2026 NHL trade deadline winners and losers: Utah Mammoth swing big, St. Louis Blues load up for future

The Kraken have added a bit more firepower to their lineup with the acquisition of winger Bobby McMann from the Toronto Maple Leafs. McMann is on a 25-goal pace this season, but he is a 29-year-old pending free agent. That next contract could be pricey, and there will be some risk involved since McMann doesn't have a very long track record.

Seattle sent a 2027 second-round pick and a 2026 fourth-round pick to Toronto as part of the deal, and I think this deal was a bit misguided on the part of the Kraken. They're one of the worst five-on-five teams in the NHL, and goaltending has dragged them into a playoff spot. This isn't a Cup team, and I don't think Seattle should have given up assets to add a middle-six forward.

Detroit has added a 2026 third-round pick by sending depth forward Elmer Soderblom to the Penguins. Soderblom is an effective fourth-line player who can bring some good size, and at the age of 24, he can still improve. Pittsburgh may have overpaid here, but the Wings have to be happy with that return.

Will Detroit now flip that third-round pick as part of a package in a bigger move? The Wings have been mentioned in connection with Vincent Trocheck, but nothing has happened yet.

With John Carlson on an expiring contract, the Capitals decided to get good value for him in a trade with the Ducks. However, Washington is still within striking distance of a playoff spot in the East, so the team has added a right-handed defenseman to fill Carlson's role on the blue line.

The Caps have acquired Timothy Liljegren from the Sharks, and he is like a diet or zero sugar version of Carlson. Liljegren can drive some offense (not as much as Carlson) and will give opponents something going the other way (a bit more than Carlson). Still, the Caps' front office has given its roster some kind of reinforcements for the stretch run.

Sure, I guess? When I think about what the Hurricanes need, my mind doesn't jump to a 35-year-old physical winger. Deslauriers has one goal in 24 games this season, and he has three goals in 115 games since the start of the 2023-24 campaign. I can't imagine he will be a regular player in Carolina's lineup, so this is probably just to add a body for what should be a lengthy playoff run. At least the Canes only gave up a conditional seventh-round pick.

The Canadiens are a team on the cusp of becoming a true contender, thanks to their gifted young core. Now, they are looking at adding a veteran center to their lineup. Center is a clear position of need in Montreal, and Kadri still has some game left, despite a disappointing season in Calgary from a production standpoint.

This trade could make some sense because of that, but the Habs would have to take on the remainder of Kadri's contract, which includes three more years at $7 million per season. To make the money work, winger Patrik Laine may have to go back to the Flames, which may require Montreal to sweeten the pot even more.

With the acquisitions of Bobby Brink and Nick Foligno, the Wild needed to clear up some space on the roster, and they've done just that. Minnesota has sent winger Vinnie Hinostroza to the Panthers for future considerations. Maybe Bill Guerin will do Bill Zito a solid in return down the line.

After a few years away (and a couple more Stanley Cup Final appearances) veteran forward Corey Perry is on his way back to the Lightning. Perry spent two seasons with Tampa from 2021-23 and was part of the 2021-22 squad that lost to the Avalanche in the Final.

Even at the age of 40, Perry has shown he has some offensive juice left, especially around the net. Perry has 10 goals and 17 assists in 50 games. Perry can slide onto the third- or fourth-line in Tampa and give the team some depth offense. The Bolts need that because they've been a little top heavy on offense this season.

The Kings will receive a second-round pick for Perry, which is a nice return for a 40-year-old winger on an expiring deal. This deal makes a lot of sense for both sides.

The Wild have been a busy team ahead of the trade deadline, and they've added well-respected veteran in Nick Foligno in a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks. Foligno will also get to play alongside his brother, Marcus, in what could be his final season.

A captain for the Blackhawks, there is little question that Nick Foligno will bring experience and leadership to the Wild locker room. Beyond that, Foligno probably won't provide much offense (11 points in 37 games), but he can still be impactful in the defensive zone. Hopefully we get to see the Foligno brothers together on a shutdown line once Marcus returns from injury. He's currently listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

In return for Foligno, Chicago will receive future considerations, also known as "nothing." The Blackhawks did a favor for their captain.

The Minnesota Wild have acquired winger Bobby Brink from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for defenseman David Jiricek. Brink should slot quite nicely onto the Wild's third line, which currently features Danila Yurov at center and Yakov Trenin on the wing. Adding brink makes the trio just a tough to play against while also adding a bit more offensive upside. Brink has tallied 13 goals this season, which is already a career high. Plus, the Minnesota native gets to come home.

Jiricek is a former No. 6 overall pick by the Columbus Blue Jackets, but he hasn't quite panned out at the NHL level yet. Still, Jiricek is only 22 years old, and the Flyers are betting they can help him hit his stride. I'm sure Jiricek will get some nice run in Philly the rest of the way after playing in just 25 games with the Wild this season.

In the middle of the night, the Ducks stunned the hockey world when they acquired defenseman John Carlson from the Capitals. Washington is just four points out of playoff position, but this move signals that the team feels it can't compete for a Stanley Cup this season. As tough as this decision was, it was probably the shrewd one.

The 36-year-old defenseman fetched a conditional first-round pick in either 2026 or 2027 and a 2027 third-round pick. Carlson is still an effective offensive defenseman, and he's proven that in 2026-27 with 10 goals and 36 assists in 55 games. Carlson could also quarterback one of Anaheim's power play units, something he's done in Washington for almost his entire career. Whatever Carlson provides on offense, he will give a little back to the opponent on defense, but that also makes him a fun fit for this Ducks team. The young core in Anaheim can be "all gas, no breaks" at times, and that makes them one of the most entertaining teams in the NHL.

With the exceptions of Jacob Trouba and Radko Gudas -- two more traditional defensive defensemen -- Anaheim is quite young on the blue line. So, this deal also gives the team valuable experience.

If the Nic Dowd trade on Thursday stung the Capitals, this one had to hit even harder. Carlson has been a leader in D.C. for 15 years now, and he played a key role in the franchise winning its first Stanley Cup in 2018. Look at the top of nearly every defensive category in the franchise record books, and you'll see Carlson's name. Still, the Capitals deserve some credit for being realistic about what they are this season and restocking assets to improve the roster on the fly. They got great value for a 36-year-old pending free agent.

For the Ducks, this is a roll of the dice. If Carlson is a natural fit and propels them to a deep playoff run, it will have been worthwhile. If Anaheim crashes and burns in the first round, then the team risks paying a high price for 20-30 games of a veteran defenseman if Carlson doesn't re-sign. Overall, the aggressive approach should be applauded.

Grades

• Ducks: B+
• Capitals: A-

After Blues defenseman Colton Parayko invoked his no-trade clause to nix a trade to the Sabres, Buffalo pivoted to the Jets' defensive duo of Logan Stanley and Luke Schenn. That is kind of like arriving at the steakhouse only to find it's closed for the night and grabbing a TV dinner instead.

That sounds harsh, but the Sabres just gave up real assets to make their defensive situation worse. In exchange for Stanley and Schenn, the Sabres sent forward prospect Isak Rosen, a 2027 second-round pick, a conditional 2026 fourth-round pick and defenseman Jacob Bryson to thhe Jets. Those first two are legitimately valuable trade chips as Rosen was the ranked by The Athletic as the No. 4 player in Buffalo's prospect pool last year.

Stanley and Schenn have struggled mightily in Winnipeg this season. Both players are well under water at five-on-five, and that's especially the case for Schenn, who's posted a 39.2% expected goals share and a minus-13 goal differential. Both players are big and can use their size and physicality to defend the net front, but they don't skate or move the puck well enough to be trusted in the playoffs.

Neither Schenn nor Stanley is an upgrade over any options currently at the Sabres' disposal, and if they were acquired simply for depth, then why did GM Jarmo Kekalainen give up so much? The Jets made out like bandits on this one.

Grades

• Sabres: D-
• Jets: A+

Annnd just moments after reports emerged that the Blue Jackets were making a strong push for Canucks winger Connor Garland, the deal gets across the finish line. Columbus is sending a 2028 second-round pick and a 2026 third-round pick to Vancouver in exchange for the feisty winger who plays a lot bigger than his 5-foot-10 stature.

Like everyone else on the Canucks, Garland is having a bit of a down season, but he can typically be counted on for roughly 20 goals and 25 assists. That's solid production for a second-line winger, and Garland is no slouch defensively. If there is a drawback to this transaction for the Blue Jackets, it's that Garland has a six-year contract extension set to kick in next season. It will pay the 29-year-old forward $6 million per season through 2031-32. Given his size and the way he plays, Garland may not play up to that number the rest of his career.

Still, Columbus gets a clear top-six upgrade in the short-term, and perhaps a bit of Mason Marchment insurance after he left Thursday's game against the Panthers with an injury. The Canucks have really entered fire sale mode, and getting some decent draft capital back for Garland was good work, especially when you consider the long-term contract extension.

Grades

• Blue Jackets: B
• Canucks: B-

Columbus now sits just one point out of the last wild card spot in the Eastern Conference, and the team might be looking to bolster its top six forwards for the final 21 games. According to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, the Jackets are taking a run at Connor Garland, a relentless forechecker who has the ability to hit the 50-point threshold.

Mason Marchment, who the Blue Jackets acquired from the Kraken earlier this season, left Thursday night's win over the Florida Panthers with an injury. That may be a factor in Columbus' interest in Garland, but either way, the Canucks winger could be a good fit for the right price.

The Red Wings have reunited with Perron, a middle-six winger capable chipping in offensively, but he's no longer the type of playmaker he was at his peak. Perron has 25 points in 49 games this season, but the underlying five-on-five numbers have been encouraging, especially his 59.6% expected goals share, per Natural Stat Trick.

Detroit only had to give up a fourth-round pick to gain some scoring depth, but it's still a curious addition. The Red Wings really need a playmaker in his prime up front because they already lean on some older veterans in Patrick Kane and James van Riemsdyk. Steve Yzerman still has time, but he needs to do more.

As for the Senators, they've cleared $4 million off the books, and they should use that room to make a big move of their own. This team is still very much in the playoff race, and Ottawa is better than several teams currently above the cut line.

When it comes to a Trocheck trade, it's a matter of "if" not "when." Trocheck has been on the block since before the Olympic break. Now, the Rangers are taking no risks and scratching Trocheck for their game against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday night. The same goes for forward Sam Carrick.

Trocheck has been very vocal about his preference to remain in the East, and he can enforce that preference with a modified no-trade clause. The Hurricanes, Red Wings and Islanders could be good fits for Trocheck, depending upon the cost.

For the third straight season, Michael Bunting is on the move at the trade deadline. This time, Bunting is going from Nashville to Dallas as the stars get a middle-six winger with rough edges and a decent scoring touch around the net. Bunting has been a bit cold lately (one goal and two assists in his last 14 games), but he won't need to carry the offensive load in Dallas. He could play the wing on the Stars' second or third line, and it would be a solid fit.

Meanwhile, the Predators just keep collecting third-round picks for their depth forwards.

On the surface, this deal doesn't look all that great for Ottawa. Foegele has seven goals and two assists in 47 games with the Kings this season. However, I do think Foegele was a nice buy-low option for Ottawa. Foegele hit the 20-goal mark in back-to-back seasons from 2023-25, and he's been a bit snake-bitten in 2025-26. If the Sens can help Foegele snap out of his funk, he would be a great middle-six winger for them.

All that said, the buy wasn't that low. Ottawa and L.A. swapped third-round picks, and the Senators threw in a 2026 second-round pick. That would have been fair value for Foegele in one of his 20-goal seasons, so Ottawa is really banking on a rebound from him.

This isn't a flashy move, but Petry is a nice depth upgrade for the Wild, and he only cost them a 2026 seventh-round pick. Petry hasn't been great for the Panthers this season, but his underlying numbers have been fine for a third-pairing defenseman. If Minnesota plans to use Petry over Zach Bogosian, who has struggled a bit in 2025-26, then this is a nice low-risk move.

After acquiring defenseman Connor Murphy and depth forward Jason Dickinson, the Oilers are likely done with their major moves, GM Stan Bowman told reporters on Thursday afternoon. That's an interesting approach given that Edmonton has the best player in the world on a very team-friendly deal for two more years beyond this one.

Now is the time for the Oilers to strike ... and they call it a day after adding Murphy and Dickinson? Yes, Edmonton has salary cap concerns. Yes, the draft capital has dwindled. Still, if any other team had Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl in their prime, it would be moving heaven and Earth to surround them with as much talent as possible. The Oilers can't even find league average goaltending.

Looks like McDavid and Draisaitl will have to carry the load again this postseason.

Between acquiring Cole Smith from the Predators on Tuesday and landing Dowd from the Capitals today, the Golden Knights are collecting bottom-six forwards like they're Pokemon. It's great to have depth in the playoffs, and Vegas has only really given up two third-round picks and a second-round picks to get both players, but it doesn't solve the team's biggest issue.

The Golden Knights have gotten horrid goaltending this season, and no amount of gritty forward depth is going to change that. Unless Vegas starts getting more saves, it won't be able to win the Stanley Cup this year.

The Avalanche needed a bottom-six center, but they paid a high price to get one before the trade deadline. Roy comes over from Toronto in the midst of a highly disappointing season. The 29-year-old Roy has posted brutal five-on-five impacts, including a 44.6% expected goals share. The chances he improves on a better team are pretty good, but how much he improves will determine how wise this investment was on the part of Colorado.

The Avalanche forked over a top-10 protected first-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft, as well as a conditional fifth-round pick in 2026. That first round pick probably won't be very high, but there is some opportunity cost here. The Avs now can't use that first-round selection to make a bigger move, so there's pressure to make it work with Roy.

Grades

• Avalanche: B-
• Maple Leafs: A+

Over the last couple days, reports emerged that the Buffalo Sabres had agreed to terms with the St. Louis Blues to acquire defenseman Colton Parayko. One of the best defenders on the market -- and a member of the Canadian Olympic team -- Parayko would have brought shutdown defense and puck-carrying to a Sabres team pushing to end its 14-year playoff drought.

However, Parayko's contract includes a full no-trade clause, and he invoked that on Thursday afternoon. The deal has been nixed, and Parayko will remain with the Blues for now. Do the Sabres now pivot to a reunion with Rasmus Ristolainen? Will Parayko waive his no-trade clause for another team if St. Louis can find another suitor?

Utah was in a position to strike, and it has done just that. On Wednesday, the Mammoth acquired Weegar from the Flames as they added another top-four defenseman to their lineup. Not only that, but the team landed a defenseman who fits perfectly with its attacking style. Utah has plenty of young forwards who can push the pace, and Weegar will help them do that thanks to his elite puck-moving. The Mammoth now have a player who can drive offense from the back end without giving up too much defensively, and Weegar only really cost the team three second-round picks.

That was an easy price for the Mammoth to pay, and it leaves the team with all its first-round picks intact. Utah could be poised for another big swing. As for the Flames, this return is a little disappointing given that Weegar might have been the best defenseman left on the market -- and the fact that he has five years left on a reasonably-priced deal. They couldn't have turned two of those second-round picks into a first?

Grades

• Mammoth: A
• Flames: B