NHL Trade Deadline Approaches
As the clock ticks down to the NHL trade deadline at 3 p.m. ET on Friday, March 6, several teams are already making significant moves ahead of the final moments. Early deals have involved:
- The Minnesota Wild trading for defenseman Quinn Hughes from the Vancouver Canucks.
- The Los Angeles Kings adding offensive firepower by acquiring forward Artemi Panarin from the New York Rangers.
- The Utah Mammoth enhancing their defense by bringing in MacKenzie Weegar from the Calgary Flames.
Recent Trades
Adding to the action, the Vegas Golden Knights secured center Nic Dowd from the Washington Capitals on Thursday, March 5. The Capitals received goaltender Jesper Vikman, a conditional second-round pick for 2029, and a third-round pick for 2027 in return. Dowd, who has been with Washington since the 2018-19 season, is known for his penalty-killing abilities and has one more year left on his contract.
Teams like the Rangers, Canucks, St. Louis Blues, Flames, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Philadelphia Flyers may soon be parting with players as sellers in the market, giving fans plenty of exciting narratives to follow as the trade deadline approaches.
Notable Transactions
On March 4, the Edmonton Oilers acquired forwards Jason Dickinson and Colton Dach from the Chicago Blackhawks, sending forward Andrew Mangiapane and a conditional first-round pick in 2027 the other way. The Oilers, who are pushing hard for a championship after coming close in the last two seasons, added depth in Dickinson—and notably benefitted from the Blackhawks retaining half of his salary. Meanwhile, the Chicago deal raises questions about Mangiapane’s performance, as he has underperformed this season.
In the same vein, the Colorado Avalanche bolstered their defensive lineup by obtaining Nick Blankenburg from the Nashville Predators for a fifth-round pick in the 2027 draft. Blankenburg is a promising addition, bringing with him solid offensive stats from the Predators and addressing Colorado’s need for left-shot defensemen.
The Utah Mammoth’s deal for MacKenzie Weegar saw them send defenseman Olli Maatta, Cornell center Jonathan Castagna, and three second-round picks back to Calgary. This marks a significant upgrade for Utah, aiming for a playoff position while adding a 20-goal scorer from two seasons prior, although Weegar’s performance this year has dropped.
Additional transactions included the Dallas Stars acquiring Tyler Myers from Vancouver for a second-round pick and a fourth-round pick in 2029, as well as further involvement from the Oilers, who traded for Connor Murphy.
Looking Ahead
A flurry of trades has already taken place leading up to the deadline, and analysis will continue as teams make more decisions about their rosters. The emergence of various players as potential trade candidates creates an electrifying atmosphere leading to March 6, where more activity can be expected. As always, the NHL’s trade deadline promises to reshape the landscape ahead of the playoff push.
