The 2026 NHL Trade Deadline was, well, a little underwhelming. There were no Mikko Rantanen's, no JT Miller's, no last minute Brad Marchand's, and the only real blockbuster of the day was Nazem Kadri reuniting with the Colorado Avalanche at the buzzer. After 26 trades were made on March 7, 2025, there were only 20 swaps completed on Friday, the lowest amount of activity on a deadline day since 2021.
While there were many more in the days and weeks leading up to the deadline — headlined by one of the most significant trades in recent memory that saw Quinn Hughes go from Vancouver to Minnesota — overall, it wasn't a trade deadline season that will go down in any record books. Still, there were some intriguing storylines as the clock ticked down on Friday afternoon.
The big surprise was Washington Capitals legend John Carlson getting traded to the Anaheim Ducks in the middle of the night on Thursday. It was actually his cousin, who was plowing snow in the early hours in Massachusetts, who alerted the greatest defenseman in Caps history that he was headed to California.
Maybe just as surprising are the guys who weren't moved on Friday — Vincent Trocheck, Rasmus Ristolainen, Patrik Laine, Evander Kane and Ryan O'Reilly, just to name a few. That's just the nature of the business, and a couple players who must have been sure they were on the move instead were not frantically packing their bags over the weekend.
With the trade deadline in the rearview mirror, the stretch run has officially begun in the National. We now have just over a month until the conclusion of the 2025-26 regular-season. And, as always, the latest edition of ClutchPoints' NHL Power Rankings has you covered on all fronts. No club has more than 20 games left in their respective campaigns; are we already tanking for the 2026 draft, fighting tooth and nail for a postseason berth, or jockeying for position ahead of the Stanley Cup Playoffs?
Previous 2025-26 NHL Power Rankings: Week 19 | Week 18 | Week 17 | Week 16 | Week 15 | Week 14 | Week 13 | Week 12 | Week 11 | Week 10 | Week 9 | Week 8 | Week 7 | Week 6 | Week 5 | Week 4 | Week 3 | Week 2 | Week 1
1. Colorado Avalanche (+1)
Has anyone in Denver heard of Nazem Kadri? Because he's back. And the Avalanche were the consensus winners of the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline, adding the 2022 Stanley Cup champion and also bringing in Nicolas Roy and Nick Blankenburg to shore up an already deep, deep squad. Colorado is back on top in the NHL Power Rankings after a few editions out, headlining a fantastic week by beating the Wild in a shootout on Sunday. This is your Stanley Cup favorite, as has been the case for much of the season. The Avs have won five in a row and are ready to keep the President's Trophy push going down the stretch. But they only have their eye on one piece of hardware, and that's a second NHL championship in five seasons this spring.
2. Carolina Hurricanes (-1)
It really makes no sense that the Hurricanes weren't willing to part with a first-round pick and a top prospect to acquire Vincent Trocheck from the Rangers. In a wide-open Eastern Conference, Carolina might be the best team. So why were they so quiet at the deadline? That question carries even more weight considering center depth is the one place this roster really needed to improve. Logan Stankoven and Jordan Staal are both effective players, but neither are bonafide 2C's on a championship contender. Maybe it won't matter, but if the Canes again fail to get over the hump, we will certainly be asking ‘what if' this summer.
3. Dallas Stars (+1)
The Stars had their franchise-record 10-game winning streak snapped in a shootout against the Avalanche on Friday, a terrific game that pitted the two best teams in the Western Conference against each other. But Dallas quickly rebounded, beating Chicago in overtime to end another excellent week in Texas. A Round 1 matchup with the Wild is looming, and for hockey fans, that is a salivating first-round prospect. Neither fanbase will like it too much, but it projects to be the marquee matchup of the NHL's Round of 16. With Tyler Myers and Michael Bunting now in the fold, it's again Stanley Cup or bust for the Stars in 2026.
4. Buffalo Sabres (+1)
If you didn't watch the Sabres-Lightning game on Sunday, you missed one of the best regular-season games of all time. The contest, which Buffalo won 8-7 in regulation, saw 15 goals and 27 total penalties. The NHL hasn't seen a game reach both of those totals since February of 1994. It was absolutely electric, and we would be thrilled to see these two teams, who hate each other, play in the playoffs. Besides that, the Sabres are an absolute wagon, having won seven games in a row, all in regulation. The offense is fast and ultra-skilled led by Tage Thompson, the defense is big and mobile, and Alex Lyon has been lights out lately. This isn't just a playoff team, this is a legitimate Stanley Cup contender. And the atmosphere in Western New York is going to be raucous when postseason puck returns to the KeyBank Center for the first time in a decade and a half this spring.
5. Minnesota Wild (+1)
The Wild put an excellent offer on the table for Trocheck, and he would have transformed what is one of the weaker center groups among Stanley Cup contenders in 2025-26. Still, Minnesota made a few nice adds, bringing Nick Foligno, Bobby Brink and Jeff Petry to town to join superstar Quinn Hughes. This is a phenomenal roster, but is it good enough to get through both the Stars and Avalanche — arguably the two best teams in the world? It's possible but unlikely. We'll see what happens. As it stands, the Wild have won eight of 11 games and don't have much left to play for in the regular season, besides getting all of their new additions acclimated to the State of Hockey.
6. Tampa Bay Lightning (-3)
After being the consensus best team in the league for two full months — losing just twice in 60 days — the Lightning have fallen back to earth in a big way. Tampa Bay has lost five of six, all in regulation, and they're taking a tumble in the NHL Power Rankings because of it. No panic at all here, but certainly not a great showing following the Olympic break. The Bolts will be fine, but they're on the verge of losing top spot in the Atlantic Division, with a couple of hungry teams (Sabres, Habs, Bruins) hot on the trail. With 20 games left in the regular season, they're probably trying to get away from the Sabres at this point, who have beaten them twice in nine days while scoring 14 goals. After three straight trips to the Finals, the Lightning haven't been past the first round since, and they and Corey Perry still have a lot to prove.
7. Montreal Canadiens (+1)
Canadiens GM Kent Hughes is trusting in the roster as currently constructed, as he didn't make a single move on deadline day despite being linked to multiple players. It was potentially the right call, as Montreal has lost just once in regulation since the last week of January. With points in nine of their last 10 games — six of them wins — the Habs are five points up on the Blue Jackets in the wild card race, and just a point back of the struggling Red Wings in the Atlantic Division. The goaltending is still a serious question mark, but both the offense and defense have been getting the job done, for the most part, since the Olympic break. You can't say enough about Lane Hutson, who is already one of the better offensive defensemen in the game; he's up to 64 points in 62 games. Up next is a visit from the Maple Leafs on Tuesday, two clubs going in very different directions down the stretch.
8. New York Islanders (+2)
It took a significant amount of draft capital to do it, but the Islanders made a huge splash by adding Brayden Schenn up front. He should be an excellent addition at 2C. That's after GM Mathieu Darche already brought Ondrej Palat and Carson Soucy to town earlier this season. The engines are Bo Horvat and Matthew Schaefer, who have both been excellent and combined to give New York a key overtime win over San Jose last week. Mathew Barzal is also having a very strong campaign, and with Ilya Sorokin between the pipes, the Isles are looking playoff ready. We'll talk more about this way down the NHL Power Rankings, but Schenn won't have to wait long to make his homecoming — the Islanders and Blues will do battle at Enterprise Center on Tuesday night.
9. Pittsburgh Penguins (-2)
Playing without Sidney Crosby is hard enough, and now the Penguins are being forced to deal with a lengthy Evgeni Malkin absence after he was suspended five games for slashing Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin in the head. Not ideal. Pittsburgh has lost four of six, but luckily for them, the Metropolitan is much weaker than the Atlantic in 2025-26. The skid hasn't affected them too much in the standings; the Pens are still second in the division, and a point up on the Islanders. GM Kyle Dubas did virtually nothing at the deadline, but he added Sam Girard a little earlier this season. By all accounts, this still projects as a playoff team, and Crosby and Malkin figure to return to the lineup at basically the same time after the captain was spotted in a regular jersey at practice last week.
10. Detroit Red Wings (-1)
The Red Wings continue to struggle mightily after the Olympic break, and although Justin Faulk is going to be a great addition to the blue line, this franchise can't stop the bleeding right now. Detroit has lost seven of 11 games, and also lost captain Dylan Larkin to injury. Thankfully, the team's most important player is only day-to-day, although he isn't expected to play for the start of a three-game road trip against the Panthers in Florida on Tuesday. The hope is that he'll be able to return as soon as possible, but in a division as good as the Atlantic, every point counts. Despite still being third place, the Canadiens and Bruins — who have both been much better since the Olympics — are hot on the trail.
11. Anaheim Ducks (+2)
While the John Carlson trade will be devastating for Capitals fans (more on that shortly), it's music to the ears of Ducks faithful. Anaheim is on the verge of breaking a postseason drought that dates back to 2018-19, and with 1,000-win coach Joel Quenneville behind the bench, the dark days look to be over for the California franchise. Leo Carlsson has been excellent after getting a long Olympic break to rest, and the team is scoring a ton of goals to mask a very average Lukas Dostal between the pipes as of late. The Ducks are healthy and hungry, and adding Carlson to the fold should only make them even more potent as they look to capture the Pacific. With the Golden Knights and Oilers both leaving a ton to be desired, there's a very real path to the top of the division, a place they currently occupy with 19 games left.
12. Utah Mammoth (+2)
The Mammoth made one huge move at the deadline, making a deep defensive core even better with the addition of MacKenzie Weegar from the Flames. It cost quite a bit of draft capital, but he could be the player that helps Utah bring playoff hockey to Salt Lake City for the first time. With three wins in a row and six in their last eight, Andre Tourigny's club is surging, and showing no signs of slowing down with 19 games left. Although there's no chance they catch the Wild or Stars in the Central Division, they look locked into the top wildcard berth in the West, with a five-point cushion on the fading Kraken. Barring an epic collapse, the Delta Center is going to be rocking in the middle of April.
13. Boston Bruins (-2)
Despite rotating losses and wins since early in February, the Bruins are still hanging around in an East playoff picture that is becoming less and less crowded. At 35-22-6, Boston is occupying the final playoff spot, with a three-point lead on the Blue Jackets and a five-point lead on the Senators. They are looking well-positioned to return to the dance after an awful 2024-25 season, although this current pace needs to improve for that to happen. Picking up three of a possible four points over a weekend back-to-back is encouraging, and taking a flier on speedy Lukas Reichel from the Canucks is not a bad move at all. The B's return home to host a couple of desperate clubs in the Kings and Sharks on Tuesday and Thursday, respectively.
14. Florida Panthers (-2)
After many weeks of giving the Panthers the benefit of the doubt, they've begun the inevitable fall down the NHL Power Rankings in Week 20. And that's not just because Brad Marchand is out indefinitely and likely to undergo season-ending surgery this week. Florida has just played too much hockey over the last four seasons and, understandably, haven't been able to overcome the injuries. Now tied for last place in the Atlantic Division with the Maple Leafs, the Cats are 11 points out of a playoff spot with 19 games left. No matter how you look at it, that math just doesn't work out. Sergei Bobrovsky, a catalyst of the back-to-back Stanley Cup runs, didn't end up getting traded despite his pending UFA status. It'll be interesting to see if he gets another contract in Sunrise this summer.
15. Washington Capitals (no change)
Alex Ovechkin called John Carlson being traded the saddest day of his career, and that has got to have diehard Capitals fans on the verge of tears. It just can't be overstated how much he meant to the franchise: He's Washington's all-time leader among defensemen in goals (166), assists (605), points (771), power-play points (273) and games played (1,143), and was a key piece in the championship run in 2018. Despite him being a pending UFA, nobody saw this trade coming — especially not in the middle of the night. It'll be interesting to see how the Capitals respond, but now seven points out of a playoff spot, things aren't looking good. Will the trade affect Ovechkin's decision on whether or not to return to the NHL in 2026-27? That's the key storyline in the nation's capital this summer.
16. Ottawa Senators (+3)
The Senators have been terrific on both sides of the Olympic break, losing just once in regulation since Jan. 25. But they were quiet at the deadline, replacing David Perron with Warren Foegele, which won't do much. The big problem is Jake Sanderson, who is out week-to-week. Probably the team's most important player, Sanderson is impossible to replace, and the playoff push is going to get a whole lot more difficult without the gold medalist. Still, Linus Ullmark has been strong between the pipes lately, and assuming he keeps that up, Ottawa has a very real chance to slip into a wildcard spot between now and the middle of April. Right now, they're 31-22-9 and five points back.
17. San Jose Sharks (no change)
The Sharks have picked up a point in each of their last five games — and won three of them — but they're still on the outside looking in at a Western Conference playoff berth. That can change in the blink of an eye, as San Jose is just a point out. They added Timothy Liljegren from the Capitals and didn't end up flipping Kiefer Sherwood ahead of the deadline, which are both wins. But it's up to the roster now, led by Hart Trophy candidate Macklin Celebrini, to turn things up a notch over the last 20 games of the season. The difference-maker could be the play of Yaroslav Askarov and newly-signed Alex Nedeljkovic down the stretch; both have been up-and-down in 2025-26.
18. Vegas Golden Knights (-2)
The wheels have completely fallen off for the Golden Knights, who lost their captain to injured reserve and now have forgotten how to play hockey altogether. Vegas has lost five of six games, all in regulation, and are now just six points away from being out of a playoff spot altogether. Things probably won't get that bleak, but the Knights absolutely need to turn things around immediately. The goaltending has been horrific lately; Adin Hill just can't be trusted between the pipes right now, while Akira Schmid hasn't been much better. Luckily for them, the strength of schedule is relatively weak over their last 18 regular season tilts.
19. Columbus Blue Jackets (+1)
The Blue Jackets continue to pile up wins, although they did end Week 19 with a 5-4 overtime defeat at the hands of the surging Kraken. Still, that was just Columbus' third loss since Jan. 20, and they got even better with the addition of Conor Garland at the deadline. This is a very deep forward core with a responsible blue line led by a bonafide superstar in Zach Werenski and a great starting goalie in Jet Greaves. They have what it takes to get in, but need to keep winning at the pace they have been over the last few weeks. Rick Bowness is certainly the right coach for this group, which is now three points out of a playoff spot ahead of a visit from the Kings — the first NHL game of Week 20 — on Monday afternoon.
20. Edmonton Oilers (-2)
The Oilers will benefit greatly from penalty killing specialist Connor Murphy on the blue line, but considering they're going into the stretch run with Connor Ingram and Tristan Jarry as their goaltenders, Edmonton is taking another hit in the NHL Power Rankings in Week 20. They're three points back of top spot in the Pacific Division, and four points away from being out of a playoff spot altogether. We'd be stunned if the Oil weren't one of the last eight standing in the West come the middle of April; all they really need is league-average goaltending the rest of the way. The big story this week is Connor McDavid's chase for 1,200 points. He's 10 points away with four games on the slate this week, and we all know he's more than capable of becoming the third-fastest player to reach the incredible milestone, behind only Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux.
21. New Jersey Devils (+2)
Can Captain America lead the Devils on a late-season charge? Jack Hughes has six points in his last four games, including a hat trick against the Rangers on Saturday. New Jersey had won four games in a row before a really bad shutout loss to Philadelphia to end the week, but they've decreased the magic number for a playoff spot to 10. That still seems insurmountable, especially considering they got literally no help at the trade deadline. That makes sense considering how the season has gone, but it's still going to take a miracle to bring playoff hockey to Newark this spring.
22. Philadelphia Flyers (no change)
The Flyers are standing pat after a very quiet deadline that saw them ship out one of the league's premier tough guys in Nic Deslauriers and flip Bobby Brink for David Jiricek. It wasn't a buyer or a seller move, it was a ‘let's see how this roster performs for the rest of the season' move. Philly is still right in the thick of a crowded Eastern Conference playoff race, currently seven points back with 20 games left. The most likely scenario is that they finish right where they are now — fifth in the division and 11th in the conference. Up next is a visit from the Rangers on Monday night.
23. Seattle Kraken (-2)
The Kraken added Bobby McMann to their roster, but that was the only significant move, and he's not even going to replace the production that Jaden Schwartz was providing. Schwartz was cut by a skate and is out indefinitely, an absolutely brutal blow to Seattle's playoff chances. Despite occupying the final wildcard berth in the West, they have lost two in a row and are playing .500 hockey since the Olympic break. That's not going to be good enough to get in, and barring a bit of a heater, we still don't love the Kraken's playoff chances in 2025-26.
24. Winnipeg Jets (+2)
Don't count the Jets out just yet. With American hero Connor Hellebuyck between the pipes, Winnipeg has won three games in a row and decreased the magic number for a playoff spot to just five. Moving on from Tanner Pearson, Logan Stanley and Luke Schenn won't make a world of difference; it was always going to be up to the star power. And the star power is getting the job done, led by Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor and a now-healthy Josh Morrissey. And, of course, Hellebuyck. We were ready to write this squad off, but it's way too soon for that. With 20 games left, we are keeping a very close eye on Manitoba over the next couple of weeks.
25. Nashville Predators (-1)
The Predators made quite a few moves ahead of the trade deadline, but none of the big guys got a change of scenery. Ryan O'Reilly, Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault are still Nashville players, while Michael Bunting, Nick Blankenburg, Cole Smith and Michael McCarron are not. There's still enough talent on this roster to make a late run, but with just two wins in their last eight games, things aren't looking promising. That's especially true with the depth being gutted last week. The Preds are stuck in the murky middle, and unless they string a couple of victories together in March, it'll be a second consecutive postseason-less campaign in Tennessee.
26. Los Angeles Kings (+1)
Artemi Panarin scored his first goal as a King last week, but he's got to be wondering what he got himself into. Los Angeles continues to flounder, having won just three times in their last 10 games. They embark on a five-game road trip that will undoubtedly make or break their 2025-26 season, and there's not a ton of hope they can turn things around despite being just three points out of a wildcard berth in the West. Adding Scott Laughton to the attack wasn't a bad move, but he hasn't moved the needle much this year. The top line of Panarin, Adrian Kempe and Anze Kopitar is going to have to carry this club down the stretch, and even then, it might not be enough. With 20 games left, every single one is going to matter enormously.
27. Toronto Maple Leafs (-2)
If you watched TSN's Tradecenter show on Friday, you'll have watched a couple of the hosts absolutely crash out when talking about this team — which is brutal if you're a Toronto fan and quite the opposite if you aren't. Calling the 2025-26 season a nightmare in Leafland would be putting it gently. This team is slow, it can't defend, it can't get a save when it needs it, and it's staring down a multi-season rebuild. After nine straight playoff appearances, it had to happen sometime, but not many people thought it would be this year back in October. Auston Matthews has two seasons left on his contract, and it's hard to see him signing another contract after the whole Team USA debacle, and considering the trajectory of the franchise. The Leafs were able to get a first-rounder for Nicolas Roy, a second and a fourth for Bobby McMann and a third for Scott Laughton. That's solid, but both general manager Brad Treliving and head coach Craig Berube could be out of a job come 2026-27.
28. St. Louis Blues (+2)
The Blues may look quite a bit different after shipping out a couple of key veterans in Brayden Schenn and Justin Faulk, but they've still managed to win four games in a row. That's great for the players and maybe not so great for management, who seem to have signalled they're waving the white flag on the season after trading the pair. Every victory takes them further away from a high draft pick, but at the same time, St. Louis is only eight points out of a playoff spot. That would be quite the story. The big story this week is Schenn — who played 650 games with the franchise and won a Stanley Cup with them in 2019 — returning to Missouri just days after being traded, as the Blues host the Islanders on Tuesday night. Talk about ripping off the Band-Aid.
29. Chicago Blackhawks (-1)
Although it's disappointing that the Blackhawks haven't been able to take any meaningful strides forward since drafting Connor Bedard, GM Kyle Davidson did an admirable job at the deadline, getting a first-round pick for Jason Dickinson and giving captain Nick Foligno a chance to chase a Stanley Cup with his brother Marcus in Minnesota. Doing right by a veteran like that is a move that will earn you respect around the league. Getting a second-rounder for Connor Murphy was also solid, and overall, Chicago made the right moves at the deadline. They're getting closer and closer to coming out of the rebuild, but we continue to wait patiently for a young, skilled Hawks roster to take the next step.
30. Calgary Flames (-1)
The Flames waited until the last possible second, but they were able to get a nice return for Nazem Kadri, who is off to chase another championship with the Avs. That's after GM Craig Conroy moved on from MacKenzie Weegar and Rasmus Andersson, getting great returns for both defensemen. This is a team that is rebuilding beautifully; Calgary now has six first-round picks over the next three years. It's going to take some time, but if the Flames get some good draft luck, they're going to be back at the top of the Pacific Division in a few seasons. Right now, management would love to keep losing and get the second best odds for the No. 1 overall pick (there's no chance Vancouver comes out of 32nd).
31. New York Rangers (no change)
Despite reportedly having multiple offers on the table, Rangers general manager Chris Drury was unable to ship out probably the No. 1 consensus player on trade boards league-wide in Trocheck. His seat has got to be getting hot as we approach the offseason, especially considering the brutal return the franchise got for Panarin. Eventually, the higher ups have to say enough is enough, and Drury is not providing very much confidence right now. The Blueshirts were a playoff hopeful coming into the 2025-26 season after hiring two-time Stanley Cup champion Mike Sullivan, but now they're looking like they'll be bottom-feeders for years to come. There's no light at the end of the tunnel, and it's going to be a very interesting summer in the Big Apple.
32. Vancouver Canucks (no change)
The Canucks are finally embracing a proper rebuild after trying to retool on the fly for the better part of a decade and a half. It was disappointing to watch Tyler Myers and Conor Garland move on, but Vancouver recouped some good draft capital that will help immensely when this franchise returns to legitimate contention in a couple of years. It's going to be a few dark seasons in British Columbia, of that there is no doubt, but management is finally on the right track. All that matters now is whether the organization will finally get some good draft luck and be awarded the No. 1 overall selection come June.
