2026 NHL Trade Deadline: Avs Land Kadri and Nelson

The 2026 NHL trade deadline concluded with 20 trades involving 33 players on Friday, headlined by Nazem Kadri returning to the Colorado Avalanche.

The 2026 NHL trade deadline concluded with a flurry of activity as NHL teams completed 20 trades involving 33 players on Friday alone. The Colorado Avalanche emerged as a primary aggressor, securing Nazem Kadri from the Calgary Flames in exchange for a conditional first-round pick, a conditional second-round pick, and forward prospect Max Curran. This move reunites the 35-year-old center, who is under contract through 2028-29, with the franchise he helped lead to a Stanley Cup in 2022. The Avalanche also bolstered their depth by acquiring Nicolas Roy on Thursday, positioning him as a fourth-line center behind a top-nine rotation featuring Nathan MacKinnon, Brock Nelson, and Kadri.

In the Pacific Division, the Anaheim Ducks executed a major shift by acquiring defenseman John Carlson from the Washington Capitals. To facilitate future roster flexibility, the Ducks traded Ryan Strome and his $5 million annual salary to the Calgary Flames. This salary dump is designed to provide cap space for upcoming restricted free agent negotiations with Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, Pavel Mintyukov, and Olen Zellweger. Carlson, a former Stanley Cup champion, joins a Ducks team currently locked in a three-way battle for the top spot in the Pacific Division.

St. Louis and Calgary Stockpile Draft Capital

St. Louis Blues General Manager Doug Armstrong successfully navigated the NHL trade deadline by offloading veterans Brayden Schenn and Justin Faulk. In return, the Blues received two first-round draft choices, two third-round selections, forward Jonathan Drouin, defenseman Justin Holl, and goaltender prospect Marcus Gidlof. Despite the heavy activity, Armstrong retained core players Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou. A proposed trade involving Colton Parayko to the Buffalo Sabres collapsed after the defenseman refused to waive his no-trade clause, leading the Blues to investigate internal staff communications to identify the source of the media leak.

Calgary Flames GM Craig Conroy continued a massive rebuilding effort that began earlier in the year with the Rasmus Andersson trade to Vegas for a first-round pick, a conditional second, and Zach Whitecloud. Conroy moved MacKenzie Weegar to the Utah Mammoth for three second-round picks and prospect Jonathan Castagna. On deadline day, the Flames added Brennan Othmann from the Rangers and Ryan Strome from Anaheim before finalizing the Kadri deal with Colorado. These transactions leave Calgary with a significant collection of future assets while shedding long-term veteran commitments.

No-Trade Clauses and Goaltending Stagnation

The final week of the 2026 NHL trade deadline was defined by five instances where trade details leaked before players waived their protection clauses. While Colton Parayko blocked a move to Buffalo, Tyler Myers declined a trade from the Vancouver Canucks to the Detroit Red Wings. Myers eventually approved a relocation to the Dallas Stars, one of his preferred destinations. Buffalo GM Jarmo Kekalainen, unable to secure Parayko, instead added defensive depth by acquiring Logan Stanley and Luke Schenn from the Winnipeg Jets, along with Sam Carrick and Tanner Pearson.

Notably, not a single goaltender was traded during the deadline period. Despite speculation from ESPN’s Kevin Weekes regarding Sergei Bobrovsky, Jordan Binnington, Stuart Skinner, Anthony Stolarz, and Jesper Wallstadt, contenders like the Carolina Hurricanes, Montreal Canadiens, and Vegas Golden Knights remained stagnant in the crease. The only significant goalie news involved Alex Nedeljkovic, who bypassed the market to sign a two-year contract extension with the San Jose Sharks. This lack of movement left several playoff-bound teams without veteran reinforcements for the postseason.

Eastern Conference Playoff Implications

In the Eastern Conference, the Washington Capitals sit four points behind the Boston Bruins for the final wild-card spot, despite having played two more games than Boston. The trade of John Carlson leaves Alex Ovechkin and Tom Wilson as the only remaining members of Washington's 2018 championship roster. Ovechkin, currently in the final year of his contract, described the departure of Carlson as the toughest day of his career. Meanwhile, the Boston Bruins opted for minor transactions, acquiring Alexis Gendron and Massimo Rizzo from Philadelphia for Brett Harrison and Jackson Edward, and adding Lukas Reichel from Vancouver.

In Edmonton, GM Stan Bowman focused on depth by acquiring defenseman Connor Murphy and centers Jason Dickinson and Colton Dach from the Chicago Blackhawks. To move Andrew Mangiapane’s contract, the Oilers sent a conditional 2027 first-round pick to Chicago. These moves come as Connor McDavid enters a window with only two seasons remaining after the current campaign before reaching unrestricted free agency. The Minnesota Wild also made a sentimental addition, acquiring Chicago captain Nick Foligno for future considerations to play alongside his brother, Marcus Foligno, for the remainder of the season.