Analysis and grades for every major NHL transaction completed before the March 6 trade deadline.
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Wednesday’s deals | Thursday’s deals
March 6
Avalanche acquire Kadri
| Avalanche receive | Flames receive |
|---|---|
| F Nazem Kadri | 2028 1st-round pick |
| 2027 4th-round pick | 2027 2nd-round pick |
| F Victor Olofsson | |
| F Max Curran |
Note: Flames retain 20% of Kadri’s $7-million cap hit.
Colorado sits atop the NHL standings as one of the Cup favorites. GM Chris MacFarland didn’t waste the opportunity, making four deals in 10 days.
The Kadri trade wasn’t announced until well past the 3 p.m. ET deadline. It’s the biggest move of MacFarland’s deadline spree.
Kadri helped Colorado win the 2022 Stanley Cup. Now he’s back to fill the third-line center role behind Nathan MacKinnon and Brock Nelson.
The Avalanche have depth down the middle. Jack Drury and Nicolas Roy (acquired Thursday) give them quality fourth-line options.
At 35 and signed through 2028-29, Kadri brings playoff experience. He can set up teammates and score goals himself. He’s got an edge, draws penalties well, and produces when it matters. His former coach Jared Bednar is still behind Colorado’s bench.
MacFarland also added defensemen Nick Blankenburg and Brett Kulak recently. Colorado’s blue line is much deeper now.
The Avalanche gave up two first-round picks, two second-rounders, two fifth-rounders, defenseman Sam Girard, Curran, and Olofsson across all deals. That’s solid work from one of the smartest front offices in hockey.
Colorado: A
Calgary: B+
Red Wings acquire Faulk
| Red Wings receive | Blues receive |
|---|---|
| D Justin Faulk | 2026 1st-round pick |
| 2026 3rd-round pick | |
| D Justin Holl | |
| F Dmitri Buchelnikov |
Dylan Larkin must have been smiling Friday afternoon.
The Red Wings captain criticized GM Steve Yzerman last year for not making deadline moves. Now, with Detroit at 35-20-7, Yzerman is bringing in a top-four defenseman at a reasonable price.
Faulk turns 34 on March 20. He’s big, mobile, and willing to block shots. The veteran has 32 points in 61 games this season while playing 22:30 per night for the struggling Blues.
Most importantly, Faulk strengthens Detroit’s right side. He’ll give the Simon Edvinsson-Moritz Seider pairing some much-needed support. He makes $6.5 million this year and next.
The return package includes a Holl cap dump. Blues GM Doug Armstrong added two 2026 first-rounders Friday, plus prospects Buchelnikov (22-year-old KHL forward) and Gidlof (20-year-old SHL goalie).
This trade works for both teams.
Detroit: A
St. Louis: A
Kings acquire Laughton
| Kings receive | Maple Leafs receive |
|---|---|
| F Scott Laughton | 3rd-round pick |
Note: Draft pick becomes second-rounder if Kings make 2026 playoffs.
Laughton’s a solid fourth-line center for a Cup contender. Does GM Ken Holland view the Kings as a serious threat in 2025-26, or is he planning to re-sign the 31-year-old pending unrestricted free agent?
Holland is likely banking on a Laughton extension. If that’s the case, sending a third-round pick (potentially a second) to Toronto makes sense. Laughton brings leadership, wins faceoffs, and kills penalties well. He’s easy to fit under the cap at $1.5 million.
The Maple Leafs can’t be pleased with the return. GM Brad Treliving acquired Laughton from Philadelphia last year for a first-round pick and Nikita Grebenkin. Now he’s getting just a third-rounder in a seller’s market?
Los Angeles: B-
Toronto: C-
Capitals acquire Liljegren
| Capitals receive | Sharks receive |
|---|---|
| D Timothy Liljegren | 2026 4th-round pick |
Note: The pick going to San Jose is Vegas’ fourth-rounder.
Washington traded John Carlson Friday morning. Less than an hour before the deadline, they brought in Liljegren.
The playoff-contending Capitals sold and bought right-handed defensemen within hours.
Liljegren is 10 years younger than Carlson at 26. He joins a Washington blue line that includes former teammate Rasmus Sandin. Expect coach Spencer Carbery to experiment with pairing the two former Maple Leafs first-round picks.
The pending unrestricted free agent makes $3 million against the cap. He skates well and moves the puck effectively. Liljegren got more minutes in San Jose after a 2024 trade from Toronto and developed into a top-four role.
The Sharks had four pending UFA defensemen on their roster. GM Mike Grier is getting something for an outgoing piece. But you’d think he could squeeze more than a fourth-rounder from Washington.
Washington: A-
San Jose: C+
Islanders acquire Schenn
| Islanders receive | Blues receive |
|---|---|
| F Brayden Schenn | 2026 1st-round pick |
| 2026 3rd-round pick | |
| F Jonathan Drouin | |
| G Marcus Gidlof |
Note: The first-rounder going to St. Louis was originally Colorado’s, and the third-rounder was originally New Jersey’s.
The Islanders have ridden Matthew Schaefer’s rookie season to third place in the Metropolitan Division. They’re a solid team with potential but far from Cup contenders.
It wouldn’t make sense for them to acquire players on expiring contracts. Schenn addresses a current need at center and is signed through 2027-28. The 34-year-old would be a third-line center on a contender, but he’ll likely play second-line minutes in New York behind Bo Horvat.
Schenn’s production is down in 2025-26, but he still contributes, especially in the faceoff circle and on offense. The 6-foot-1, 200-pounder will help on ice and provides leadership off it.
In a vacuum, this deal makes sense for the Isles. In context, though, Schenn might be the wrong player to give up a first-round pick plus three assets for. That’s a hefty package for an aging middle-six guy with a $6.5-million cap hit. Drouin is an NHLer, and Gidlof is a legitimate goalie prospect.
Blues GM Doug Armstrong negotiated well here.
New York: C+
St. Louis: A
Kraken acquire McMann
| Kraken receive | Maple Leafs receive |
|---|---|
| F Bobby McMann | 2027 2nd-round pick |
| 2026 4th-round pick |
The 29-23-9 Kraken hold a wild-card spot in the Western Conference. They missed on acquiring Artemi Panarin before the Olympic break and stayed quiet leading up to Friday’s deadline.
Now they’ve made a last-minute splash.
McMann is a pending UFA left winger with speed. He’s dangerous off the rush and on the forecheck, scoring 20 goals in 74 games last year and 19 in 60 this year. The 29-year-old should fit on the third line.
Seattle ranks among the NHL’s worst offensive teams. McMann doesn’t raise their ceiling significantly. This isn’t wizardry by GM Jason Botterill; it’s a depth addition. But Kraken fans can feel good about Botterill not giving up a first-round pick.
The Maple Leafs were likely chasing a first-rounder. This outcome – a second and fourth – isn’t a huge failure. They added two lottery tickets.
Seattle: B-
Toronto: B-
Lightning acquire Perry
| Lightning receive | Kings receive |
|---|---|
| F Corey Perry | 2028 2nd-round pick |
Note: Kings retain 50% of Perry’s $2-million cap hit.
Will the Lightning represent the Eastern Conference in the Stanley Cup Final? I’m only half joking.
Perry’s appeared in the Cup Final in five of the past six postseasons with four different teams. The potential Hall of Famer’s only Cup win came in 2007 with Anaheim.
Perry turns 41 in May and remains solid in limited minutes, which he’ll continue to receive in Tampa Bay. Despite some of the worst foot speed in the NHL, he gets to the right spot at the right time. “The Worm” loves to create chaos around the goalmouth. He contributed 14 points in 22 playoff games for Edmonton last year.
Perry spent 14 years in Anaheim before touring the league. He’s made stops in Dallas, Montreal, Tampa, Chicago, Edmonton, and Los Angeles before this second stint with the Lightning.
A second-rounder is a fantastic return for the Kings.
Tampa: B+
L.A.: A-
Wild acquire Foligno
| Wild receive | Blackhawks receive |
|---|---|
| F Nick Foligno | Future considerations |
Wild GM Bill Guerin continues to tinker around the edges three months after acquiring Quinn Hughes.
Foligno is the older brother of longtime Wild forward Marcus. He’s headed for a left-wing spot on Minnesota’s fourth line. At 38 and in his 19th NHL season, Nick Foligno is limited offensively. He brings defensive value and proven leadership as the outgoing Blackhawks captain. The pending unrestricted free agent carries a $4.5 million cap hit.
Guerin traded a second-round pick for Michael McCarron on Tuesday, a seventh-rounder for Jeff Petry on Wednesday, and David Jiricek for Bobby Brink on Friday. Quantity over quality during deadline week.
The Wild must survive the Central Division to challenge for the Stanley Cup. Each addition gives them a slightly better chance against Dallas in Round 1 and presumably Colorado in Round 2.
Chicago GM Kyle Davidson is doing Foligno a favor here. The Buffalo native can now chase his first Cup alongside his brother. Players around the league will take note of Davidson’s gesture. Still, the Blackhawks should have gotten something more concrete in return.
Minnesota: B-
Chicago: C+
Ducks acquire Carlson
| Ducks receive | Capitals receive |
|---|---|
| D John Carlson | 2026 1st-round pick |
| 2027 3rd-round pick |
Note: Anaheim has the option of changing the 2026 first-rounder to a 2027 first-rounder if it misses the 2026 playoffs.
The Ducks’ blue line is led by left-handed defensemen. While Carlson’s past his prime, he immediately becomes the club’s best option on the right side.
Carlson is 36 and a bit shaky defensively. Yet he remains effective overall thanks to strong scoring-chance and goal differentials. With 10 goals and 46 points in 55 games, the career-long Capital is on pace for his highest totals since 2021-22 and 2019-20.
Anaheim sits second in the Pacific Division and can take on Carlson’s full $8-million cap hit. He’s on an expiring contract, so this could be a rental or a tryout for a shorter deal to end his career.
The Capitals are four points out of the playoffs in the Eastern Conference. The front office isn’t waving the white flag on 2025-26 by trading Carlson or center Nic Dowd (dealt to Vegas Thursday). Management is recognizing a seller’s market and trying to recoup assets for veterans who likely weren’t returning anyway.
This trade works for both sides.
Anaheim: B+
Washington: B+
Sabres acquire Stanley, Schenn
| Sabres receive | Jets receive |
|---|---|
| D Logan Stanley | F Isak Rosen |
| D Luke Schenn | D Jacob Bryson |
| 2027 2nd-round pick | |
| 2026 4th-round pick |
Note: Jets retain 50% of Schenn’s $2.75-million cap hit.
The Sabres had a deal in place for Colton Parayko from the Blues, but he wouldn’t waive his no-trade clause. This deal with Winnipeg is clearly Plan B, making it impossible to not factor in what could have been.
Neither Stanley nor Schenn is as talented as Parayko. Their combined value doesn’t add up to Parayko’s impact. Buffalo’s grade takes a hit here.
Stanley is having a career year offensively with 21 points in 59 games for a struggling Jets team. The 6-foot-7, 231-pounder will bring physicality and a big shot to a defense corps that’s relied heavily on Rasmus Dahlin, Mattias Samuelsson, Bowen Byram, and Owen Power.
Buffalo needed to backfill its blue line, and Stanley helps.
Schenn is part of this deal because the Sabres could use both a right-handed defenseman and a veteran leader. But expectations should be tempered for a 36-year-old defender who, at his best, barely qualifies as a below-average third-pair guy.
The Sabres are buying around the deadline after going 26-5-2 since Dec. 9 for a league-leading 54 points and .818 points percentage. That 14-year playoff drought is ending this season, and management sees opportunity in a weak Eastern Conference.
For the Jets, Rosen is the key return piece. The 2021 first-round pick is dominating the AHL at 22. He has top-six upside on the wings.
Buffalo: B-
Winnipeg: B-
Blue Jackets acquire Garland
| Blue Jackets receive | Canucks receive |
|---|---|
| F Conor Garland | 2028 2nd-round pick |
| 2026 3rd-round pick |
Garland is one of the NHL’s most underrated wingers. He plays much bigger than his size (5-foot-10, 165 pounds) and wins puck battles along the walls against much larger players. He’s also a strong skater, relentless forechecker, and skilled playmaker who’s good for 50 points a season.
Garland is exactly the type of player Columbus needs now and in the future. The “future” part matters because Garland signed a six-year extension with the Canucks last July that kicks in next season. While he’s making $4.9 million this season, he’ll earn $6 million annually from 2026-27 through 2031-32.
Vancouver has been hesitant to fully commit to a rebuild. This trade signals the front office understands the task ahead. Garland’s next contract includes a no-move clause, so trading him later would’ve been a headache.
It would have been nice if the Canucks got a first-round pick. However, many teams were likely turned off by the extension – the term, cap hit, and Garland’s age (30 next week). The return is ultimately acceptable.
Columbus: B+
Vancouver: B-
Senators acquire Foegele
| Senators receive | Kings receive |
|---|---|
| F Warren Foegele | 2026 2nd-round pick |
| 2026 3rd-round pick | 2026 3rd-round pick |
“Fine” is the word that comes to mind here.
Foegele is a perfectly fine NHL winger – very good defensively at five-on-five and useful on the penalty kill, but with a low offensive ceiling (career-high 46 points in 2024-25, and only nine in 47 games this season for the Kings).
The fit is fine. Ottawa doesn’t necessarily need another forward with Foegele’s skill set. But the 29-year-old worker is useful for coach Travis Green and has a reputation as a well-liked teammate.
The cost is fine, too. A third-rounder might have made more sense based on market trends. But a second is acceptable since Foegele is under contract through next season at a digestible $3.5-million cap hit.
All three picks feature quirks: Los Angeles is receiving Buffalo’s second-rounder, not Ottawa’s. The third-rounder going to the Kings is the better pick between Ottawa’s and Washington’s thirds. Ottawa is receiving the worse pick between L.A.’s and Dallas’ thirds.
Ottawa: B-
L.A.: A
Stars acquire Bunting
| Stars receive | Predators receive |
|---|---|
| F Michael Bunting | 2026 3rd-round pick |
First Tyler Myers. Now Bunting. Stars GM Jim Nill is getting his deadline shopping done early.
Bunting is a pending UFA with a $4.5-million cap hit. He’s a dirty-areas winger who’s historically averaged half a point per game. He can play left wing on virtually any line, but ideally slots into the bottom six at even strength and gets net-front duty on the second power-play unit.
Bunting pursues pucks relentlessly. He’s tied with Matthew Tkachuk for sixth-most penalties drawn since his rookie 2020-21 season – impressive since he’s logged just 15:30 per night in 405 career games. Dallas will be Bunting’s sixth team in six years (Arizona, Toronto, Carolina, Pittsburgh, Nashville).
The Stars’ forward group needs more jam and feistiness. This addition makes sense on the surface. It’s even better at this low cost. Acquiring Bunting for a third-rounder is a bargain given the caliber of players currently getting seconds.
Nashville’s now traded four pending UFAs this week. Nick Blankenburg, Cole Smith, and Michael McCarron are also gone, while Erik Haula and Tyson Jost should be traded before the deadline. The league is watching GM Barry Trotz: Will he deal stars Steven Stamkos and Ryan O’Reilly?
Dallas: A-
Nashville: C+
Avalanche acquire Roy
| Avalanche receive | Maple Leafs receive |
|---|---|
| F Nicolas Roy | 2027 1st-round pick |
| 2026 5th-round pick |
Note: First-rounder becomes an unprotected 2028 first if the Avalanche land a top-10 pick in 2027.
Colorado, the NHL’s best team all season, is bringing in a bottom-six center for a first-round pick (plus a fifth). Talk about a seller’s market.
It’s difficult to evaluate this trade without knowing what else Avalanche GM Chris MacFarland has planned. If this is the Avs’ only center upgrade, it’s underwhelming considering Nazem Kadri, Ryan O’Reilly, and Vincent Trocheck were all reportedly available. A center group of Nathan MacKinnon, Brock Nelson, Jack Drury, and Roy could power the Avs to a Cup. But this deal hasn’t meaningfully raised their ceiling; a trade for a top-six center would have.
Roy is 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds. The 29-year-old brings some scoring touch, is solid in the faceoff circle, and won’t hurt defensively. He’d been buried on the Golden Knights, and the Maple Leafs had high hopes after picking him up in the Mitch Marner sign-and-trade last summer.
Colorado is betting on Roy excelling in a limited role, like he did in Vegas. MacFarland may simply lack the high-end prospects required to pair with a first-rounder to acquire a premium center.
A first-rounder plus a fifth is a dream return for Toronto, especially since Roy’s 59 games in a Leafs uniform were mediocre. He makes $3 million this year and next – not onerous for the Avs but not an amazing bargain either.
Colorado: C+
Toronto: A
Oilers acquire Dickinson
| Oilers receive | Blackhawks receive |
|---|---|
| F Jason Dickinson | F Andrew Mangiapane |
| F Colton Dach | 2027 1st-round pick (top-12 protected) |
Note: Blackhawks retain 50% of Dickinson’s $4.25-million cap hit.
Edmonton deepened its blue line Monday by acquiring Connor Murphy from Chicago. Two days later, GM Stan Bowman returned to his former team to deepen his forward group.
Dickinson is a 30-year-old pending UFA who slides into the Oilers’ third-line center slot behind Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. The defensive pivot scored a career-high 22 goals in 2023-24 and is known for his penalty killing. The Blackhawks sit first in penalty kill percentage through 61 games largely due to Dickinson’s work, and the Oilers will count on him to improve their 26th-ranked rate.
Dach is a 23-year-old forward who has split his season between the NHL and AHL.
Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson is doing his old boss two money-saving favors by retaining $2.125 million (Dickinson) and taking on $3.6 million in cap commitments through 2026-27 (struggling winger Mangiapane).
Dickinson alone wouldn’t have fetched a first-rounder, so the favors are worth it for the Blackhawks. (Whether it’s worth it for the Oilers is trickier, considering their cap crunch is largely self-inflicted.)
The Blackhawks now own two first-round picks in 2026 and two in 2027, along with three second-rounders in 2026 and two in 2027. Davidson’s building a sustainable Cup contender around Connor Bedard, so expect Chicago to flip some picks for NHL help. The Blackhawks want to keep progressing.
Edmonton: C+
Chicago: B+
Mammoth acquire Weegar
| Mammoth receive | Flames receive |
|---|---|
| D MacKenzie Weegar | D Olli Maatta |
| F Jonathan Castagna | |
| Three 2026 2nd-round picks |
Utah’s Bill Armstrong has become one of the NHL’s boldest GMs, having acquired Mikhail Sergachev and JJ Peterka in blockbusters. He strikes again by adding a top-pairing defenseman to a Mammoth defense corps missing a workhorse on the right side.
Weegar is 32 and a do-everything blue-liner who can handle heavy minutes. He skates well, makes crisp breakout passes, blocks shots and passes, recovers loose pucks efficiently, and hits when necessary. Like most Flames players, Weegar’s production is down in 2025-26: 21 points in 60 games for a 29-point pace after seasons of 47 and 52 points.
The 32-25-4 Mammoth rank as a top 10 defensive team this season. They now have three key blue-liners under team control for years – right-handed Weegar plus lefty Sergachev and rookie Dmitri Simashev.
Weegar’s in the third year of an eight-year deal paying him $6.25 million annually. Utah’s assuming risk in those final years given Weegar’s age.
Craig Conroy deserves props. The Flames GM reeled in a haul for a player whose best remaining seasons don’t align with Calgary’s timeline.
Maatta is a pro on the back end – a solid third-pair guy who can mentor young players. Castagna is a B-level forward prospect in the middle of a point-per-game junior year at Cornell. Three second-rounders in one draft is extremely valuable and better than getting only a first-rounder from Utah.
The Flames now own one-eighth of the 2026 second round: their own early selection, the Rangers’ early pick, the Senators’ middle selection, and Utah’s late pick. A good scouting staff can find Conroy two future NHLers with those four picks, all falling within Nos. 33-55.
Utah: B+
Calgary: A-
Stars acquire Myers
| Stars receive | Canucks receive |
|---|---|
| D Tyler Myers | 2027 2nd-round pick |
| 2029 4th-round pick |
Note: Canucks retain 50% of Myers’ $3-million cap hit.
Dallas, a legitimate Cup contender, desperately needs help on the right side of its blue line. Myers is indeed a veteran right-handed NHL defenseman, but the 36-year-old doesn’t solve the whole problem.
Myers is listed at 6-foot-8 and 229 pounds. He can clear the net front and kill penalties. While mobile for his size, he isn’t smooth with the puck and spends too much time in the box (20 minor penalties in 57 games).
With Esa Lindell and Miro Heiskanen on the top pair, Myers will likely play beside Thomas Harley on the second pairing while Lian Bichsel and Ilya Lyubushkin or Nils Lundkvist hold down the third. That right side, beyond Heiskanen, remains vulnerable unless Dallas makes another trade.
Myers arrives on a cheap contract with the Canucks retaining salary. He’ll count for just $1.5 million against the cap this year and next. So: bargain addition for the Stars but not a hugely impactful player.
The last-place Canucks make out well by acquiring two draft picks, including a valuable second-rounder, for a player who’s of no use to them.
Dallas: B-
Vancouver: A-
John Matisz is theScore’s senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter/X (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email ([email protected]).
