andersson, Ristolainen would be a nice consolation prize, and he’d fit right in with Dallas’ so-called Finnish Mafia. — Mark Lazerus
They will add both a defenseman and a forward
Detroit’s clearest need is on the blue line, and it would be a surprise if it didn’t add a right-shot defenseman before Friday. That’s a must for the Red Wings. But they could use a boost up front, too, and whether it’s a second-line center or a gritty third-line scorer on the wing, I’ll say Steve Yzerman moves for a real upgrade there as well. The Red Wings haven’t been this aggressive at a deadline under Yzerman, but the conditions this year are right for that to change. — Max Bultman
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They will trade Matt Savoie
Oilers general manager Stan Bowman doesn’t have a massive number of valuable trade pieces at this year’s deadline. If the goal is a major addition to the roster, the ask will be painful. Bowman will attempt to make a deal with the 2027 first-round selection, but Savoie is the one young player with enough value to secure a top-flight acquisition at the deadline. The target could be a bigger winger, a right-handed defenseman or a No. 3 center. — Allan Mitchell
They will trade Sergei Bobrovsky
It’s not often you see the defending champs deal one of the top catalysts behind multiple recent titles, but that could happen this week for the Panthers. Their playoff chances are hovering around 30 percent with how competitive the Atlantic is, and without Aleksander Barkov, it may make sense to simply take a knee this season. If a team in need of a goalie (Edmonton?) steps up with a big offer, Bobrovsky just might be on the move. — James Mirtle
They won’t make any (more) notable trades
Ken Holland usually scratches that trade itch at this time of the year and it wouldn’t be the least bit shocking if he does make a move. But he’s already made one bold stroke in acquiring Artemi Panarin and by firing coach Jim Hiller on Sunday, he’s hoping for a spark. Nothing has changed the fact that this is a decidedly average team at best and one not worth spending more assets on. But I’m not so sure he’ll do any selling either. — Eric Stephens
They will trade for Vincent Trocheck
Trading for Trocheck wouldn’t necessarily be a surprise — he’s been a target and fits the team’s needs perfectly. But it’s bold in the sense that the Rangers are asking for a sizable return for one of their top players, so this would mean that the Wild would have upped their offer — or waited out New York successfully. Getting Trocheck would be a best-case scenario for Minnesota, especially if it doesn’t give up top assets such as Danila Yurov. — Joe Smith
They will trade for a right-shot defenseman
It is bold because the right-shot defensemen seemingly available on the market are in high demand, and one just came off the board with Connor Murphy’s move to Edmonton. When demand is higher than supply, prices generally inflate, and the Canadiens are unlikely to want to overpay. But it could happen because it represents a clear area the Canadiens can improve, balancing out their left-shot-heavy defense corps. If prices drop closer to Friday, perhaps this becomes less bold and more realistic. — Arpon Basu
They will do nothing
Outgoing general manager Barry Trotz is going to get handsome offers for center Ryan O’Reilly. He might get calls on Steven Stamkos, too, though Stamkos recently told The Tennessean he will not waive his no-trade clause. Trotz could get assets back for Michael Bunting and Erik Haula. O’Reilly, in particular, is a move most in Trotz’s position would make. But here’s a guess: the coach in him lets it ride and sees if this team can make the postseason. — Joe Rexrode
They will trade Nick Bjugstad
The Devils acquired Bjugstad shortly before the Olympic break, but they have fallen even more in the standings since and are not going to make the playoffs. That means Bjugstad could be available again, as Chris Johnston reported on his trade board. Not many players get flipped after playing single-digit games for a club, but Bjugstad might find himself in that position. — Peter Baugh
They will trade for Jordan Kyrou
It’s Mathieu Darche’s first deadline as Islanders general manager, so there is some uncertainty. The challenge is balancing the retooling strategy the team started over the summer, and an impressive start that propelled the team into the playoff race. The Islanders shouldn’t load up on rentals, but could still take a swing that would elevate this team now and in the future. A top priority should be a skilled top-six winger, and one name that makes a lot of sense stylistically is Kyrou. — Shayna Goldman
They won’t trade Braden Schneider — yet
This isn’t a super bold prediction, but Schneider’s name has been floated around, and he was on Chris Johnston’s most recent trade board. The young defenseman is a pending restricted free agent, so the Rangers don’t have to move him right now. New York will probably be trying to make plenty of trades as it embarks on its stated retool, but I’ll say Schneider isn’t one of them this deadline. In the summer, the Rangers will revisit those discussions. — Peter Baugh
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They will trade for a right-shot defenseman
The Senators seem to like moving in silence. That’s how they ended up being the boldest team to make a move at the deadline last year, landing Dylan Cozens when not many suspected the Sens to be in on the then-Sabres forward. This year, they have no first-rounder while not boasting the deepest prospect pool. Ottawa could play it safe this week or make another hockey trade to upgrade on defense ahead of their playoff push. — Julian McKenzie
They will trade Bobby Brink
At 24 years old and still on the upswing, Brink isn’t the kind of player rebuilding teams tend to deal. But the Flyers are deep at wing, and have another, Porter Martone, on the way, perhaps as soon as the end of this season. Moving Brink, maybe for some help at center or in goal, would also allow Flyers coach Rick Tocchet the option of putting Matvei Michkov back on the right wing for the final six weeks. — Kevin Kurz
They will make multiple moves
I don’t know that Kyle Dubas will land a huge name, but I expect him to be active. He’s already made 41 moves since taking over the Penguins; he has tons of movable assets and Sidney Crosby’s injury might add some urgency. Look for Dubas to be busy on Friday or even before. — Josh Yohe
They won’t trade Mario Ferraro
With the Sharks in a playoff push for the first time in several years, it will be hard to part with the 27-year-old Ferraro even if he’s in the final year of his contract. He’s a heart-and-soul type who went through their painful rebuild and remains a minutes-munching leader on defense. — Eric Stephens
They will acquire a player with a fairly significant cap hit
Seattle is in the Western Conference playoff mix, but not so convincingly that it can afford to part with premium assets. I doubt we’ll see the Kraken deal a first-round pick or a Shane Wright-caliber piece. The Kraken are well-positioned to take on an inefficient contract that can help them now. They have cap space and a three-headed goalie rotation that allows them to get creative with the playoff cap. Watch for the Kraken to add a high-salaried player for a discount before the deadline. — Thomas Drance
They will trade Robert Thomas for a nice return
I’ve been of the mindset that the Blues won’t trade Thomas by the deadline and that his situation will be readdressed in the offseason. But there is a lot of chatter behind the scenes right now. My prediction is that Blues general manager Doug Armstrong will find a team that comes close to his asking price — not all the way, but close enough — and they’ll get the deal done. — Jeremy Rutherford
They will trade to bring back Blake Coleman
As strong as Tampa Bay is, it could use some work around the fringes to really solidify its chances of going on a deep run. Up front, there are basically two ways to approach things: with a right-handed shot to elevate the power play or a utility forward to punch up the top nine. Coleman, five years after his back-to-back wins with the Lightning, still fits the latter mold perfectly. That could give Tampa’s top nine more versatility, since he can be used in any capacity. — Shayna Goldman
They won’t get a first-round pick back for Bobby McMann or Scott Laughton
Fourth-line centers don’t typically draw first-round picks, and that’s what Laughton has been this season. Maybe his intangible qualities — his scrappiness and winning personality — up his value a smidge higher, but a first-rounder might be pushing it. McMann is having a career year, meanwhile, and playing a lot of top-line minutes for the Leafs. On a playoff team, he’s likely a third-liner. Even a second-round pick is probably a win. — Jonas Siegel
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They will swing big for Robert Thomas
The Mammoth need another top-six center long-term. On “Saturday Headlines” last weekend, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that the Mammoth are one of the teams in on Thomas, which makes sense: They’re one of the only prospective buyers that have the currency (loaded prospect pipeline, excess draft picks, tons of cap space) to make a Thomas deal realistically happen. — Harman Dayal
They will do disappointingly little
The Canucks aren’t very good at managing the NHL trade deadline, historically speaking. It’s a trend that predates current management, but also applies to them, especially after last season when they didn’t monetize either Brock Boeser or Pius Suter before the deadline. I predict the club will fail to move at least one of their three pending UFA veterans (David Kämpf, Evander Kane and Teddy Blueger). — Thomas Drance
They will sit out at the trade deadline
No team has been more active at the deadline than the Golden Knights since they entered the league, so this is pretty bold. While unlikely, Vegas has already traded its next two first-round picks to Calgary and views Rasmus Andersson as its big acquisition. On top of that, the team’s biggest need may be in net, and they’re not exactly in a position to add a goalie. Adin Hill’s six-year extension runs through 2031 and the Golden Knights already signed Carter Hart to a two-year, $4 million contract. — Jesse Granger
They will make a big addition
The Caps have said they’re looking to add a top-six winger. No surprise — and they’re not alone. We’re saying GM Chris Patrick gets something done, though. Hoping to make a big addition is one thing; landing the plane is something else. Jordan Kyrou would make a ton of sense. — Sean Gentille
They will spend big on a player in his mid-20s with term
The Jets are on track to miss the playoffs and aren’t going to sell off their star players. Bold isn’t particularly available to them right now, unless you consider moving 2016 first-round pick Logan Stanley in the midst of a career year to be a bold idea. The only way they achieve “bold” then would be in the form of a surprise: finding an under-discussed, underrated young player who can help them next season and beyond. Odds seem low. — Murat Ates
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