Goals For Every Team at the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline
We are just a little more than a month away from the 2025-26 NHL Trade Deadline and teams should already have a good idea of what they want to do.
Buyers and sellers are beginning to separate, and moves are already underway.
While most teams will be busy over the next few weeks, some will be busier than others. Every team should have a goal or a wishlist. So let's take a quick look around the league at what should be every team's goal for this season's trade deadline.
Anaheim Ducks: Find Some Defensive Help
1 of 32
The Ducks are not really in a position where they should be aggressively pursuing short-term rentals, but the playoffs are definitely within reach for them this season. That would be a nice step forward in their rebuild toward getting there.
The biggest issue with the current team is that it just does not defend particularly well during 5-on-5 play.
Entering the week, they were 27th in the NHL in expected goals against per 60 minutes and tied for last in goals against per 60 minutes of 5-on-5 play. Those are not playoff numbers.
They can score. They have talent up front. But they still need more help on the back end and defensively. The ideal solution would be finding a player with term beyond this season that can help. Especially with only two defenseman under contract beyond this season. Finding that sort of help is easier said than done, however.
Boston Bruins: Make Decisions on Casey Mittelstadt and Pavel Zacha
2 of 32
The Bruins might be one of the bigger wild-cards going into the trade deadline. They are very much on the playoff bubble and, at any given time, have been a team capable of winning or losing six games in a row. Things can change rapidly here at any given moment, and depending on the stretch of games.
They also have significant needs on defense (where they have not been good this season and recently tried to acquire Rasmus Andersson) and in their scoring depth.
But one thing they really need to do over the next few weeks is decide what sort of future they see with forwards Casey Mittelstadt and Pavel Zacha.
Are they long-term pieces? Or do they have more value as trade chips?
Both players are useful. Both are signed through the end of next season. But neither is a major needle-mover as a cornerstone player, and given the lack of center depth on the market, the Bruins might be able to secure a huge return for Zacha if they put him out there. That should be a big priority for general manager Don Sweeney. Determine whether Zacha brings them more value in a trade or on a contract extension.
Buffalo Sabres: Give the Fans a Reason to Care
3 of 32
The Sabres players have already done that to some degree by going on a two-month heater that has not only put them in the playoff race but also pushed them closer to the top of the Eastern Conference than to the bottom. That is a huge change from where things were in November.
It is a huge change from the past 14 years.
The end of the playoff drought is within reach.
They also have a new general manager in Jarmo Kekkalainen, who has a track record of bold, aggressive moves. Does he have something up his sleeve here? The simple fact that the Sabres might be buyers is enough to ignite some excitement in the fan base. If they can pull off a significant addition, it might really jump-start the fan base.
Calgary Flames: Keep Collecting Long-Term Assets
4 of 32
The Flames are clearly not going anywhere this season, and they have already started their latest round of sell-offs by trading veteran defenseman Rasmus Andersson.
They should not stop there.
They still have big-time trade assets in Nazem Kadri and Blake Coleman, and given their two-way play and production, as well as the fact that both players have term remaining on their contract beyond this season, the Flames could be in a position to really keep stockpiling long-term assets, whether it be draft picks or young players.
Keep selling. Keep adding for the future. It is the only sensible approach at this time. It also might help their draft lottery odds for what they really need -- a franchise-changing young talent at the top of the draft.
Carolina Hurricanes: Find an Impact Player
5 of 32
The Hurricanes are getting close to Stanley Cup Final-or-bust territory, and they have not been shy about taking big swings at the trade deadline in recent years. They are well-positioned to do so again this season with a ton of salary cap space and four first-round draft picks over the next three seasons.
Goal-scoring is usually their biggest undoing the deeper they get into the playoffs.
Given their cap flexibility and trade assets, there is no excuse for not making a serious effort to land another impact player.
Artemi Panarin seems like the most natural fit. They might be afraid of getting burned by a rental again, the way they did with Jake Guentzel a couple of years ago, but sometimes you have to take a chance to win the Stanley Cup. Banners hang forever.
Chicago Blackhawks: Sell the Free Agents
6 of 32
Are the Chicago Blackhawks better this season? They certainly are.
Do they have cornerstone pieces, led by Connor Bedard? You bet they do.
Are they good enough to compete for the playoffs this season? Not a chance.
Because of the latter point, they should still be in sell mode, and they have several potential unrestricted free agents who could have significant value between now and March. Connor Murphy, Nick Foligno, Jason Dickinson, Sam Lafferty, Matt Grzelcyk... if there is a deal to be made involving any or all of them there is no real need for them to remain in Chicago beyond the first week of March.
At some point, they need to start adding serious talent to the NHL roster. But that can be an offseason move. Right now, the focus should be on selling players they might lose for nothing over the summer.
Colorado Avalanche: Get a Third-Line Center
7 of 32
What do you get for the time that has everything and is running away with the NHL's best record? There is not much they desperately need beyond some minor tweaks to their depth.
The most glaring need might be an upgrade at third-line center. Could Boston's Pavel Zacha be a potential fit? It would not be cheap in terms of assets, but sometimes you have to pay to put yourself over the top. And that sort of upgrade to the bottom-six might do exactly that.
Columbus Blue Jackets: Sell the Free Agents
8 of 32
This entire season has been a massive disappointment for the Blue Jackets, who took a big step forward a year ago and competed for a playoff spot. Now they are back to the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings after mostly whiffing on the offseason.
This is not a situation to buy.
It is not a situation to totally tear things down and start over.
It is simply a run-of-the-mill seller situation where you trade some pending free agents. And Columbus has a few of them in Mason Marchment, Charlie Coyle, and Boone Jenner.
They can land a few draft picks, and maybe even a first-rounder for that group.
Dallas Stars: Don't Trade Jason Robertson
9 of 32
Given his long-term contract situation and Dallas's salary cap situation, Jason Robertson's name is back on the trade rumor mill.
Maybe there comes a point where the Stars have to trade him, but that should not happen until the offseason. Even then, there are probably other players on the team they could trade to open up salary cap space so they can keep one of their most dynamic players. That would be the most sensible option.
But even before it gets to that, this is a bona fide Stanley Cup contender, and they are going to need Robertson in the lineup this season if they are going to get there.
Just avoid doing something dumb. That is a low bar. It should be easy to clear.
Detroit Red Wings: Be Aggressive
10 of 32
The Red Wings' rebuild under Steve Yzerman has been slow and methodical. At times, painfully slow and methodical. Glacial would also be a good way to describe it. Tectonic plates move faster than this thing has.
It seems patience might finally pay off this season, as the Red Wings have put themselves in a position to end their playoff drought before it reaches a full decade.
That is a credit to the core players on the roster, specifically Lucas Raymond, Alex DeBrincat, Dylan Larkin, and Moritz Seider.
But those guys need some help, and the Red Wings still have big needs for secondary scoring and another top-four defenseman.
They have salary cap space and a lot of trade assets, and this would be a great year for Yzerman to start cashing them in. Larkin spoke out after the 2024-25 season about how frustrating it was for the locker room to not get any help at last year's trade deadline, and that team was not even in a playoff position. This team is. It would be a disservice and insult to what this core group has done so far this season to not give them a chance to really make some noise in the playoffs. Or just simply make the playoffs.
Edmonton Oilers: Get Connor McDavid Some Real Help
11 of 32
The Oilers have had some bad supporting casts for McDavid in his career, but this year's team might be the worst for it.
That is simply not acceptable.
Entering play on Thursday, the Oilers were outscoring opponents 62-81 when McDavid was not on the ice during 5-on-5 play, with only a 46.7 percent expected-goals share. That is awful. It is a lack of forward depth, a lack of defensive depth, and still a lack of steady goaltending, even after acquiring Tristan Jarry from the Pittsburgh Penguins to try to solidify that position.
The Oilers have been to the Stanley Cup Final two years in a row, but they still need to get McDavid a championship. This year's team around him is significantly worse than the previous two seasons, and if they have any hope of getting back to the Stanley Cup Final and finishing the job, that is going to have to change. It will have to change rapidly. They need help at pretty much any and every position.
Florida Panthers: Find a Finisher
12 of 32
The biggest thing holding the Panthers back this season is the absence of Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk in the first half. Every team has injuries, but that level of talent goes above what most teams have to deal with.
Tkachuk is back in the lineup, which is a positive development, but there is no telling when, or if, Barkov will return this season.
The overall process and structure are still largely in place for the Panthers. They just need more people who can turn that process into a consistent offense. Do they have the assets to swing a big trade for Artemi Panarin? Could they potentially re-sign him? That sort of move could get them back into the playoff picture and make them a formidable wild-card team ... if they can get in.
Los Angeles Kings: Find More Offense
13 of 32
After four consecutive first-round exits, the Kings needed to do something this offseason to add more scoring punch to their lineup.
Their only major offseason additions were Corey Perry, Cody Ceci, and Brian Dumoulin, while subtracting Vladislav Gavrikov and Jordan Spence.
That was never going to be enough, and to the surprise of no one, it hasn't been. Now the Kings find themselves on the playoff bubble with one of the NHL's worst offensive teams.
There should have been some real urgency to win this season, not only so they could break through that first-round ceiling, but also so they could send Anze Kopitar into retirement with some kind of serious playoff run. They are now at risk of being unable to do either without a major addition to bring some goal-scoring into the lineup.
Given the way Ken Holland handled his first offseason as general manager, there should not be much confidence that he can get what they need between now and the first week of March. This is now at risk of being a wasted season for the Kings.
Minnesota Wild: Get a Center
14 of 32
The Wild already made their big in-season move when they acquired superstar defenseman Quinn Hughes in a blockbuster trade with the Vancouver Canucks. While that is a huge addition for the Wild and gives them another superstar to pair with Kirill Kaprizov, it did put a dent in their center depth with Marco Rossi going the other way.
Joel Eriksson Ek missed some time, which is concerning given that he also missed time in the second half of the 2024-25 season, which played a big role in the Wild limping to the end of the regular season.
A legitimate No. 2 center has to be high on the Wild's priority list. Could they put together enough of a package to land somebody like Vincent Trocheck? This is clearly an all-in team this season and next, given Hughes' contract situation, so they cannot afford to be afraid to make another major move.
Montreal Canadiens: Find a Top-Six Forward
15 of 32
The Canadiens exceeded expectations a year ago by simply making the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
That is now the bar.
The next step is winning in the playoffs.
The Canadiens have an outstanding young core of talent and added to it in a big way this offseason by landing defenseman Noah Dobson in a blockbuster trade with the New York Islanders. Now they need to find a similar deal involving a top-six forward to really help round out their top-two lines.
Goaltending depth is also a big need, but there may not be many options available in-season to fix that. The Canucks (Conor Garland), Blues (Jordan Kyrou, Robert Thomas), and Predators (Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, and Michael Bunting) could all be sellers with forwards available.
Nashville Predators: Don't Lose Sight of What You Are
16 of 32
The Predators went on a nice little run in parts of December and January to help make up for a brutal start to the regular season, but it probably still won't be enough to make them a playoff team.
Points are really difficult to make up at this point in the season, and even in a watered-down Western Conference, the Predators have to understand they are facing a major uphill fight.
Because of that, they should not get caught in a situation where they try to buy or hold onto players who might have trade value.
If there is a market for veteran forwards like Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, or Michael Bunting, they need to explore them and see what is out there. This is a team that needs a little reset.
New Jersey Devils: Keep Clearing Salary Cap Space
17 of 32
This has quickly turned into a wildly disappointing season for the Devils, and the best they can do at this point might be to keep shedding salary and maybe add some more pieces in the offseason.
They already moved one big contract by trading Ondrej Palat, and Dougie Hamilton might be next on the list.
So much of the Devils' success hinges on Jack Hughes's health, and he missed nearly 20 games again this season. It might have been enough to knock them out of the playoff race. Or at least significantly hurt their chances.
New York Islanders: Add More Offense
18 of 32
The Islanders are in a playoff position for two main reasons: Ilya Sorokin has played at a Vezina Trophy level in net, and No. 1 overall pick Matthew Schaefer has completely changed everything for the organization by being an immediate superstar.
Those two developments are promising, and encouraging.
But for as good as Schaefer has been this season, an 18-year-old defenseman being your second-leading scorer is probably not a great sign for your playoff chances.
The Islanders are a bottom-10 team offensively and need more help up front.
They picked up Palat in a salary-dump trade with the Devils, but they still need a little bit more.
They should not be in the market for a high-priced rental, but if they can add somebody with a term that can help the offense, it should be of interest to them.
New York Rangers: Keep selling
19 of 32
The New York Rangers have already told their fans what to expect over the next few weeks, and there will be significant changes to the roster.
Veteran defenseman Carson Soucy has already been traded.
Veteran forward Artemi Panarin is already being held out of the lineup in anticipation of a trade.
Vincent Trocheck could be a big piece for them to dangle, given the lack of quality centers available.
Basically anybody that is not goalie Igor Shesterkin or defenseman Adam Fox should be available for the right price.
The Rangers were clearly expecting to win this season based on their offseason moves, but this team is significantly worse than the disappointing 2024-25 team that missed the playoffs. Heading into Friday, they are the only team in the Eastern Conference with a points percentage under .500 this season, and given the injury situation with Shesterkin and Fox, things are unlikely to get better anytime soon.
It is an organization in need of change. Not just on the ice, either. The front office also needs a big change. Which is perhaps the only problem with them selling this season. Do you trust general manager Chris Drury to make the right moves? His recent track record probably suggests that you should not.
Ottawa Senators: Keep Looking for Goaltending
20 of 32
The Senators have taken a step backwards this season, and goaltending is the driving factor behind that regression.
Specifically, the lack of goaltending.
The Senators have used five different goalies this season, and as a group they have combined for only an .866 save percentage in all situations. That is not only bad, but it is also the worst in the NHL. If they had even average goaltending this season, given the way the rest of the team has played, they might be firmly in a playoff position. As it stands, they are deep in the standings and facing a daunting climb to get back into the race.
Is there a goalie out there who can help them change it? It can not hurt to keep looking.
Philadelphia Flyers: Do Not Lose Sight of the Big Picture
21 of 32
After looking like a team that might hang around in the playoff race in the first half of the season, the Flyers have started to regress and play their way out of the race. That might be disappointing, but they have to understand where they are in their rebuild.
They are not ready to be a Stanley Cup contender just yet, and they should not be in the market where they give away future assets for short-term fixes. They should also be open to deals involving veteran players if the return is of appropriate value.
They may not still want to be in the rebuilding phase, but the harsh reality is that they are. They need to recognize that.
Pittsburgh Penguins: Look for Defensive Help
22 of 32
The Pittsburgh Penguins might be the biggest surprise team in the NHL this season. When the 2025-26 season began, the expectation was that this team would be very bad, taking a longer-term approach to its rebuild and probably selling off and trading more veteran players at the trade deadline.
The exact opposite has happened. They not only look like a playoff team right now, but they are also starting to steamroll and dominate teams, and are in a position where they probably should be buying.
Veteran forwards Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Rickard Rakell, and Bryan Rust are still playing great, productive hockey. Cheap free-agent additions like Justin Brazeau and Anthony Mantha have been outstanding, exceeding expectations. Ben Kindel, the No. 11 overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, has made an immediate impact and looks like a potential franchise-changing player.
Egor Chinakhov arrived in an in-season trade from the Columbus Blue Jackets a couple of weeks ago and has continued to score goals and play great. They might have the best fourth line in hockey right now. It is an incredibly deep team at forward, with more young help on the way from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in the American Hockey League.
Their first priority should be looking for younger players with term that fit into their long-term plans. Unless somebody like Jason Robertson is realistically available, their focus should be on defensive depth. While that group, led by Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang, has surprised and perhaps even overachieved, they could still use some more depth at the position, both short-term and long-term, if they are going to start contending for the Stanley Cup anytime soon.
San Jose Sharks: Look for Long-Term Help
23 of 32
After some truly ugly years as part of their ongoing rebuild, the Sharks have played their way back into playoff contention this season, thanks in large part to the play of second-year superstar Macklin Celebrini. He looks like a potential MVP already and will be the focal point of the Sharks organization for the next 15-20 years.
They already started buying with the addition of Kiefer Sherwood from the Vancouver Canucks.
It is surprising to see the Sharks go the rental route, but it is a nice reward for the locker room, given the step forward they have taken.
If the Sharks continue adding, their focus should shift to players with term remaining on their contracts who fit the long-term plan. This is not a team ready to give away too many assets for rentals that may not be available next season. Adding one such player is fine. Do not overcommit on rentals right now.
Seattle Kraken: Do Not Panic Trade Shane Wright
24 of 32
The Kraken are very much on the playoff bubble, and it remains to be seen what direction management wants to take this thing before the trade deadline. Do they try to find some much-needed offense to make a push for the playoffs? Or do they sell pending unrestricted free agents to see if they can stockpile more long-term assets?
The one thing they should not do is panic trade young forward Shane Wright.
Wright's name has suddenly popped up in the trade rumor mill, given his regression this season, but the Kraken should not even consider moving him unless they get a major offer that is impossible to ignore. Wright is still too talented to give up on, and there is still a chance he can blossom into a top-line player. If you are the Kraken, a team desperate for offense and young players that can score, you want him to do that for you if he is going to do it.
There should be no rush to move him. His value to them should be significantly higher right now as a player than a potential trade chip.
St. Louis Blues: Do Not Sell Low on Your Star Players
25 of 32
The Blues have rallied with big second-half performances to make the playoffs before, but it may not be in the cards for them this season. They appear to be a team in a position to sell. While they have some options to potentially move, including veteran defenseman Justin Faulk, there are two players the Blues should not be looking to move just yet. That would be their two best players, forwards Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou.
There might come a point in the not-too-distant future when it makes sense to shake up their core, but this is not the time. Dealing either player right now would be moving them at what may be their lowest value and could result in underwhelming returns.
Keep them for now. Let them try to rebuild their value. Re-explore things in the future if needed.
Tampa Bay Lightning: Get Some More Forward Depth
26 of 32
The Tampa Bay Lightning are the best team in the Eastern Conference, and that is a wild thing to consider when you look at the injury situation they have dealt with this season. They have played most of the season without three of their top-four defenseman (Victor Hedman, Ryan McDonagh, and Erik Cernak) and are also playing without star forward Brayden Point.
Their superstar forwards, specifically Nikita Kucherov and Jake Guentzel, have done a lot of the heavy lifting, while franchise goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy is playing like a Vezina Trophy contender. Perhaps even an MVP candidate.
The good news is they are getting a lot of defensive help very soon, with McDonagh and Hedman inching closer to their returns, which should help balance out the defense. They could still use a little more forward depth in their bottom-six group to balance out their forward lines. That should be their focus over the next few weeks.
Toronto Maple Leafs: Sell, Sell, Sell
27 of 32
With the Stanley Cup Playoffs slipping away, there can be no delusions from the Toronto front office about this team's place in the standings and what kind of team it is. Simply put, this is not a good team. This is not a time to try to add to it in an effort to salvage the season. This is the time to sell and recoup some of the long-term assets and draft pick capital they have moved over the past few years.
Toronto's farm system and short-term draft options have been depleted, and with the playoffs looking like a long shot, they need to start addressing their long-term outlook. Sell what you can and get some of those draft picks back into the organization. Some prospects would not hurt, either. Whatever you can get, now is the time to sell. It might not be what they expected at the start of the season. It is what they need right now.
Utah Mammoth: Goaltending Depth?
28 of 32
Utah has done a nice job assembling talent over the past two years, and there is a very good core of players in place. The absence of Logan Cooley has certainly impacted things, but it is still a very good team that does a lot of things well and has a strong process in place.
They also have a strong starting goalie in Karel Vejmelka, who has given them a chance to win on most nights. The problem is they have had to rely almost exclusively on him because they are not getting much from backup goalie Vitek Vanecek.
If they could find some quality goaltending depth to take some of the pressure off Vejmelka, while also giving him an occasional break, that could be a worthwhile path to pursue. Not the most pressing need, but still a significant one.
Vancouver Canucks: Choose a Direction
29 of 32
The Canucks have already started selling off players by trading superstar defenseman Quinn Hughes and pending unrestricted free-agent forward Kiefer Sherwood. They are not likely to stop there.
If they do not stop there, they have reached a point where they need to decide what the next few years will look like for this organization.
There can be no half-measures here. There is not enough talent here to form the foundation of a contending team anytime soon. Just simply trading Evander Kane and other pending free agents is not going to move the needle.
They need to gauge the interest in players like Conor Garland and Jake DeBrusk. They need to make a determination on whether this is the type of player that Elias Pettersson is, or if he can get back to his 100-point, star-level from a couple of years ago.
If you want to be a rebuilding team, then be a rebuilding team. If you want to still try and contend, do something about it and find better players.
Vegas Golden Knights: Add More Forward Depth
30 of 32
The Golden Knights are in the top spot in the Pacific Division, but they have not quite looked like a Stanley Cup contender yet. Injuries have played a big role in that, and they have already made a major trade by acquiring defenseman Rasmus Andersson from the Calgary Flames, but they cannot stop there.
They could still use some additional forward depth, even after adding Mitch Marner over the summer.
Salary cap space and trade assets, as always, are going to be tight for the Vegas front office when it comes to making another major addition, but it always finds a way to get the player it wants. Do not be surprised if they have another blockbuster up their sleeves here before early March.
Washington Capitals: Look for Another Top-Six Winger
31 of 32
The Capitals have been mired in a two-month slump that has seen them really fall out of the Eastern Conference playoff race. Even with that being the case, this does not seem like a sell situation.
They will be getting Pierre-Luc Dubois back at some point, along with starting goalie Logan Thompson, and both of those returns should help. But even if the Capitals do not make the playoffs this season -- and odds are at this point they will not -- they still need another top-line finisher that can play in their top-six forward group for the rest of this and beyond.
Maybe that is more of an offseason move.
It is unlikely that any one trade fixes their season at this point. But they still eventually need another finisher in their lineup. It would not hurt to start that process right now.
Winnipeg Jets: Trade the Pending Free Agents
32 of 32
The Winnipeg Jets went from Presidents' Trophy winners to one of the worst teams in the NHL in one season, and management has to accept that reality. This has been a flawed team for a couple of years now, buoyed by the play of an elite goalie, Connor Hellebuyck.
When Hellebuyck went out of the lineup earlier this season, it gave Winnipeg an opportunity to see just what its biggest flaws are without a top-tier goalie consistently masking them. Even Hellebuyck's return has not been enough to fix everything.
Winnipeg's front office had a brutal offseason, putting the team in a bad spot to start the season, and things have not improved much since the season began. This is an obvious sell situation right now, and their two most marketable trade chips might be pending unrestricted free agent defensemen Luke Schenn and Logan Stanley. Winnipeg needs to move them to try to recoup some additional draft pick capital and start restocking their prospect pool.
.jpg?w=600 "Grading every NFL team's draft")
.JPEG?w=600 "Best Late-Round Draft Steals ‼️")
.jpg?w=600 "Undrafted Free Agent Tracker ✍️")