It's NHL trade deadline week, and the silence is deafening. Where are all the trades?
Welcome to the Red Light newsletter, your go-to source for all things hockey. If you haven’t already, sign up here [https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/newsletters/red-light/] to get this directly in your inbox.
Good morning to everyone except NHL GMs, who seem to be in a deep slumber. With the Olympic freeze over, you’d think they’d be scrambling to make moves, but it’s eerily quiet. But here's where it gets controversial... Could this be the calm before the storm, or are we in for a historically dull deadline? Let’s dive in.
Deadline Week: The Calm Before the Storm?
We did see one trade yesterday: the Edmonton Oilers acquired Connor Murphy from the Chicago Blackhawks for a second-round pick. While that’s a decent midseason move, it’s hardly enough for a deadline week. Typically, by now, we’d have seen fireworks—like last year’s blockbuster involving Seth Jones, which had major Stanley Cup implications. This year? Crickets. Sure, there was the Artemi Panarin deal before the freeze, but that feels like ages ago. And this is the part most people miss... Are GMs holding back, or is there something bigger at play?
Pierre LeBrun explores this in his latest piece [https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7081021/2026/03/02/nhl-trade-deadline-intrigue-lebrun/], highlighting key factors:
- The new CBA has eliminated double-retention deals, making big-dollar moves harder.
- Playoff cap-compliance rules have tightened, limiting contenders’ ability to load up.
- This year’s available players just aren’t that impressive.
Pack Your Bags: Five Intriguing Names
Assuming GMs wake up, here are five players who could shake things up:
- Elias Pettersson, Canucks: Could Jim Rutherford pull off the unthinkable? Moving a slumping center with two years left on a $92.8 million contract would be bold. But if he does, it’ll redefine what’s possible in midseason trades.
- Robert Thomas, Blues: Is he really on the block, or is it a bluff? If he moves, it’ll be a blockbuster.
- John Carlson, Capitals: A rental with a great season, but would the Caps really part with a 17-year mainstay?
- Nazem Kadri, Flames: A proven playoff warrior, but his $7 million contract and age (35) raise questions.
- Dougie Hamilton, Devils: His $9 million contract makes a move tough, but if it happens, it’ll challenge assumptions about movable contracts.
Trivia Time
Which Hall of Famer was traded at last year’s deadline? Answer: Shea Weber, whose contract moved from Utah to Chicago despite his retirement.
What to Watch
- Golden Knights @ Sabres (7 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
- Lightning @ Wild (9:30 p.m. ET, TNT/HBO Max/truTV)
- Avalanche @ Ducks (10 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
No Dumb Questions
Can a team put both goalies on the ice? No, and here’s why: NHL Rule 5.3 clearly states, “Each team shall be allowed one goalkeeper on the ice at one time.” Fun fact: The NHL rulebook calls them “goalkeepers,” not “goalies.”
Final Thoughts
This deadline could be historic—either for its blockbuster moves or its bust. What do you think? Are GMs playing it safe, or is there a storm brewing? Let us know in the comments!
