NFL
After a very fast-paced and entertaining trade deadline, where does your team stand? We saw teams like Nashville, who were on the bubble of the playoff race, decide to sell off assets and retool. Meanwhile, we saw juggernauts like Colorado add huge pieces, such as Nazem Kadri, to an already loaded lineup. Where does your team sit? Below, I will grade each team’s deadline. I’ll let you know whether you should be elated or disappointed in your GM. Let’s get into it.
Anaheim Ducks: B
The Ducks add a veteran Defenseman and some forward depth to the squad. They do so without disrupting the locker room too much. The Ducks gave up some significant draft stock in an attempt to pursue the Pacific Division title. The good thing is that the Pacific is well within their grasp; the bad news is that the Pacific Division title could well be fool’s gold. The Ducks are the only team in the Pacific with a true winning record. Is it worth giving up decent draft stock for a playoff run that probably won’t run that deep?
Boston Bruins: C
Boston currently holds the final seed in the Eastern Conference. They have gone 5-2-3 in their last 10 games. This team has 1st-round exit written all over them, and it seems to have swapped mid-level prospects around and taken flyers on players like Lukas Reichel. It was probably smart for them not to take any big swings with the current market. They elect to ride out the season. Yet, you wonder why they didn’t move a player like RHD Andrew Peeke. The market clearly would have netted them some decent draft stock and/or prospects. For that reason, they receive a passing grade.
Buffalo Sabres: A
The Sabres have not made the playoffs in 14 years and took some big swings this deadline. The Sabres’ D-core was already good. They got much better with the additions of Luke Schenn and Logan Stanley. Depth signings like Tanner Pearson and Sam Carrick mean Buffalo is gearing up not only to win the Atlantic. They are also flirting with winning the Eastern Conference and going on a deep playoff run. The Sabres, as of this writing, are only 2 points behind the Hurricanes for the lead in the Eastern Conference. What a fun time to be a fan of Buffalo.
Calgary Flames: A+
This is how you sell if you are a bad team. Calgary was in the second round of the playoffs just a few years ago. However, after a couple of down years, they find themselves near the bottom of the league. Assuming that they stay in the bottom-5, the Flames will have a whopping 8 picks in the first 3 rounds. Then they will have six 1st-round picks over the next 3 seasons. The kicker is that a lot of these picks are from teams that could miss the playoffs. So, we can assume they will all be early-round picks as well. The cherry on top is that they only had to retain 20% of Nazem Kadri’s salary. This is the deadline you prayed for if you are a Flames fan.
Carolina Hurricanes: D
This was a surprisingly quiet deadline for the pace car of the East. You would have loved to see them take a big swing for a top-line forward. However, it seemed like the market just wasn’t right for GM Eric Tulsky. You have to assume the asking price for Trockeck was outrageous, considering he wasn’t moved. After a huge trade last season at the deadline, one would assume this front office would be looking for something similar this season. Will the Hurricanes’ forward depth be enough to get them over the hump?
Chicago Blackhawks: B
The Blackhawks earn points for moving Foligno to the Wild. It’s major points for what looks like an absolute fleecing of the Oilers. They acquired a conditional 1st for Jason Dickinson and Colton Dach. Additionally, they acquired a 2nd round pick for Connor Murphy just days earlier. The future is bright with Bedard, and adding draft stock only makes it look brighter. While not exactly a home-run deadline, they bolstered their draft stock and will add young talent to an already young and talented roster.
Columbus Blue Jackets: B
The Conor Garland trade is doing a lot of heavy lifting here. Before the hiring of Rick Bowness and the trade for Mason Marchment, the Blue Jackets were in the bottom third of the league. The Garland and Marchment trades are a signal fire for a playoff push for a team that currently sits 2 points behind a lukewarm Boston Bruins squad that didn’t move the needle on March 6th. While not exactly a swing for the fences, Garland is a rental defenseman who provides a decent amount of offense for a surging Columbus team.
Dallas Stars: B-
The three-time reigning GM Of The Year, Jim Nill, did not make any blockbuster deals like he did last season. However, he did make moves to add valuable scoring depth with Michael Bunting and a big defenseman in Tyler Myers. He did this while preserving valuable cap space and draft capital, trading only a 3rd round pick for Bunting, who is worth about 20 goals per season and plays on the power play. Vancouver also retained 50% of Tyler Myers’ salary in the trade. Jim Nill master class yet again? Time will tell.
Detroit Red Wings: B
Justin Faulk is the big name here amongst the trade deadline pieces added to the Hockey Town hopefuls. Faulk adds a star defenseman to a team that already looked primed to make their first playoff appearance in 10 years. Detroit also added veteran winger David Perron for only a conditional 4th as well as a 2026 3rd for the titanic 6’8″ Swedish forward prospect Eric Soderblom. Detroit did a great job playing the middle by adding a valuable defenseman. They are also adding to their draft stock for 2026. They are currently 3rd in the Atlantic, 2 points behind Tampa Bay and 4 points behind Buffalo.
Edmonton Oilers: F
The Oilers needed one thing, and have needed one thing for the past 2 seasons. That thing is goaltending. You would think that they would have addressed that by now, considering the early-season swap of Jary and Skinner. Unfortunately, as most fans could tell you, Jary’s season up to that point was fool’s gold. The Oilers still have work to do on that front. Did they address that glaring need? No. Did they get better at the deadline? Also no. They added more “grit” pieces in Jason Dickinson and bolstered their blue line with Conor Murphy. Still, did they overpay by sending a 2nd? Most likely yes. The back-to-back Western Conference champs will have their work cut out for them, as seemingly every top contender in the conference got better this deadline.
Florida Panthers: D
Losing Jeff Petry and adding Vinny Hinostroza will not be enough to save the back-to-back Stanley Cup champs. Poor injury luck and fatigue seem to be the death knell for the once-dominant Florida squad. You would hope for a noisier deadline. No, the Panthers’ front office seems to be staying the course and not overreacting to one bad season. One does wonder how they were unable to move 37-year-old Bobrovsky to a goalie-needy team like Edmonton for something far above his market value.
LA Kings: C+
The Kings seemed poised to make a run after acquiring Artemi Panarin in early February, before the market got too hot. Yet, since then, they have lost Fiala as well as Armia. They seem to be hanging up the skates in an attempt to retool for a 2026-27 campaign. Especially after essentially swapping 3rd round picks and acquiring a 2nd round pick for Warren Foegele. You only really wonder what they could have done, considering the wide-open Pacific division they are in. Could they have made a run?
Minnesota Wild: B
The biggest trade of the season, and perhaps the franchise, was the trade for Quinn Hughes earlier this season. All other trades simply pale in comparison, but during the deadline, the Wild got bigger, meaner, and grittier. The deadline can be summarized by the trade for Nick Foligno, who adds a big, rude hockey player to a very good hockey team.
Montreal Canadiens: D
The Canadiens are a promising team in the East that currently sits 3rd in their division. You would have hoped they would make a trade to bolster their goalie depth. Sam Montembeault has had a bad season, posting a .873 SV% and only notching 10 wins thus far. You have to wonder if there just wasn’t much of a market for goalies, considering teams like the Oilers also weren’t able to get help in the net. Regardless, you would hope for a more active deadline for a team that is somewhat comfortably in a playoff position.
Nashville Predators: B+
A 2nd, three 3rd round picks, and a 5th are what the Preds were able to add at the deadline this season. That is very good, considering they are currently on the bubble for the playoffs and still have a talented core and great goaltending. One does not help themselves from wondering if they would have looked to add had they not existed in the same division as the Avs, Stars, and Wild. These moves all scream “retool” and not “rebuild.”
New Jersey Devils: C+
If I am a Devils fan, I am happier that nothing bad happened than I am about anything. While it was a quiet deadline, Palat needed a change of scenery, and adding Tsyplakov, who is younger and could possibly find a return to form with a new team, could be seen as a win for the Devils.
New York Islanders: B-
The Isles currently sit 3rd in the Metropolitan division, and adding a recent veteran Cup winner like Ondrej Palat could be something that helps a team make a push for a deep run. The question remains: could a team like the Isles make noise in the playoffs when faced with Eastern Conference juggernauts like Tampa Bay and Carolina? Adding Brayden Schenn from St. Louis could be the piece that pushes them over the edge. Schenn is a veteran rental who could prove valuable to a finesse-based team like the Isles.
New York Rangers: F-
A 3rd, a 6th, Aidan Thompson, and Jacob Battaglia. This is what the Rangers sought to add despite a season that has completely gone off the rails. They only got two conditional draft picks for Panarin as well. The Rangers have waded from “retool” territory to “rebuild” territory very rapidly. I can’t help but feel like they could have done much, much better this deadline. Vincent Trocheck should have been traded. The asking price had to have been absolutely ludicrous for them not to be able to move him by the deadline, but he remains in New York for another wasted season. A Resounding F-. Maybe in the offseason. *Shrug*
Ottawa Senators: C+
I had to give this team a grade. The fact that they didn’t trade a franchise piece for a ham sandwich is good enough for a passing grade. The only moves made around the deadline were for a couple of AHLers. My estimation is that ownership is waiting for the “sellers’ market” to cool off in the off-season for any better deals that may pop up.
Philadelphia Flyers: F
Flyers’ ownership continues to be content with mediocrity. They did not make any notable trades for draft picks or any prospects. The Flyers haven’t made the playoffs since 2019-2020 and have yet to make significant moves to return. Perhaps the Flyers are God’s punishment for Eagles fans?
Pittsburgh Penguins: C+
Although the Pens currently sit in a playoff position, ownership is probably wise not to go all-in on a team that, frankly, still needs help. Pittsburgh is still in the middle of a rebuild, and this season is a gift. Soderblom for a 3rd is a sneaky good trade, as Soderblom will most likely turn into more of an everyday NHL’er than your average 3rd round pick.
San Jose Sharks: B
While the Sharks didn’t necessarily make any big splashes, they didn’t necessarily need to right now. This is truly a seller’s market, and a team like San Jose does not need to go in on a big piece to put next to Celebrini. Macklin is an incredible player and absolutely is the future of not only San Jose, but the NHL. They didn’t do much beyond extending Sherwood, which isn’t a bad move in my opinion, as he adds to the team’s identity. I love Kiefer Sherwood.
Seattle Kraken: D-
Adding a forward with 32 points for two draft picks is certainly a choice. McCann for a 2026 4th and conditional 2027 2nd does not seem like a trade in the best interest of the franchise. The Kraken may have set the bar a bit high, given the context of the imminence of the Golden Knights and second-round Game 7 that Seattle was able to reach early on in their existence. Maybe the GM just wants to try to make it to an 8th seed to put butts in seats? Who is to say?
St. Louis Blues: A+
The Blues added two 1sts, two 3rds, and a 4th this season at or near the deadline. They have 7 picks in the first 3 rounds, and three 1st round picks this upcoming draft. The Blues had hoped to be better this season, but Doug Armstrong has done a fantastic job pivoting towards the future while the Central Division finds itself incredibly top-heavy.
Tampa Bay Lightning: B
The Lightning traded for the Worm Corey Perry, who had a goal and a fight in his first game with Tampa against Buffalo. This is a significant move, as Perry still manages to find himself in the thick of the action no matter who he finds himself playing for.
Toronto Maple Leafs: B+
A 2027 1st, 2nd, and 2026 3rd and 4th are a nice haul, especially considering they traded Nicolas Roy, who is a respectable player, for a 1st. Roy for a 1st is an incredible fleece considering he scores much less than Bunting, who went for a 3rd to Dallas. Bunting also only costs marginally more. The Leafs still have a very talented roster. They could still look to compete in the near future. This was a good, but not great, deadline for Toronto.
Utah Mammoth: C
Weegar is an excellent addition to Utah, which was already a skilled and talented team heading into the deadline. However, I don’t think he was worth the steep price tag of Olli Maatta, Jonathan Castagna, and three 2nd round picks. This is an all-in pick that seems to fall flat in the face of the monstrous Central Division. Weegar, however, is signed through 2030-2031 for a team friendly $6.25m AAV, which can be considered very team friendly in the coming years.
Vancouver Canucks: C+
The Canucks could have done more, I suppose, at the deadline; however, they had already sold just about everything not nailed to the floor before then. The deadline deals of Tyler Myers for a 2027 2nd and 2029 4th are not bad, and the trade of Kiefer Sherwood earlier on means the Canucks are well-poised for a decent rebuild. The Canucks currently have 2 1st-rounders, 2 2nd-rounders, and 2 3rd-rounders in this upcoming draft. Not too shabby.
Vegas Golden Knights: D-
The Knights currently are floundering after trading for Rasmus Andersson, who hasn’t entirely helped their record or playoff chances despite being one of the top defensemen in the league. To fix their problems, the Knights didn’t go get a goalie or any other defensive help. I can’t say ownership hasn’t tried, especially after signing Marner in the offseason and trading for Rasmus Andersson ahead of the deadline. Trading a multitude of assets for Nic Dowd is not great for a team that is on a tailspin.
Washington Capitals: C
The Caps were able to acquire a goalie prospect and a 2027 3rd and a 2029 2nd for Nic Dowd, which I would consider a massive win for a team that was a paper tiger last season and is now a shell of its former self. It isn’t a total loss for the Caps, but you probably would have hoped for more in Ovi’s twilight year.
Winnipeg Jets: D+
The defending Presidents’ Trophy winners have had a significant fall from grace since losing in the 2nd round last season. Trading Schenn and Stanley, as well as losing Ehlers and Appleton, has truly altered the chemistry of this team since last season. What did they get in return? Forward Isak Rosen, defenseman Jacob Bryson, a 2nd-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft, and a conditional 4th-round pick in 2026. Not exactly what I would call an even swap. That isn’t entirely fair, considering some players were lost to free agency, but it speaks to the incompetence of GM Kevin Cheveldayoff, who was unable to keep the team’s core together despite a very strong showing in 2024-2025.
You always wonder not how your team did, but how other teams in your division did during the deadline, and I hope this summary lets you know the state of the league heading out of the deadline and into the dog days of the condensed post-Olympic schedule. What do you think? How does your team sit after the much-anticipated NHL trade deadline? Let us know. Thank you so much for reading.
