NHL trade deadline: Breaking down the winners and losers

The 2026 NHL trade deadline has come and gone, and there weren’t a lot of blockbuster moves that most people expected. Most big names that were rumored to be on the move stayed put, and there were a lot more sellers than buyers. Some teams and players made out better than others. Here’s a look at some of the deadline’s winners and losers.

Winner: Calgary Flames

With their hopes of making the playoffs nowhere near, the Flames went into full sell mode. The team already traded defenseman Rasmus Andersson earlier in the season to the Vegas Golden Knights. The team then decided to sell fellow defenseman MacKenzie Weegar and aging center Nazem Kadri. Weegar went to the Utah Mammoth, and Kadri went to the Colorado Avalanche, where he won the Stanley Cup with them back in 2022.

The Flames were able to get a nice haul in return. They got three 2026 second-round picks, as well as Olli Maatta and Jonathan Castagna. For Kadri, they got some prospects and a 2028 conditional first-round pick, and a 2027 conditional second-round pick. The Avalanche are also retaining 20% of Kadri’s $7 million cap hit, with three years remaining on the contract.

Loser: Alex Ovechkin

After winning his first and only Stanley Cup in 2018, the Capitals have struggled to rebound since, making it past the first round once since then. The team is 11th in the Eastern Conference, and has shown no signs of consistency all season long.

Late Thursday night, the Capitals shockingly announced that they had traded long-time veteran defender John Carlson to the Anaheim Ducks for some picks. The move shocked Ovechkin, since both players had spent their entire careers with the Capitals. He was also arguably the greatest defenseman in Capitals’ history.

It also raises eyes about Ovechkin’s contract. He is an unrestricted free agent this summer and it is unknown if he will retire after the season. With Carlson gone, it definitely raises some eyebrows about his future.

Winner: St. Louis Blues

The Blues were another team that were looking to retool, and had a lot of big names that they were willing to take offers from. The team traded away Justin Faulk and Brayden Schenn for a haul of picks and some prospects. The team did retain center Robert Thomas, as teams felt the asking price was too high. Defenseman Colton Parayko also refused to waive his no-trade clause, which kept him in St. Louis instead of being shipped off to Buffalo.

The only question is can the Blues turn it around. They have made the playoffs once in the last four years, and after selling at the deadline it may be awhile before the Blues are contenders.

Loser: New York Rangers

Many fans came into deadline week expecting the Rangers to be sellers, but the team stayed still. The team traded away Artemi Panarin to the Kings just before the Olympic break. Vincent Trochek was arguably the biggest name in the entire market for the deadline, yet he stayed put. The team did trade away Sam Carrick for a third-round and sixth-round pick. Yet it seems as though the Rangers will be waiting until the offseason to do a major overhaul.

Winner: Colorado Avalanche

The Avalanche were able to add Kadri on deadline day, making it his second stint with the team. The Avalanche have been the best team in the league for most of the season, and Kadri adds that veteran depth to the team.

The team also added center Nicolas Roy from the Maple Leafs. He joins a team that is loaded at the center position, and will help out with the third-line.

Loser: Buffalo Sabres’ morale

What looked like a trade for star defenseman Parayko, however, the deal collapsed. Parayko refused to waive his no-trade clause, causing him to stay in St. Louis and sent the Sabres scrambling to find another potential fit. The team was able to acquire Logan Stanley and Luke Schenn from the Winnipeg Jets.

The Parayko chaos is a bad look for the Sabres. The franchise has not made the playoffs since 2010-11 and have not won a playoff series since 2006-07. The team is currently second in the Atlantic Division, yet the Red Wings, Canadiens, and Bruins aren’t far behind. They just need to put the Parayko debacle behind them and focus on the final stretch ahead.

About the Author Published Mar 6, 2026

CAMERON JOYCE

Cameron Joyce is an NCAAF, NFL, NHL, and MLB beat writer for Ball Exclusives. Cameron also previously worked at The University of Alabama's newspaper, "The Crimson White," covering volleyball and baseball.