It’s NHL trade deadline day, and contending teams have one more chance to improve their rosters for a playoff run.
They’ve been busy in the week leading up to Friday.
The defending champion Florida Panthers boosted their repeat efforts by adding defenseman Seth Jones and center Nico Sturm, the NHL leader in faceoff winning percentage. The runner-up Edmonton Oilers added gritty winger Trent Frederic and defenseman Jake Walman.
The Tampa Bay Lightning brought back two-time Stanley Cup winner Yanni Gourde and Reilly Smith is returning to the Vegas Golden Knights, where he won the 2023 championship. The 2022 champion Colorado Avalanche added center Brock Nelson.
More moves are expected on Friday with the names of Mikko Rantanen, Brad Marchand, Kyle Palmieri, Ryan Donato and others being tossed around.
Follow along for news and analysis on trade deadline day. Previous deals can be found here.
When is the NHL trade deadline?
The NHL trade deadline is at 3 p.m. ET.
Mikko Rantanen trade details begin to emerge
The Hurricanes-Stars deal on Mikko Rantanen isn’t official yet. But according to TSN’s Pierre Lebrun, the return would be center “Logan Stankovan and two first-round picks, plus some smaller pieces in the deal as well.”
Devils re-sign defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic
He’ll average $4 million in the five-year contract.
Two hours to go
Still no word on whether the Mikko Rantanen trade to the Stars is official.
Maple Leafs acquire Scott Laughton from Flyers
Toronto was looking for center depth and Laughton likely can slot in as No. 3 center. He addressed the trade rumors before the deadline by posting a Last Supper photo on social media. Nikita Grebenkin is a Russian winger in his first professional season in North America.
Jets acquire Brandon Tanev from Kraken
The Jets aren’t done. They add Kraken winger Brandon Tanev for a reported 2027 second-round pick. Tanev is a high-energy player and kills penalties. Winnipeg’s penalty killing ranks 15th in the league. Tanev began his career with the Jets.
Jets acquire Luke Schenn from Penguins
Schenn will bring physical play to the Jets. He has 848 career penalty minutes and more than 3,500 hits. The Penguins had acquired him this week in the Michael Bunting trade and flip him for a 2026 second-round pick and a 2027 fourth-rounders.
What’s the latest on Mikko Rantanen?
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports the Stars are closing in on an eight-year extension for Mikko Rantanen. If it gets done, that would complete the trade of Rantanen from the Hurricanes to the Stars. No details on what the return would be.
Sabres announce they’ve traded Dylan Cozens
The key players are Dylan Cozens and Josh Norris. Norris can score when he’s healthy but he has had injury issues. He has 20 goals this season and had 35 goals in 2021-22. Cozens has struggled this season but scored 31 goals in 2022-23. The trade puts him in the playoff race. The Senators are sitting in a wild-card spot while Buffalo is last in the East.
Kings acquire Andrei Kuzmenko from Flyers
The return is a 2027 third-round pick and the Kings also get a 2025 seventh-round pick. Philadelphia retains 50% of his salary. The Flyers acquired Kuzmenko on Jan. 30 when they dealt Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee to the Flames. The Kings need offense and Kuzmenko had 39 goals as a rookie in 2022-23. But he has now been traded three times and has six goals this season.
Three hours to deadline
So far, one official trade: Anthony Beauvillier to the Capitals. But there’s also a reported Senators-Sabres trade.
Report: Senators, Sabres make trade
Full details aren’t available but the main players are Buffalo’s Dylan Cozens and Ottawa’s Josh Norris. Cozens, 24, is 6-3 and scored 31 goals in 2022-23, though he has struggled this season. He could use a change of scenery and gets a chance to try to push the Senators into a playoff spot. Norris is a former 35-goal scorer but has dealt with injuries since then. He has 20 goals this season.
Capitals acquire Anthony Beauvillier from Penguins
The Penguins receive a 2025 second-round pick. Beauvillier offers speed and secondary scoring (seven times in double digits, including 13 this season). He had two playoff runs to the conference final when he was with the Islanders. He’s a pending unrestricted free agent.
Sabres re-sign forward Jason Zucker
He averages $4.75 million in his two-year extension, per reports. He was a good signing last summer and has 44 points in 54 games. He also provides a leadership role as a veteran on the young team.
Players to look at
With center Brock Nelson gone, teams could circle to Flyers center Scott Laughton, who has another year left on his contract. Chicago’s Ryan Donato has a career-best 23 goals and would draw interest if the Blackhawks can’t re-sign him.
Five hours to go
Nothing announced yet this morning, but it’s early.
Islanders working to re-sign Kyle Palmieri
Just because Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello traded Brock Nelson, it doesn’t mean he’s having a big sale. Newsday reported that the team is still trying to get pending unrestricted free agent Kyle Palmieri signed to an extension.
What’s the latest on Mikko Rantanen?
Multiple reports late last night said the Hurricanes and Stars had worked out a framework for a trade for Mikko Rantanen, and the Stars were working on a contract extension with the winger in order to complete the deal. However, TSN’s Darren Dreger reported this morning that there is no deal in place.
Jake Walman trade not a good look for Red Wings
The Red Wings had moved Jake Walman to the Sharks essentially to get him off their roster and sweetened the deal by including a second-round pick in exchange for future considerations. Walman made that deal look bad by becoming the Sharks’ top defenseman and recording a career-best 32 points. So now, Sharks general manager Mike Grier has received a second-round pick (from Detroit) and a first-round pick (from Edmonton) for 50 games worth of Walman’s tenure in San Jose.
Late-night trade: Oilers acquire Jake Walman from Sharks
The Oilers acquired defenseman Jake Walman from the Sharks for a conditional 2026 first-round and forward Carl Berglund. Here are the conditions:
- If Edmonton’s first-round pick in 2026 is in the top 12, the Oilers may choose to transfer their 2027 first-round pick to San Jose.
- Should Edmonton choose to trade their 2027 first round pick before the 2026 NHL trade deadline, the 2026 first-round selection will automatically transfer to San Jose, unconditionally.
Late-night trade: Avalanche acquire Brock Nelson from Islanders
The Avalanche acquire forwards Brock Nelson and William Dufour from the Islanders for defenseman Oliver Kylington, forward Calum Ritchie, a 2026 first-round pick and a conditional 2028 third-round pick. According to puckpedia.com, the Islanders retain 50% of Nelson’s salary.
Colorado gets its desired upgrade at No. 2 center. Nelson has 20 goals this season and has 30 or more in the previous three seasons. Islanders general Lou Lamoriello gets a first-round pick and a former first-rounder (Ritchie) for Nelson, who was a pending unrestricted free agent. Kylington was sent to the Ducks for future considerations.
Can trades be announced after 3 p.m. ET?
Yes, and they often are. If teams reach an agreement and call Central Registry by 3, it gets in a queue and can be announced after it’s approved.
What happens in a trade call?
The NHL posted video on Thursday about the Brian Dumoulin trade. Central Registry makes sure the teams are in agreement on the terms and that they’re cap compliant. In rare cases, a trade could be voided.
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