
By Stephen Vilardo, SuperWest Sports
Sports
USC Peaking at Right Time with Alijah Arenas in Top Form
Following their win over Indiana on Tuesday night, USC has won consecutive games and three of their last four, with the lone loss during that stretch a tough one-point game at Iowa.
Holding serve at home against an Indiana team ranked 30th in the NET was huge for the Trojans, a team sitting firmly on the NCAA Tournament bubble as February gets rolling.
And the importance of the win over another bubble team was not lost on Eric Musselman, who pointed out in the postgame that given the NCAA Tournament implications and Big Ten Standings, “This game is not worth one game.”
Perhaps the biggest takeaway from the victory was the play of Alijah Arenas. The five-star recruit with an NBA pedigree had his best game to date in the win over the Hoosiers. Arenas established new career highs with 29 points and six rebounds.
It was the first time in his five games played that he had cracked double figures in scoring. Perhaps more importantly, he played 37 minutes on Tuesday night.
Arenas made his Trojan debut on January 21 following a tumultuous 11 months in which he nearly died in a horrendous car accident, then had to rehab from a torn meniscus.
In his first four games with the Trojans, he averaged just 23.3 minutes per game. Getting a full run is a promising sign.
And for a USC team on the bubble, getting production from the talented guard as he finds his stride is huge.
Arenas is a bona fide scorer and playmaker who can create his own shot. Moving forward, opponents will have to pay even more attention to Arenas’s offensive prowess—and that should open things even more on the offensive end for the likes of Chad Baker-Mazara and Ezra Ausar.

Baker-Mazara is another guy who can create space for himself on offense. Ausar is athletic in the front court and has reached double figures in 20 of 23 games, including 12 in a row. Adding another scorer also allows Kam Woods to be a true point guard and really play to his strengths.
With Arenas hitting his stride, the Trojans have a chance to make a lot of noise down the stretch.
The lone East Coast trip remaining is the Penn State/Ohio State combo.
The Nittany Lions have been a disaster this season with just one Big Ten win and nine of their 10 wins on the season being Quad 4 wins. The Buckeyes offer SC a chance to steal a road game against another bubble team, albeit in a tough place to pick up a road win.
The rest of the slate sees just one road game, a trip to a sneaky good Washington team and the cross-town trip to UCLA.
USC could certainly solidify themselves as tournament locks before the calendar turns to March with visits from a pair of top 10 opponents in Illinois and Nebraska later this month. Even getting one of those would certainly erase doubt as long as the Trojans take care of their business.
With the firepower USC possesses, especially with a healthy and productive Alijah Arenas, this is a squad that could put together a run in March.
Simply making the big dance may not seem very ambitious once we reach mid-March.
Sports
Ricochet issues threatening message to Roman Reigns’ cousin; feud escalates
AEW star Ricochet sent a bold message to Roman Reigns’s cousin on social media. The AEW National Champion stays in character 24/7 and has been a great heel on TV. Interestingly, he doesn’t break character on social media either, and often threatens fans and wrestlers alike when they annoy him. He recently sent a warning to Zilla Fatu.
The real-life Bloodline member and the One and Only have been feuding for a long time. In August 2025, Ricochet cost Zilla Fatu the HOG Crown Jewel Championship against Bully Ray. The duo has been engaged in a feud since then. Roman Reigns’ cousin has been under spotlight in the past few weeks.
Recently, Zilla Fatu took to X/Twitter to throw shade at Booker T, Ricochet, and Bully Ray. He added the name of CM Punk to his list of enemies as well, after The Second City Saint made an insensitive comment about Roman Reigns’ late father. The AEW National Champion noticed his tweet and responded that he will return to HOG just to beat Zilla’s a*s.
“Brother, dont make me have to come back to MY company @HOGwrestling and beat yo a**,” Ricochet wrote.
Take a look at Fatu’s post here.
Veteran criticises Roman Reigns and CM Punk’s promo battle
The latest edition of RAW ended on a high note. This year’s WrestleMania main eventers engaged in a war of words for a second time. After an entertaining back-and-forth, The Second City Saint made it personal by bringing the OTC’s late father, Sika Anoa’i, into their rivalry.
While speaking on Busted Open Radio, wrestling veteran Bully Ray said that CM Punk’s shot at Roman seemed forced and didn’t fit in their segment.
“The last line for me felt very forced. Maybe I’ll take back the word forced, it felt like it didn’t belong. It didn’t match the rest of the verbiage of the promo. I’m going to bury you next to your father. Are we to believe that CM Punk is going to kill Roman Reigns?” Bully Ray questioned.
Check out his comments in the video below:
It will be interesting to see what The Tribal Chief’s response to CM Punk will be next week.
Read all the hottest WWE news from Sportskeeda by choosing us as your preferred source. Click HERE.
Edited by Sayantan Niyogi
Sports
2 Vikings Land on ESPN’s Top 100 Free Agent List
Free agency is four days away, believe it or not, and according to ESPN, the Minnesota Vikings have two internal free agents on the Top 100 board this go-round: wide receiver Jalen Nailor and defensive tackle Javon Hargrave.
Nailor’s market looks lively, and Hargrave’s future feels unsettled as the Vikings prep for a busy free-agency week.
Hargrave hasn’t been officially released yet, but ESPN had no qualms rolling the dice on recent clues.
Minnesota’s Two Biggest “Keep or Go” Cases before the Market Opens, per ESPN
Vikings’ in-house free agency is pretty quiet this year.
Nailor = 58th-Best Free Agent per ESPN
ESPN’s Matt Bowen sized up the NFL’s Top 100 free agents, and Nailor was not excluded.
“What he brings: Nailor is more than willing to work the middle of the field, and he has the foot quickness to separate on out-breaking routes. With the ability to line up inside or outside, he has proved himself as a solid No. 3 option. He averaged 15.3 yards per catch and scored three touchdowns in 2025,” Bowen opined.
Recent reports suggest that about a dozen teams are interested in Nailor next week, so his market might be robust.
Hargrave at No. 96
Then, Hargrave, who hasn’t been technically released yet, got the nod from Bowen at No. 96.
He wrote, “What he brings: With the Vikings expected to release Hargrave, the veteran defensive tackle just makes our list because of his ability to rush from the interior. He has 49 career sacks, including 3.5 this past season. Hargrave also had 18 pass rush wins in 2025, which tied for 23rd at his position.”
The Vikings will reportedly try to trade Hargrave — which likely won’t amount to anything — and release him if that plan flops.
All in all, Hargrave’s stop in Minnesota will have lasted one season.
Who’s Missing
In addition to Nailor and Hargrave, these are Minnesota’s internal free agents this cycle:
- Ty Chandler (RB)
- Fabian Moreau (CB)
- Matt Nelson (LT)
- Jeff Okudah (CB)
- Ivan Pace Jr. (LB)
- Jalen Redmond (IDL)
- Bo Richter (EDGE)
- Brett Rypien (QB)
- Zavier Scott (RB)
- Justin Skule (LT)
- Ben Sims (TE)
- Harrison Smith (S)
- Taki Taimani (DT)
- Tavierre Thomas (CB)
- Carson Wentz (QB)
- Eric Wilson (LB)
- John Wolford (QB)
- Ryan Wright (P)
Smith likely didn’t factor into ESPN’s calculation because it’s common knowledge that he will either retire or return to Minnesota for Year No. 15.
Otherwise, Wilson probably should’ve earned a nod on Bowen’s list. He was signed as a veteran backup, slated to provide depth and contribute on special teams. By December, however, the situation had drastically shifted. Wilson had become a vital component of the defense. Opponents even began tailoring their game plans to account for him, a testament to his unexpectedly significant role.
Wilson’s performance was statistically dominant, too. He consistently penetrated the line, disrupting plays in the backfield. Among linebackers, he led the league in sacks and pressures and ranked near the top in forced fumbles, showcasing an unforeseen level of aggression.
At 31, the man enjoyed a career year, amassing 115 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, 10 quarterback hits, 6.5 sacks, and four forced fumbles. This production was a stark contrast to the previous year, when he was primarily viewed as a reserve and special teams player; the 2025 season completely redefined his role.
Even as he approaches 32, Minnesota will strongly consider re-signing Wilson for another season or two. Throughout the year, he consistently delivered impactful plays and reliable tackles. Initially brought in to support Cashman and Pace, Wilson ultimately became one of the defense’s most dependable assets.
Vikings Continue to Clear Cap Space
In the backdrop, the Vikings continue to clear cap space for free agency next week. They began the offseason about $40 million underwater, needing to make tough decisions to get salary cap compliant.
So far, reports have indicated that Minnesota will part ways with running back Aaron Jones — who oddly wasn’t mentioned by ESPN — in addition to defensive tackles Jonathan Allen and the aforementioned Hargrave. The older free-agent solutions from the last couple of offseasons did not stick around for long.
It’s also worth noting that Minnesota is operating without an official general manager. The franchise fired Kwesi Adofo-Mensah on January 30th after four years of lousy drafts and the fact that former Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold proved he could reach and win the Super Bowl in Seattle.
Free agency’s “legal tampering” period begins Monday. The Vikings are expected to target help for the defensive secondary, perhaps a center, an off-ball linebacker (if Wilson isn’t re-signed), and maybe a running back to replace Jones.
Sports
Calamitous Tottenham self-destructed against Crystal Palace. Relegation is a very real prospect
Tottenham’s precarious Premier League plight worsened significantly after a calamitous period culminated in a 3-1 home defeat to Crystal Palace.
The loss leaves the north London club staring down the barrel of relegation, having started the night just a single point above the bottom three following West Ham’s midweek victory over Fulham.
The match began with an early scare for Spurs when Ismaila Sarr had a goal disallowed for offside, but hope briefly flickered five minutes later as Dominic Solanke netted a 34th-minute opener.
However, any momentum was swiftly extinguished by a moment of inexplicable folly from stand-in captain Micky Van de Ven, whose blatant pull-back on Sarr inside the area earned him a straight red card.
Sarr calmly converted the resulting spot-kick, and the Eagles capitalised further during a chaotic end to the first half. Jorgen Strand Larsen added a second for Palace with a low effort, before Sarr grabbed his brace, leaving the home side shell-shocked and facing an uphill battle with 10 men.
Manager Igor Tudor, who had controversially dropped big-money signings Conor Gallagher and Xavi Simons for the visit of Palace, now faces intense scrutiny.
His tactical gamble failed to pay off, with Guglielmo Vicario forced into an early save from Adam Wharton within the first minute.
Debutant Souza was booked after just seven minutes for a poor tackle that saw Daniel Munoz limp off, setting a tense tone.
Despite a snapshot from Mathys Tel in the 15th minute, Tottenham struggled to gain a foothold.
Palace thought they had scored just before the hour mark when Sarr raced onto Evann Guessand’s through ball, but a lengthy VAR check ruled it offside, prompting loud cheers from the home crowd.
These cheers soon turned to despair as Solanke’s opener, set up by Gray after a deflected Tel strike, was quickly overshadowed.
Four minutes after taking the lead, Van de Ven’s red card and Sarr’s subsequent penalty completely shifted the dynamic.
Tudor introduced Gallagher and Yves Bissouma, but the changes couldn’t stem the tide. Wharton was instrumental in Palace’s late first-half surge, threading a pass to Strand Larsen, who fired past Vicario, and then delivering a clipped ball that Sarr poked in, exposing a static Tottenham defence and leaving Pedro Porro looking foolish.
Loud boos greeted the half-time whistle, but the 10 men of Spurs showed some resilience in the second half.
Kevin Danso was denied by Dean Henderson, and Gray had an effort blocked.
Substitutions including Brennan Johnson, Richarlison and Xavi failed to alter the scoreline, as Tottenham set an unwanted club record of 11 Premier League matches without a win, deepening the crisis for Tudor and the club.
PA contributed to this report
Sports
No. 19 Miami (Ohio) chases regular-season perfection at Ohio
Miami RedHawks guard Peter Suder (5) reacts after hitting a jump shot over Ohio Bobcats guard Jesse Burris (21) in the second half of the NCAA basketball game at Millett Hall in Oxford, Ohio, on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. No. 19 Miami (Ohio) looks to continue its historic run when it visits archrival Ohio in a Mid-American Conference rematch to close out the regular season Friday night in Athens, Ohio.
The RedHawks (30-0, 17-0 MAC), the nation’s only unbeaten team, became just the 15th squad in Division I men’s basketball history to win its first 30 games of the season when they held off Toledo 74-72 on Tuesday in Oxford, Ohio.
Ohio (15-15, 9-8) has lost back-to-back games and is coming off a 94-82 setback at UMass on Tuesday in Amherst, Mass.
Miami entered the national spotlight this week after former Auburn coach-turned-TV analyst Bruce Pearl criticized the RedHawks for an undefeated record that he said was not worthy of the NCAA Tournament unless they capture the MAC tournament title in Cleveland next week.
Miami answered the criticism with a win over Toledo that clinched its conference-record 22nd regular-season MAC championship and its first in 21 years.
“I like Bruce,” Miami coach Travis Steele said. “I do. Hey, Bruce is a great guy. I’m not calling Bruce and asking him for his opinion. I could care less what the heck he says. We control our own destiny. Let’s prepare the right way. Let’s focus on the right things.”
The two teams met on Feb. 13 at Miami, with the RedHawks pulling away in the second half for a 90-74 win. Five different RedHawks scored in double figures, led by Brant Byers with 21 points and Peter Suder with 20.
Suder had 19 in Tuesday’s win over the Rockets. Antwone Woolfolk added 14 points and six rebounds. “We gotta move on quick to Ohio,” Steele said. “We still got a lot of season left, but this is a big deal. This is awesome. I’m so happy for our guys. That was one of our goals that we had beginning the years when the regular-season title. Check.”
The RedHawks are aiming to become the first MAC team to finish the regular season unbeaten in both conference play and overall.
“I want to finish this season undefeated,” Steele added. “I want to win at Ohio. That’s a rivalry game. It’s a players’ game. Our guys are going to be excited to play. I know their guys will be excited to play as well. And then, can we go win the MAC tournament up in Cleveland? We want to leave absolutely no doubt, absolutely no doubt who the heck we are.”
In its last game, Ohio led 73-72 before UMass scored 11 straight and finished the game on a 22-9 run. Jackson Paveletzke, who had 22 against Miami in the first meeting, led the Bobcats against the Minutemen with 24 points and seven assists. Javan Simmons added 16 points, grabbed five rebounds and had three assists. Kiir Kuany got his first career start, scoring 13 points and grabbing five rebounds.
–Field Level Media
Sports
You could see the bat swing
Former India captain Anil Kumble opined that Sanju Samson combated the threat of Jofra Archer in the T20 World Cup 2026 semifinal against England by looking to hit straight. Kumble added that Archer got his lengths wrong, which the Indian opener used to his advantage brilliantly.
Samson top-scored for the Men in Blue with 89 off 42 balls as India beat England by seven runs in the second semifinal of the T20 World Cup 2026 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday, March 5. Sent into bat, the defending champions posted 253-7 on the board and then held England to 246-7.
Samson had a tough time against Archer during the India-England home series in early 2025. The fast bowler dismissed the Indian batter thrice, overpowering him with pace and bounce. However, the opener was in complete control against Archer on Thursday, smashing him for boundaries with ease. During a discussion on ESPNcricinfo, Kumble analyzed the Samson-Archer duel and commented:
“I think the lengths that Archer bowled [was the difference]. It needs to be by the nose. Except for one ball, the line was wrong and then he [Samson] picked it up nicely for a six because the fine leg was up. But, what was really good about Samson was that he was looking to hit straight again.
“He played according to the merit of the ball and that’s how he exactly countered Jofra Archer. Because of the form that he is in, you could see the bat swing coming straight,” the former India leg-spinner added.
Samson struck eight fours and seven sixes in his stunning knock against England on Thursday. He was looking good for a hundred when he was caught at deep cover off Will Jacks’ bowling.
“One of the unbelievable knocks” – Faf du Plessis on Sanju Samson’s innings
Former South African captain Faf du Plessis praised Samson for not wasting his form and converting starts into impactful knocks. He described the keeper-batter’s innings against England in Mumbai as ‘unbelievable’. Du Plessis said:
“The worst thing you can do as a batter in form like that is lose your concentration and get a nice 20 and don’t play an impactful innings. He’s done that [got a big score] again in back-to-back innings. One of the unbelievable knocks.”
Before his scintillating 89 against England, Samson had scored 97* off 50 balls against the West Indies at Eden Gardens in Kolkata in India’s last Super 8 match of the T20 World Cup 2026.
Edited by Renin Wilben Albert
Sports
Troy Deeney’s Team of the Week: Sels, Gabriel, Anderson, Wharton, Summerville, Pedro
Andre (Wolves): Yes, he gets a goal to win the game against Liverpool on Tuesday, but he’s an enforcer. He had to dig in a lot with the Liverpool pressure, especially in the first half. He did a great job for the team. On the odd occasion, he was able to get forward – and he drove forward with pace and purpose, and he managed to nick a goal. He has been a huge part of the Wolves revival.
Declan Rice (Arsenal): Need I say anything else? Rice is the man who is always in the right area. The ball always breaks to him. It looks like he is tiring, but then he manages to do a lung-busting run. It was an excellent performance from Rice against Brighton. He controlled and dictated the field.
Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest): It was one of those performances that make you think he will probably be at Manchester City one day. The goal was a great hit, and he broke up play really well. He also manages to make 25 fouls a game, but never gets a card! I think he would be a good replacement for Rodri one day. If Manchester City cannot get Rodri back to the level he was fitness-wise, then they need Anderson next to him, or they move Rodri on and put Anderson in.
Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace): He plays forward and he assists goals. What separates him from other players in the Premier League is he plays one or two touches, and he plays forward more than anyone that I can think of. He is not afraid of making mistakes. His pass for Jorgen Strand Larsen’s goal in the 3-1 win at Tottenham on Thursday was lovely. His take on the half-turn and the ball in for Ismaila Sarr was fantastic too. I wonder whether Palace can keep him moving forward?
Sports
Gunther breaks WWE character for Cody Rhodes
WWE Superstar Gunther recently broke his on-screen heel persona to appreciate Cody Rhodes’ work ethic. The Ring General also mentioned why he didn’t want to be like The American Nightmare.
Since retiring Goldberg, John Cena, and AJ Styles, Gunther has become one of the biggest heels in World Wrestling Entertainment. Many believe the former WWE World Heavyweight Champion could retire another legend this year, possibly Brock Lesnar.
Thanks for the submission!
During a recent edition of Cody Rhodes’ What Do You Wanna Talk About? podcast, Gunther mentioned that he wanted to get to a spot in WWE where he can elevate young stars like Oba Femi, Bron Breakker, and Ilja Dragunov.
The Ring General then added that he liked his current role in the company and didn’t want to become a guy who is “at the very mountaintop” where everybody looks up to him.
“I like my role and how I do it. I don’t have it in me to be wanting to be the guy that is at the very mountaintop, and everybody looks up to him,” he said.
The former Imperium leader then broke his on-screen character to praise Cody Rhodes for his work ethic. He mentioned that he admired Rhodes and believed he wouldn’t be able to do as many media and fan interactions as The American Nightmare.
“I admire you [Cody Rhodes] sometimes for what you do, because I couldn’t. I would not be able to have that much fan interaction, to have that much media interaction, and all of that. And you do it really good. That’s not for me… I wanna be at the top, but in a different role and contribute that way,” he added.
Check out his interview below:
Gunther opened up about losing to Jey Uso at WWE WrestleMania 41
During the same interview on Cody Rhodes’ What Do You Wanna Talk About? podcast, Gunther talked about tapping out to Jey Uso in his WWE World Heavyweight Championship loss at WrestleMania 41.
The Ring General said that he had no issues with tapping out to The Yeet Master, and he didn’t care if the fans saw it as a weakness.
“With Jey, at that moment, that’s the thing, I can swallow my pride. When it’s over, it’s over. I have no issue with that. If the audience views that as weakness, let them be. It’s alright,” Gunther said.
It remains to be seen what the Triple H-led creative team has planned for Gunther ahead of WWE WrestleMania 42.
Please credit Cody Rhodes’ What Do You Wanna Talk About? podcast and give an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling if you use quotes from the first half of this article.
Edited by Aashrit Satija
Sports
This fun Masters tradition just got new wrinkle for 2026
Picking a favorite Masters tradition can feel a little bit like having to pick a favorite child.
Pimento cheese sammies? Par-3 Contest? Ball-skipping at 16? Grand rituals all! For the fourth estate, though, there’s a clear winner in the Masters Traditions Bracket Challenge: the media lottery during Masters week that affords a few lucky ink-stained wretches, photogs and creators of all ilk the chance to play Augusta National on the Monday after the Masters. Breakfast in the clubhouse. Real estate in the Champions Locker Room. Range session. Sunday pins. A triple at 12. Stories for a lifetime.
So, rest assured when an email from the Augusta National Communications office hit inboxes at approximately 1:15 p.m. ET Thursday — with “Press Lottery” in the subject line — the communiqué enjoyed a high open rate.
Then came the curve ball.
“This April,” the note began, “in addition to our traditional media lottery to play Augusta National Golf Club on the Monday after the Masters, we are pleased to offer another lottery for an opportunity to play Augusta Municipal Golf Course.”
A lottery to play a muni might sound oxymoronic — but AMGC is no run-of-the-mill muni. If you’re a regular on this site, you’ll know that Augusta National has pumped millions into the beloved city property, known affectionately as the Patch. Designers Tom Fazio and Beau Welling oversaw a rerouting and sprucing-up of the course, and Tiger Woods contributed a nine-hole par-3 course. Among the other additions are a Trackman-equipped range, a putting course (coming soon!) and even a clever new logo that depicts a head of cabbage on a tee. “We are leaning into the nickname the Patch,” said Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley.
There’s also a new (and newly positioned) clubhouse.
According to the Patch’s slick new website: “The most significant decision came early in the project when the clubhouse was shifted from its old location at the south end of Daniel Field’s 5/23 runway to the highest point of the property. . . . From this new vantage point, the first tee of the golf course and clubhouse offer tremendous views of the property’s 150-foot elevation change, providing stunning views of the course.”
Sounds kinda like another course in town, right?
That’s not to suggest anyone will mistake the new-look Patch for Augusta National, but, gosh, do they share some similarities, from wide playing corridors to pine-needle beds lining the holes to blindingly white bunker sand. Browse the course’s homepage and you’ll find another nod to ANGC: a Masters logo under “Project Partners.”
The course is set open to the public on April 15 but two days before that the press will descend for a sneak preview.
Fret not, fellow scribblers! According to the Thursday dispatch, “entering/winning the Patch lottery does not make you ineligible to enter/win the Augusta National lottery.”
Bon chance!
Sports
Knights acquire F Nic Dowd, place F Mark Stone on IR
Feb 3, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Washington Capitals center Nic Dowd (26) finishes his check against Philadelphia Flyers right wing Carl Grundstrom (91) during the first period at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images The Vegas Golden Knights acquired center Nic Dowd from the Washington Capitals on Thursday in exchange for goaltender Jesper Vikman, a third-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft and a second-round selection in 2029.
Vegas also placed captain Mark Stone (upper-body injury) on injured reserve Thursday after the forward exited Sunday’s game at Pittsburgh following a check to his left arm. Stone, who missed the last two games, is among the team’s leading scorers this season with 60 points (21 goals, 39 assists) in 43 games.
Over 749 NHL games with the Ottawa Senators (2012-19) and Golden Knights, Stone has 694 points (252 goals, 443 assists) and a plus-17 rating.
Dowd, 35, has recorded 16 points (four goals, 12 assists) and 113 hits in 55 games this season. He is one season removed from posting career-high totals in goals (14) and points (27). Dowd has 192 points (88 goals, 104 assists) and a plus-16 rating in 637 career games with the Los Angeles Kings (2015-17), Vancouver Canucks (2017-18) and Capitals. He was selected by the Kings in the seventh round of the 2009 NHL Draft.
Vikman, 23, has an 8-7-3 record with a 3.41 goals-against average and .886 save percentage this season with the Henderson Silver Knights of the American Hockey League.
He was selected by the Golden Knights in the fifth round of the 2020 NHL Draft.
–Field Level Media
Sports
What to expect from every team at 2026 NHL trade deadline
The NHL trade deadline is upon us and after a slow start to the week deals are starting to roll in and set the tone for what we’ll see on Friday.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have started to be a seller, sending Nicolas Roy to Colorado. Utah, anticipated to be a big-time buyer, has brought in MacKenzie Weegar, but are now on the prowl for a scoring forward.
And some of the biggest action hasn’t unfolded yet.
Vancouver, NY Rangers and St. Louis haven’t moved out some of the bigger names who are still rumoured to be available. Montreal, Detroit and Buffalo (though it tried to bring in Colton Parayko) haven’t yet made any big moves that might change the picture in a crowded Atlantic Division race. And then you have teams like Seattle, Carolina, Anaheim and Dallas who are the wild cards that could be the story of the day, or remain generally quiet.
And, of course, there’s always a chance that a team we don’t see coming dives into the blockbuster pool.
The rumours are picking up and the time is running thin. Teams have until Friday at 3:00 p.m. ET to decide what they’re going to do with their rosters this season.

-
Hockey Central Signing Season on Sportsnet
As NHL free agency opens and signing season commences, Hockey Central has you covered for all the breaking news and instant analysis. Catch the coverage on July 1 beginning at 11:30 a.m. ET / 8:30 a.m. PT on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+.
Here, we give you an outlook for everyone, with cap space, possible trade candidates and needs. We’ll show you what Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman has said about some of these teams on the 32 Thoughts Podcast, anything the team’s GM has said recently, and a general overview of everyone’s situation.
All cap numbers and draft-pick information come via PuckPedia. You will notice some very high “deadline day cap space” totals in some places. That’s because, if a team has been under the cap, it accumulates space, and the longer it does this the more room it’ll have to play with at the trade deadline.
At this time of year, a traded player is paid the remaining percentage of his salary by the acquiring team, and the remaining cap charge is actually added to its total — the former team has paid everything up until this point. But, to make it simple when looking at the salary-cap charts, what the “deadline day cap space” number shows is simply the full, season-long AAV a team can add on March 6.
And there are two other important wrinkles new to this year’s deadline. First is the “projected playoff cap space” which you can see on every team’s page at PuckPedia. New rules this season demand every team be cap compliant in the playoffs with the 20 players they dress for any given game. No longer can you take advantage of regular season LTIR to then return everyone healthy and ice a playoff roster that’s over the cap.

-
Sportsnet and bet365
At bet365, you can watch thousands of live games, build your own bet, and can even make a bet while the game’s still being played. 19+. Play responsibly. Ontario only.
The rules on salary retention have also changed. Teams can still keep up to 50 per cent of a cap hit, but you won’t see any double retention trades that involve a third team on Friday. That’s because it’s required that 75 days must pass between deals where a salary is retained, so for someone to have had double retention at this deadline, they would first have had to have been traded by Dec. 2.
How much will these two new CBA rules impact the 2026 trade deadline? We’re about to find out.
To get you ready for the action ahead, here is our trade deadline primer, with an overview of each NHL team.
Deadline Day Cap Space: $52.616 million
Team Needs: Right shot defenceman, backup goalie, scoring forward with term, defensive forward
Potentially Available: Ryan Strome, Frank Vatrano, picks
What the GM said: “I’m not sure at this point. I think there’s a lot of avenues we can go down, but I’m not 100 per cent committed to doing anything, not 100 per cent committed to not trying to do something.” – Pat Verbeek on Jan. 27.
From the 32 Thoughts Podcast: “Verbeek is a tough one to read. I heard he made a non-extension pitch at Panarin, I heard he liked Whitecloud, mindful of big contracts.”
Outlook: Three wins upon returning from the Olympic break extended the Ducks’ winning streak to five, though they did lose the next two. Still, with help from Edmonton and Vegas struggling around them, Anaheim is second in the Pacific with a real shot at the regular season division title. The goal heading into this season was playoffs, and that’s looking more likely with each passing day. Their weakness is team defence. Anaheim is 31st in the league in GAA and 28th in expected goals against at 5-on-5, putting immense pressure on Lukas Dostal. So, their top priority may be to add at the edges of the roster to improve defensive responsibility.
They are transitioning from a rebuild into a winning window, and have tons of assets and cap space, so we can’t rule out the possibility that they are a surprise actor. However, keep in mind, big extensions are due to Cutter Gauthier and Leo Carlsson this summer, while Jackson LaCombe begins his $9 million AAV contract next season. They have less cap space to work with than it seems.
Status: Small-time buyer
Deadline Day Cap Space: $5.069 million
Team Needs: Right shot defenceman, maybe a forward
Potentially Available: Viktor Arvidsson, Andrew Peeke, draft picks
What the GM said: “In all likelihood it’ll be a little different than last year. Not necessarily as aggressive and active, but we would like to continue to improve our hockey club if possible…We’d like to give them a bump because they’ve earned that. But it’s an eye towards obviously this year, but moving forward as well.” – Don Sweeney on March 2.
From the 32 Thoughts Podcast: “We know they tried Rasmus Andersson, so I could still see them being on the D market. I’ve heard they want to add a forward if they can.”
Outlook: This time last season the Bruins were retooling at the deadline and brought in a couple of first-round draft picks and Fraser Minten, who is off to a great start in his NHL career. They’re back in the playoff hunt, hanging on to the East’s second wild-card spot, but not all the way back as a contender. Boston gets to the deadline perhaps looking to round out its blue line, or add some depth to its forwards, but we shouldn’t expect them to spend any big assets on a rental player. The long-term view is still in mind here. James Hagens may yet be on this roster when Boston College’s season ends. If an impactful player with term could be had, maybe then we’ll see Sweeney push in some of his chips, but since the playoffs are far from a guarantee, it’s more likely that Boston will be looking to add at the edges.
Status: Intriguing buyer
Deadline Day Cap Space: $7.865 million
Team Needs: Physical and defensive defenceman, top-nine forward
Potentially Available: Draft picks, prospects, Alex Tuch, Josh Norris, Owen Power
What the GM has said: “We want to make our team stronger. We have a lot of skill on our team, a lot of ability to score. Really good defence, our goalies have played well this year, so we have a lot of strengths but we want to make them stronger. We’re looking at all the avenues to do that whether it’s a role player or somebody who has some special skills we need. We haven’t been great in the face-offs. We’re talking.” – Jarmo Kekalainen on Feb. 25.
From the 32 Thoughts Podcast: “I’m actually really interested in Buffalo. This is going to be a really interesting deadline for them because they’re going and they look good.”
Outlook: It’s been a long time since the Sabres were a trade deadline buyer to watch, but here we are. Since Dec. 1, Buffalo is 26-8-2 with a .743 points percentage that is tops in the NHL over that timespan. They are rolling and don’t need to mess much with what’s got them here, but we can’t rule out a blockbuster. New GM Jarmo Kekalainen can put his stamp on Kevyn Adams’ team by adding something significant like Robert Thomas, and he’s got a reputation of being a bold manager.
He already tried to add Colton Parayko from the Blues, but the player rejected the move with his no-trade clause. So now Buffalo looks at other options. Reuniting with Rasmus Ristolainen might be a possibility. Kekalainen may also look to pick up a forward to play on the second or third line, someone with a little quickness and a strong forechecker. Alex Tuch is still unsigned, which makes him a possibility to get traded, but keeping him as an own-rental probably makes the most sense. Buffalo can snap the NHL’s longest playoff drought, and may also make some noise this post-season.
Deadline Day Cap Space: $47.083 million
Team Needs: Draft picks, prospects, young NHL-ready players
Potentially Available: Nazem Kadri, Zach Whitecloud, Blake Coleman, Devin Cooley, Ryan Lomberg
What the GM has said: “We have to do what’s best for the organization. If that’s making a move like today with (MacKenzie Weegar) or if it’s just not there we can’t force things that aren’t there. I know people just want to do stuff we have to do things with a purpose and that we think will make us better in the next few years. We’ll be fielding calls and see where teams are at and if it makes sense we’ll look hard at it.” – Craig Conroy on March 4.
From the 32 Thoughts Podcast: “The biggest challenge I think the Flames will have is that all of their guys have competition. I think people love Kadri the player, I’m not sure they’re crazy about the term and also there’s other centres available. People like Coleman, people like Weegar, but there are other players around then. And Conroy has shown he’s not afraid to be patient.”
Outlook: The Flames are deep in a rebuild with plenty of veterans they could trade, but since every one of them (with the exception of Ryan Lomberg) have term on their contracts, GM Craig Conroy doesn’t have to be overly active at the deadline. Still, the goal here should be to accumulate future assets and take advantage of the value some of their early-to-mid-30s players still have. With a new arena opening in 2027-28, Calgary will be trying to position itself to be on the upswing again by then. Calgary has one unused salary retention slot remaining, will they use it to help beef up someone’s trade return?
Status: Buyer, blockbuster potential
Deadline Day Cap Space: $40.349 million
Team Needs: Forwards, possibly another goalie
Potentially Available: Jesperi Kotkaniemi, draft picks and prospects
What the GM said: You never know what’s going to happen; it takes both sides. It’s hard to control the market. But, we are shopping very aggressively, trying to find ways to bring in the pieces that will help us take steps forward.” – Eric Tulsky on Feb. 12.
From the 32 Thoughts Podcast: “Always looking to add.”
Outlook: Over the past two seasons Tulsky has made big trades for Jake Guentzel and Mikko Rantanen in the final season of their deals, but neither stuck around with the Hurricanes. While Guentzel walked, Rantanen was flipped again and so you can see a pattern of big-game hunting Carolina might continue pursuing in 2026. In the playoffs, it often comes down to scoring for the Hurricanes, so maybe they’ll be a surprise landing spot for Robert Thomas in a true blockbuster. Or perhaps they’ll look to re-acquire Vincent Trocheck in a move that would require fewer assets going the other way, but comes with long-term, age-related concerns about the player. Their Cup window is wide open and the Eastern Conference is there for the taking. Carolina will add, but will they be the biggest dealer of deadline day?
Status: Leaning buyer, could stay quiet
Deadline Day Cap Space: $45.551 million
Team Needs: Depth, experience, leadership.
Potentially Available: Elvis Merzlikins, Charlie Coyle, Boone Jenner, Danton Heinen
From the 32 Thoughts Podcast: “I know they’ve got some UFAs everybody’s kind of wondered about. I think there it’s they want to make the playoffs, or try to.”
Outlook: A 13-2-1 run since mid-January makes Columbus one of the NHL’s hottest teams for the past two months, and they’re in the middle of a playoff race behind Boston now. They have two more games ahead against the Bruins as well, so the Blue Jackets figure to be in this thing until the end. With the playoffs such an uncertainty, the Blue Jackets aren’t likely to be the biggest spender at this deadline. Instead, they may elect to keep their pending UFAs, such as Coyle, Jenner and Mason Marchment, instead of offloading them.
Deadline Day Cap Space: $61.483 million
Team Needs: Young NHL players or players on the cusp of the NHL
Potentially Available: Ilya Mikheyev, Nick Foligno, Sam Lafferty, Matt Grzelcyk, Kevin Korchinski
From the 32 Thoughts Podcast: “I’ve heard they’ve got Mikheyev out there. I think they tried to sign him at one point.”
Outlook: Chicago hoped to be in the same boat as San Jose and Anaheim at this point in the season, turning the corner out of a rebuild, hanging in the playoff race, and looking to add to their group. But losing nine of their past 11 games killed those chances, and so now the Blackhawks will be looking to keep stocking up and reset for next season. Outside of veterans on expiring contracts, one young name that surfaces in rumours is Kevin Korchinski, the seventh-overall pick of the 2022 draft. In the games he has played, ice time has been limited and so the Hawks may look to go in a new direction and move the young, left-handed defender. Will the value be worth it, though?
Deadline Day Cap Space: $6.94 million
Team Needs: Winger, maybe another centre
Potentially Available: Draft picks
What the GM said: “We’re going to leave no stone unturned, like we usually do, if it makes sense,” MacFarland said. “We’ve got some cap space to play with, and we’ll see if there’s the right fit. It’s got to make sense from the asset acquisition cost, but if we can improve the team, we’d like to try to do that.” – Chris MacFarland on March 3.
From the 32 Thoughts Podcast: “I do think Colorado’s looking at a centre. I don’t know if they can pull out one of the big ones, like a Trocheck, and I don’t know where they fit on the map for Trocheck — he doesn’t want to go far west — but I think they’re looking at that group of centres and they’d like to do something. But their cap situation and also, what do they have to move especially after all they did to get Brock Nelson last year?”
Outlook: Last year the Avalanche acquired two centres ahead of the deadline, Brock Nelson and Charlie Coyle. Nelson is still with the team and having a heckuva season, while Coyle was traded to Columbus in the off-season. Colorado added the third-line centre it needed on Thursday by bringing in Nicolas Roy. That was their most glaring need, so they may be done. Aside from that, the Avs already addressed some depth on the back end by bringing in Brett Kulak. Artturi Lehkonen was injured Tuesday night, so that could lead the Avs to also be on the lookout for a scoring bump on the wing.
Deadline Day Cap Space: $1.96 million
Potentially Available: Futures
What the GM said: “I don’t see us doing a big splash. First of all, the salary cap still comes into play more than ever, not only for this year, but for next year. I’ve got some very good players, and very good players eventually make big money.” – Jim Nill on March 1.
From the 32 Thoughts Podcast: “They don’t like the idea of (adding players with) term until they sort out Jason Robertson.”
Outlook: They officially shut down Tyler Seguin for the regular season and playoffs, and so get the maximum space allowable under the new LTIR rules. That will push them into the centre market, where there is plenty to choose from. The Stars will try and hold out for any prices to drop. With Robertson’s RFA situation hanging over the team, it’s unlikely they’d be in on a centre with a heavy contract and lots of term (like Nazem Kadri) so look for something shorter. All Cup contenders like adding defensive depth at this time of year, and Dallas went out and got theirs with the Tyler Myers trade.
Status: Buyer, potential for a blockbuster
Deadline Day Cap Space: $59.527 million
Team Needs: Centre, defence
Potentially Available: Draft picks and prospects
From the 32 Thoughts Podcast: “I’ve wondered about Trocheck for them.”
Outlook: Is the Yzerplan finally coming together? Detroit is seven points into a playoff spot and just three points behind Tampa Bay for the division lead, but they are 11th in the East with a minus-2 goal differential. Their most glaring need is at centre, where Andrew Copp and Marco Kasper fill the middle-six role and this is where Yzerman may push in some of his chips. Detroit has been linked to Elias Pettersson and Robert Thomas, among others, in rumours so the potential to go big is there. Last season Yzerman only added Petr Mrazek in a quiet deadline season, and Dylan Larkin voiced his disappointment the front office didn’t give the team more help. This time, the sense is the Wings will be active.
Deadline Day Cap Space: $475,000
Team Needs: Depth defence, goalie
Potentially Available: Alec Regula, Ike Howard, picks, prospects
Outlook: Edmonton thought it was addressing one of its needs earlier this season when it traded for Tristan Jarry, but he has not stabilized the goaltending and, in fact, has been second-best on the team behind Connor Ingram. If Game 1 of the playoffs were today, smart money would be on Ingram being the starter. Does that mean Edmonton will be looking to add another goaltender? There are a few out there, but the sense is the Oilers already made this bed and have to spend the remaining hours of trading filling in other needs.
With Connor Murphy acquired from Chicago this week, the immediate need for a defenceman is over, though they may still add someone for further down the depth chart. Attention turned to a bottom-six centre, and Jason Dickinson was acquired on Wednesday to fill that role. Andrew Mangiapane was dealt, but Edmonton had to attach a first-round pick to do it. Some mistakes have been made to force them into that scenario, and now it has to pay off with a Cup.
Deadline Day Cap Space: $2.187 million
Team Needs: Accumulate assets to help next season’s roster
Potentially Available: Sergei Bobrovsky, Daniil Tarasov, A.J. Greer, Tomas Nosek
From the 32 Thoughts Podcast: “I can’t get a good handle on this Bobrovsky situation. The one thing I’ve been waiting for in Florida is do they wave the white flag and do guys get shut down? I think they wanted to see if they could make a charge in a week.”
Outlook: Well, well, well, the Panthers surely didn’t expect to be here. A post-Olympics bump has not happened and now Florida is among the bottom-10 teams in the league — if they end up with a top-10 pick after the lottery, they will keep it this year and send their 2027 unprotected pick to Chicago to complete the Seth Jones deal. That seems like the best-case scenario for the back-to-back champs.
They’ll look to offload their pending UFAs for assets that they can later use to improve next year’s roster, because they certainly have designs of returning as a contender in 2026-27. The mystery here is Bobrovsky. The 37-year-old pending UFA is wrapping up a contract that paid $10 million AAV and so while a paycut is in order, how much that should be might get complicated. If no extension is reached by Friday, it’s possible he could be moved, though it will be tricky given he’s not had a great season. Florida signed AHL goalie Louis Domingue to a two-way contract for the rest of this season on Wednesday, raising eyebrows that they may be preparing for one of their NHL goalies to depart by week’s end. Bobrovsky only has partial trade protection.
Status: Neutral, leaning buyer
Deadline Day Cap Space: $18.158 million
Team Needs: Centre, puck distributor
Potentially Available: Corey Perry, futures
What the GM said: “I’ll work the phones. I’ll see what’s out there. Given where we are in the standings I don’t anticipate our first round pick being in play.” – Ken Holland on March 1.
From the 32 Thoughts Podcast: “I do think Holland’s gone pretty hard after Trocheck and I’ve heard Trocheck’s preference is to stay east, although it’s not locked in. I think Holland badly wants to add someone who can get his scorers the puck and Fiala’s a big loss...I don’t know if it’s going to be so simple for them to trade their way out of this one.”
Outlook: Since trading for Artemi Panarin the Kings have won a single game and lost top-line winger Kevin Fiala for the rest of the season. Not how Ken Holland planned for this to go. Los Angeles is now an unlikely playoff team, with their chances down to around 25 per cent. The cap space and draft picks are there to still add, and maybe the Kings do dabble as a pot-committed buyer. Time may be better spent thinking ahead a year.
Deadline Day Cap Space: $11.252 million
Potentially Available: Futures
What the GM said: “I always like to be confident, but you just don’t know. It’s a crazy time. You might think you have something and you don’t, and you might think you’re done and something big comes across your desk. We’re continuing to try and improve the team and help. We’ll see at what level we can do that.” – Bill Guerin on March 3.
From the 32 Thoughts Podcast: “Bill Guerin, he talked about it when he made the Quinn Hughes trade, he comes in with his offer and is like ‘this is my offer.’ I think he’s done that with the Rangers (on Vincent Trocheck).”
Outlook: This might be the best team the Wild have ever iced and that makes them a Stanley Cup contender. But their path is as tough as it can get. Minnesota is a top four team in the NHL, but are third place in the Central Division and might have to go through both Colorado and Dallas just to get to the conference final. The Quinn Hughes blockbuster trade in December is the biggest move anyone will make this season. A perfect trade season would culminate in the Wild now acquiring a centre.
Status: Buyer, blockbuster potential
Deadline Day Cap Space: $1.49 million
Team Needs: Second-line centre, top-four defenceman, possibly a goalie
Potentially Available: Patrik Laine, Jayden Struble, Oliver Kapanen, Zach Bolduc, Alexandre Texier
From the 32 Thoughts Podcast: “I don’t see them being in the big rental game. I think Montreal is a gatherer. Give us somebody who will be around for a while. Somebody who’s going to be part of our group. Maybe a middling rental if they had to. But someone who will grow with the rest of them.”
Outlook: It feels like the Stanley Cup window is opening for Montreal and though some of their core players still have their peak years ahead of them, the Eastern Conference is so wide open that Montreal could position itself for a run. The timing might even be perfect for them to make a big swing, so the Canadiens should be included in a pool of teams (with Utah, Detroit, and Buffalo) that could pull off a blockbuster.
Deadline Day Cap Space: $34.358 million
Team Needs: Young players, picks
Potentially Available: Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, Erik Haula, Ryan O’Reilly
From the 32 Thoughts Podcast: “I’ve had people say to me O’Reilly’s not going to move, I’ve had others say 50-50. I don’t know what to make of it. Also you’ve got a new owner now who’s starting to go public a bit, I think it’s hard when you’re a new owner and the team makes a charge for the playoffs, to wave the white flag.”
Outlook: At one point this season the Predators looked like sure sellers who had a few big-name veterans on the block. But as their season turned around the their playoff chances improved, now they are in a more neutral position. Yes, the Predators still want to get some younger bodies into the organization and so they’ll be more a seller than a buyer. So far that has meant trading away Michael McCarron and Cole Smith. Another UFA or two might follow, but it now seems less likely they’ll move Stamkos, Marchessault or O’Reilly — but we can’t rule it out. The Predators are still in a playoff race and none of these players are on expiring contracts. Bigger changes can be saved for another day.
Deadline Day Cap Space: $2.935 million
Potentially Available: Dougie Hamilton, Simon Nemec, Nick Bjugstad, Brenden Dillon
From the 32 Thoughts Podcast: “I think they have some of their D out there. Not Luke Hughes. I don’t know about (Simon Nemec). I don’t think Pesce. Maybe some of the other D.”
Outlook: New Jersey has had an up-and-down few seasons and as promising as 2025-26 started, it will end on a down note and well out of the playoffs. This was a first-place team in their division at American Thanksgiving and now they’re well-placed to pick a top prospect early in this draft. They could undergo some kind of shake up, though Luke Glendening is the only regular starter on an expiring UFA contract, and he hasn’t scored a goal all season.
Deadline Day Cap Space: $6.021 million
Team Needs: Top-six forward
Potentially Available: Futures, a cap hit
What the GM said: “I’d love to get another scorer, but everyone does, they don’t grow on trees. And the ones that have them don’t want to get rid of them. Easier said than done. I have two first round picks, I have no problem moving one of them for a player that makes sense. Not just for this year, but for a few years going forward.” – Mathieu Darche on Feb. 18.
From the 32 Thoughts Podcast: “The Islanders have a lot of bodies. And I think they want to reward their guys. They’ve having a magic season.”
Outlook: With the East wide open for the taking and since Ilya Sorokin is having a marvellous season, the Islanders may see this as an opportunity for some aggression. Some rumours have linked them to Jordan Kyrou and/or Robert Thomas out of St. Louis. Sitting 21st in goals per game and 31st in power-play percentage, the Isles would do well to add a big point producer like either of those guys. If they use up a lot of assets to bring one in, expect that player to have term.
Deadline Day Cap Space: $8.685 million
Team Needs: Draft picks, prospects, new young players
Potentially Available: Vincent Trocheck, Alexis Lafreniere, Adam Fox, Braden Schneider, Taylor Raddysh, Sam Carrick, Conor Sheary
Outlook: Ever since The Letter, Part II came out earlier this season, the Rangers declared their intention to retool and that started by sending Artemi Panarin to the Kings before the Olympic break. That’s not going to be the end of it though. Trocheck is likely to follow and might be the most likely centre to move of the many that have come up in rumours. From there, we’ll see what sort of offers the Rangers get. Schneider, a young defenceman, has been on Nick Kypreos’ trade board for some time. If the Rangers want to go really big, Fox could become the surprise of the day following some comments he recently made about the team’s struggles and how he sees the future. However, that is likely a conversation for another day.
Deadline Day Cap Space: $8.988 million
Team Needs: Top-four right-shot D, scoring forward
Potentially Available: Carter Yakemchuk, Ridly Greig, Fabian Zetterlund
What the GM said: “At this point in time typically when you look at where you are in the standings you say well maybe it’s better to prepare for next season, but that hasn’t been my approach. I’m looking for every opportunity to try and help this team with anything I can do.” – Steve Staios on March 4.
Outlook: Lots of the Atlantic Division’s rebuilding teams have taken steps forward this season. But while Montreal, Buffalo and Detroit are all in playoff positions, the Senators are going to have to come from behind and are right now six points out of the wild card. Better goaltending from Linus Ullmark would go a long way in getting them there, but some work at the deadline from GM Steve Staios would help. The Sens were reportedly in on MacKenzie Weegar before he was dealt to Utah, but it’s that type of defenceman they need most. Some help in the middle of the forward lineup could be useful as well, since the Senators might need to outscore some of their goaltending concerns.
Deadline Day Cap Space: $31.315 million
Team Needs: Core player to push forward with, futures
Potentially Available: Owen Tippett, Rasmus Ristolainen, Trevor Zegras, Bobby Brink
What the GM said: “You know, what matters for us is obviously the future. We’re still building for the future.” – Daniel Briere on March 3.
Outlook: Six points out of the playoffs, perhaps the Flyers still have a chance to make a race out of this, but a more realistic approach might be to take a step back, acquire assets, and try to return better next season. Kevin Kurz of The Athletic reported the Flyers had checked in on Robert Thomas with St. Louis, but that the price was much too high for their tastes.
The top trade candidate they have is Ristolainen, a big, top-four defenceman who has another season left on his contract. As defencemen start to get moved, however, the market might be shrinking for this player and the Flyers could always run it back with him and explore moving him as a rental in 2027. There is also a logjam of wingers in the organization. This isn’t something they have to deal with now, but the possibility exists. Tippett is on Nick Kypreos’ trade board and doesn’t necessarily have to go to a contender — he could be the source of a hockey trade with anyone. Tippett doesn’t have any trade protection for now, but a partial clause is introduced to his contract after this season.
Deadline Day Cap Space: $49.325 million
Team Needs: Middle-six centre, right shot defenceman
Potentially Available: Stuart Skinner, Ryan Graves, Kevin Hayes, Sam Girard
What the GM said: “In terms of acquisitions, I think where we look is both up front and on defence. I think the ideal acquisition for us will be a player that’s in their 20s, closer to their mid-20s, that has some team control. Either they’re signed, or they are a pending restricted free agent, where they’re not a rental. That said, if we get closer to Friday and there’s a chance to add to the team with someone who is a rental, we could look at that, too.” – Kyle Dubas on March 4.
Outlook: Few would have predicted the Penguins would be in this position, but as they sit second place in the Metropolitan Division, GM Kyle Dubas could help his roster. Without Sidney Crosby, hurt during the Olympics, the Penguins have earned five of a possible eight points, so they’re staying afloat without their captain, who will still be out a few weeks. Not upgrading this roster in any way might put the Penguins in danger of slipping behind the chasing teams who might be buyers at this deadline. They are only in a playoff spot by five points, with Columbus pushing hard. Dubas has done well to start restocking the prospect pipeline and adding draft picks. He’ll want to keep most of that for the years ahead, but there are an abundance of assets to pull from if they can find the right upgrade.
Status: Buyer, blockbuster potential
Deadline Day Cap Space: $22.066 million
Potentially Available: Shane Wright, draft picks, prospects
From the 32 Thoughts Podcast: “I don’t think they’ve given up on a big offensive player or somebody who juices their lineup offensively. And that’s Shane Wright to me and we’ll see where that goes.”
Outlook: The Kraken made a big attempt to get, and sign, Artemi Panarin but that didn’t come to pass. We shouldn’t expect them to quit there. The Kraken have a real shot of getting back to the playoffs, either through the wild card, or in a top-three spot in a weak Pacific Division. However, among any team in a playoff spot right now, the Kraken struggle to score the most and it’s been an area of need for years now. They won’t want to just make it and be overwhelmed by more skilled teams — the Kraken are a motivated buyer to try and get some winning momentum in their young NHL market. This is not a team that tends to act boldly — will that change now?
Deadline Day Cap Space: $614,345
Team Needs: Defensive defenceman, preferably with term
Potentially Available: Mario Ferraro, John Klingberg, Timothy Liljegren, some futures
Outlook: A three-game winning streak has the Sharks back in the hunt, three points out of the wild card with two games in hand of both Utah and Seattle. A leaky defence and a still-maturing goalie are two things that probably will hold San Jose back from making any real noise in the playoffs if they did get there, so while this season has been a big step forward for the group, GM Mike Grier is probably not ready to get very aggressive. You might say he already made his big move by acquiring, then signing, Kiefer Sherwood.
Still, Grier only has one NHL defenceman under contract for next season and that is an area of the roster that needs improvement. The long-term view is still important here, but if a helpful player can be added without a significant cost to the future, the Sharks could be a player.
Status: Possibly the biggest seller of the day
Deadline Day Cap Space: $2.574 million
Team Needs: Futures, young players, re-tool
Potentially Available: Robert Thomas, Colton Parayko, Jordan Binnington, Jordan Kyrou, Justin Faulk, Brayden Schenn
From the 32 Thoughts Podcast: “Everybody knows they’ve been out there for a while but the prices are big. The price for Thomas is very high, either a younger player than Thomas who’s a potential 1C or a Quinn Hughes-type deal. I think the price on Kyrou is high. The price on Faulk is the Rasmus Andersson trade. There’s been talk of Binnington. I think they’d consider just about anything but the price is high.”
Outlook: There are many rumours floating around the Blues, but we should be cautious for a few reasons. First is that we’ve heard this about them before. GM Doug Armstrong put his group on notice last season too, but they turned it around and made the playoffs so no significant shift happened. This time playoffs won’t be part of the equation. Second, the asking prices for these players is enormous and since none of them are on expiring deals, the Blues could wait it out and try again in the summer. A Parayko deal to Buffalo nearly happened. Will the Blues be a source of a deadline day blockbuster…or two?
Deadline Day Cap Space: $2.207 million
Team Needs: Winger, depth defenceman
Potentially Available: Depth player, futures
From the 32 Thoughts Podcast: “They don’t have a lot of holes there. I’m beginning to wonder if they almost just say this is our team and we’re pretty good.”
Outlook: The Lightning have limited cap space, no glaring holes, and they aren’t overloaded with picks or prospects so they could stand pat. However, that’s not to say they have nothing to trade. They have all of their second- and third-round picks, Sam O’Reilly is a first-round pick having a good OHL season, so it’s possible they could find a move. They will be the team to beat in the Eastern Conference though so, at the very least, we should maybe look for the Lightning to bring in depth.
Deadline Day Cap Space: $7.183 million
Team Needs: Draft picks, prospects, young NHL players
Potentially Available: Scott Laughton, Anthony Stolarz, Matthew Knies, Bobby McMann, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Max Domi, Calle Jarnkrok, Matias Maccelli, Brandon Carlo, Morgan Rielly
From the 32 Thoughts Podcast: “I think the Maple Leafs are asking themselves some questions here. And that is: Is this a one year thing? Do we have to consider doing more than we thought we were going to do? Can we turn it around a little quicker like Boston has? I think right before the Olympics they were like ‘OK this is not going to be our year and let’s talk about the UFAs.’ And now it’s ‘this is not going to be our year and it’s really not our year’ and you get to a point where you almost say ‘let’s just say to teams talk to us about our guys.’ I do think Toronto wants to know what the market is for their guys.”
Outlook: We have to wonder if the best years of the Auston Matthews era are over in Toronto. The longest active playoff streak is set to come to an end this season and now the Leafs have to think about the ramifications. No doubt they’ll have designs of getting back to the playoffs next season, but that’s going to take a lot of work on the NHL roster. Nicolas Roy has already been moved for a first-round pick, which is either a starting point to a re-tool, or a flippable asset in the summer for a more immediate need. Expect more of that heading into the deadline. The Leafs could be one of the more active teams towards the deadline, but the bigger questions about the future of this group will come in the summer.
Status: Potential big-time buyer
Deadline Day Cap Space: $24.813 million
Team Needs: A star forward under contract
Potentially Available: Any combination of picks and prospects
What the GM said: “When we’re acquiring someone we’re looking at age, we’re looking at length of contract, and can they move with the club. We’re not at the point where we’re risking it all for rentals to come in. We’re a lot the same, but probably a little more aggressive. Each year we go by, our team becomes a little more cemented in and you can kinda go after what your needs are. Our best team is not here yet. There’s still more young prospects to come in and play.” – Bill Armstrong on March 4.
From the 32 Thoughts Podcast: “I think they were around on Panarin and made a serious pitch so I look for them to add, or at least try to.”
Outlook: After years of struggle to just stay afloat in Arizona, the Utah Mammoth can now change the trajectory of their team with a big trade deadline. No team has made more draft picks in recent years, so GM Bill Armstrong is flush with tradeable assets that could bring immediate improvement to this team. They already made a big trade for MacKenzie Weegar, adding a needed top-four defenceman. Now they could go for a big forward and have been one of the teams linked to Robert Thomas. Can they get it done in time to help this year’s playoff push?
Deadline Day Cap Space: $6.747 million
Potentially Available: Elias Pettersson, Jake DeBrusk, Conor Garland, Brock Boeser, Evander Kane, Teddy Blueger, David Kampf
What the GM said: “Could be busier leading up to the draft for sure. Have in mind what we did earlier. I think we did a couple big moves here and probably didn’t help other teams by setting the market so high. They definitely could be something we’ll be looking at in the summertime too leading up to the draft. We gotta have a good team here next year too. I think it’s important for the future that we surround the young players with some leadership and continue to build.” – Patrik Allvin on March 4.
From the 32 Thoughts Podcast: “There’s been some reports that it’s hot around Pettersson, I haven’t heard that. I’ve heard it’s been quiet and I’ve heard that the Canucks are not willing to retain on him.”
Outlook: It’s officially a rebuild for Vancouver, who should easily have the best odds to pick first overall at the draft this season (good luck Canucks fans!). Jim Rutherford is no shrinking violet when it comes to huge hockey trades and the Canucks already made one earlier this season when Quinn Hughes went to Minnesota. Nothing they do from here will be bigger than that, but they could radically change the direction of this team if even a few of the rumoured trade candidates do get moved. Any pending UFA should go, but can palatable trades be found for their players with term? Is this finally the end of Pettersson with the Canucks, after so much promise early in his career? A disaster of a season arrives at the trade deadline, where management needs to carefully maneuver into a rebuild people can believe in.
Status: Buyer, of course
Deadline Day Cap Space: $1.503 million
Potentially Available: Futures, Akira Schmid
From the 32 Thoughts Podcast: “The one thing about Vegas is their goaltending hasn’t been very good this year, so we’ll see.”
Outlook: This team has been so active on the trade market in recent seasons that their collection of assets is thin and their roster needs are few. The on-ice results were expected to be better this season, but they’re still leading the Pacific and likely to make the playoffs. If there is a weakness, though, look to the net. The Golden Knights are last in the NHL in 5-on-5 save percentage and starter Adin Hill is 87th out of 92 goalies in Goals Saved Above Expected. Might they try to jump on one of the available goalies and upgrade here? That might be easier said than done, but Vegas has surprised us at the deadline before. You can never count them out.
Status: Straddling between buying and selling
Deadline Day Cap Space: $18.085 million
Team Needs: Top-six winger
Potentially Available: Trevor van Riemsdyk, futures
What the GM said: “For us, we view our biggest need as a higher-end skilled winger. Those aren’t always available at the deadline. When they become available, they become available. So, we’re going to keep trying to pursue those guys if they’re out there.” – Chris Patrick on Jan. 16
From the 32 Thoughts Podcast: “It’s going to be a tough battle for them to make the playoffs, so if they add, I think their preference is to add someone they can keep for a while.”
Outlook: The Caps already traded out Nic Dowd and on the surface there’s no reason to believe they’ll do any substantial selling. They are in a playoff hunt, but have played more games than any team they’re competing against so have a disadvantage in trying to make up ground. They’d like to add another scoring winger and that player probably has to have some term on their contract as opposed to being a rental. The most likely conclusion is that Washington plays a neutral role at this deadline.
Status: Should be a seller
Deadline Day Cap Space: $13.920 million
Team Needs: Picks and prospects to flip this summer; second-line scorers
Potentially Available: Jonathan Toews, Gustav Nyquist, Tanner Pearson, Cole Koepke, Luke Schenn, Logan Stanley, Ville Heinola
From the 32 Thoughts Podcast: “I wouldn’t be surprised if the Jets look at it like a lot of this year was a bad year, everything went wrong, maybe we’re not as good as we were a year ago, but we’re better than we showed this year. I don’t expect a fire sale.”
Outlook: It just didn’t happen for Winnipeg this season, but they have every reason to believe they can come back and compete in 2026-27. The biggest need for Winnipeg is to build a scoring second line that can properly support the top unit, but that won’t be accomplished by Friday. What can be done, however, is trading out any expiring contract on a player who can bring back a draft pick or two, with the idea that those assets can then be used to acquire players in the summer. The Jets should be using this deadline to set up an active summer.
-
Politics3 days agoAlan Cumming Brands Baftas Ceremony A ‘Triggering S**tshow’
-
Fashion6 days agoWeekend Open Thread: Iris Top
-
Tech5 days agoUnihertz’s Titan 2 Elite Arrives Just as Physical Keyboards Refuse to Fade Away
-
NewsBeat5 days agoAbusive parents will now be treated like sex offenders and placed on a ‘child cruelty register’ | News UK
-
NewsBeat5 days agoDubai flights cancelled as Brit told airspace closed ’10 minutes after boarding’
-
Sports6 days ago
The Vikings Need a Duck
-
NewsBeat6 days agoThe empty pub on busy Cambridge road that has been boarded up for years
-
NewsBeat5 days ago‘Significant’ damage to boarded-up Horden house after fire
-
Tech20 hours agoBitwarden adds support for passkey login on Windows 11
-
Entertainment4 days agoBaby Gear Guide: Strollers, Car Seats
-
Sports9 hours ago499 runs and 34 sixes later, India beat England to enter T20 World Cup final | Cricket News
-
Tech7 days agoNASA Reveals Identity of Astronaut Who Suffered Medical Incident Aboard ISS
-
Politics5 days ago
FIFA hypocrisy after Israel murder over 400 Palestinian footballers
-
NewsBeat5 days agoEmirates confirms when flights will resume amid Dubai airport chaos
-
NewsBeat4 days agoIs it acceptable to comment on the appearance of strangers in public? Readers discuss
-
Tech5 days agoViral ad shows aged Musk, Altman, and Bezos using jobless humans to power AI
-
Video4 days agoHow to Build Finance Dashboards With AI in Minutes
-
Business2 days agoGuthrie Disappearance Enters Fifth Week as Family Visits Memorial
-
Crypto World5 days agoUS Judge Lets Binance Unregistered Token Class Action Proceed
-
NewsBeat4 days agoUkraine-Russia war latest: Belgium releases video showing forces boarding Russian shadow fleet oil tanker
