5 NHL Teams That Will Have Regrets About The 2026 Trade Deadline
The 2026 NHL Trade Deadline was several days ago. It will take weeks, perhaps months or years, to determine which deals will pan out for the clubs that made moves before the March 6 deadline.
Every general manager who made trades leading up to and including deadline day hopes their moves will be successful.
Some teams may have added a pending free agent as a postseason rental, or a player with term left on his contract. Those who are rebuilding are betting that the draft picks, prospects, or young players they acquired will become future stars.
However, not every team will be so fortunate with their acquisitions. Meanwhile, some could have second thoughts about moves they didn't make, such as trading a player while his value was at its peak or passing up a major deal that might have significantly improved their team.
Here's our take on 5 teams we believe will come to regret what they did and didn't do at this year's trade deadline.
Carolina Hurricanes
1 of 5
Since 2018-19, the Carolina Hurricanes have been among the top teams in the Eastern Conference. They're poised to finish atop their division for the fourth time and are three-time conference finalists, including twice in the last three seasons.
The Hurricanes also proved their willingness to make bold moves over the last two trade deadlines. In 2024, they acquired winger Jake Guentzel and last year traded Mikko Rantanen to the Dallas Stars for a return that included promising forward Logan Stankoven.
Armed with plentiful cap space and tradeable assets, the Hurricanes were expected to make a big move at this year's trade deadline. Before the deadline, Sportsnet's Rory Boylen speculated they could pursue a center such as Robert Thomas of the St. Louis Blues or reacquire center Vincent Trocheck from the New York Rangers.
Instead, the Hurricanes made a depth move by adding rugged winger Nicolas Deslauriers. Following the deadline, general manager Eric Tulsky explained that his club couldn't find any deals that made sense to them. He also cited the uncertainty in this year's market and the lack of high-end talent to address his team's needs.
Tulsky could be vindicated for standing pat if his club stages a Stanley Cup run. However, if they come up short again in the postseason, his critics will blame his reluctance to pay the necessary price for a return that could've turned his team into a champion.
A team's Stanley Cup window is open for only a short time in the salary-cap world. Tulsky could look back on this deadline as a failed opportunity, especially if the Hurricanes' window closes sooner than expected.
Los Angeles Kings
2 of 5
The offensively anaemic Los Angeles Kings have struggled for most of this season to remain in the hunt for a Western Conference wild-card berth. They took a major step toward boosting their production with their Feb. 4 acquisition of superstar winger Artemi Panarin.
However, the loss of scoring winger Kevin Fiala to a season-ending leg injury in the Winter Olympics was a significant setback. Coming out of the Olympic break, it was assumed that general manager Ken Holland would attempt to find a replacement for Fiala.
The Kings stumbled out of the Olympic break, forcing Holland to replace Jim Hiller as head coach with D.J. Smith on an interim basis. As the trade deadline approached, the Kings GM made some moves that puzzled observers.
Holland appeared to signal that he was selling by trading struggling winger Warren Foegele to the Ottawa Senators for a draft pick. On deadline day, he sent veteran winger Corey Perry to the Tampa Bay Lightning for a pick. However, he then acquired checking-line center Scott Laughton from the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Foegele's sputtering offense and Perry's free-agent eligibility in July were understandable reasons to trade them. Adding a checking-line forward, such as Laughton, who is UFA-eligible in July, was a head-scratching move for a club that desperately needs more scoring.
What was left was a Kings team that was no better than before the deadline. Holland's puzzling moves could come back to haunt this club if they fail to make the playoffs. It could raise questions about the team's direction under his management.
Minnesota Wild
3 of 5
The Minnesota Wild made the biggest trade of this regular season in December when they acquired superstar defenseman Quinn Hughes from the Vancouver Canucks. That move signaled general manager Bill Guerin's intentions to elevate his club into Stanley Cup contender status.
In the ensuing weeks, pundits speculated that Guerin could have another significant move in store. It was rumored that he wanted to add a top-six forward, preferably a center. In the days leading up to the trade deadline, the Wild were linked to New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck.
However, Guerin wound up settling for depth acquisitions such as forwards Nick Foligno, Bobby Brink, Michael McCarron, and defenseman Jeff Petry. Asked why he didn't add a center, Guerin replied that the asking prices were too high. He felt that he had to be responsible and remain patient.
The Wild are a better team now than they were at the start of the season, but they still lack a reliable center for their first line. Guerin may have been right not to overpay, and his patience might pay off. However, overpaying to address a glaring roster need can sometimes turn a team into a true Stanley Cup contender.
Guerin might find better options at better prices in the offseason, but there's also the risk that other teams with more tradeable assets and cap space could scoop up those centers. The Wild GM could regret not acting when he had the opportunity at this year's deadline.
Montréal Canadiens
4 of 5
Under general manager Kent Hughes, the Montréal Canadiens have been rebuilding their roster since the 2021-22 season. They exceeded expectations in 2024-25 by reaching the playoffs, and are currently only four points out of first place in the Atlantic Division.
Led by young stars such as Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Lane Hutson, and Juraj Slafkovský, the Canadiens could become Stanley Cup contenders within the next two years. Their rapid improvement prompted some pundits to wonder if Hughes might make a major acquisition by the trade deadline.
However, Hughes opted to stand pat at the deadline for the second straight year. He attempted to mollify Canadiens fans by pointing to his club's acquisitions of Noah Dobson, Zach Bolduc, Alexandre Texier, and Phillip Danault since last season.
Hughes admitted that his club was working on a significant trade, but couldn't close the deal before the deadline, adding they could revisit it this summer. Montréal Hockey Now's Marc Dumont speculated that St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas or New York Rangers' center Vincent Trocheck might have been Hughes' target.
The possibility of a major offseason addition will have Canadiens followers buzzing for months. However, Hughes might have missed a great chance not only to improve his club's position in this year's playoff race but also to accelerate his team's rise to Cup contention.
The team Hughes was negotiating with could find new trade partners this summer. They could also change their mind and decide against moving the player that he was pursuing, leaving him to ponder what might have been if the Canadiens' rise to Cup contention takes longer than expected.
New York Rangers
5 of 5
In January, New York Rangers general manager Chris Drury announced his club's plan to stage a quick roster rebuild. Everyone knew they were serious when superstar winger (and pending free agent) Artemi Panarin was traded to the Los Angeles Kings on Feb. 4.
Panarin's trade prompted speculation that Vincent Trocheck would be next to be moved, so much so that he topped our NHL Trade Block Big Boards. A skillful two-way center with three years left on an affordable contract, the 32-year-old Trocheck was expected to fetch a significant return at the deadline.
However, the deadline passed with Trocheck still with the Rangers. Mollie Walker of the New York Post reported that Drury refused to budge from his high asking price. With Trocheck signed beyond this season, Drury can afford to wait until the summer trade market when better offers might be had.
Vincent Z. Mercogliano of The Athletic reported the Minnesota Wild were believed to have offered up prospect winger Charlie Stramel, a future first-round draft pick, and another asset. He also indicated that the Boston Bruins, Carolina Hurricanes, Detroit Red Wings, and Pittsburgh Penguins may have been in the mix.
Mercogliano believes Drury may be taking a gamble by not moving Trocheck at the trade deadline. He fears that other notable players could become available this summer, which draws away the clubs that were interested in the Rangers center
If that happens, Drury may have missed a golden opportunity to move Trocheck when his value was at its peak. He could be forced to continue waiting until next year's deadline or beyond, or settle for a lesser return that won't have as much impact on the Rangers' rebuilding process.
Stats, standings, and trade info (as of March 8, 2026) via NHL.com. Additional trade info via PuckPedia.
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