Which potential Eastern Conference sellers should blow it up at the 2026 Trade Deadline?

For NHL teams, it seems easier to sell at the Trade Deadline than to buy. Sellers just have put players on the market, find the best deal for them, and recoup some draft picks and prospects. Easy, right?

Not necessarily. There are different levels to selling. There are the traditional sellers, who are only looking to move on from some pending UFAs and recoup some value. There are good teams having unlucky years who may not want to give away too many pieces in hopes of contending again next season. There are rebuilding teams who want to sell everything in hopes of starting a new core from scratch.

The Eastern Conference trade market is hard to read, because for the longest time, the playoff race was super close. But now the pack is starting to separate and create some buyers and sellers. Let’s take a look at what types of sellers we’re dealing with… or at least, what types of sellers they should be.

Since there is only one confirmed seller in the East right now, we’re going to expand our definition of seller. We’ll also look at teams still in the playoff race with players surfacing in rumors and teams who entered the season in a rebuild/retool mode, overachieved, and aren’t as clear cut of sellers as expected.

Boston Bruins

Potential Assets to Move: Viktor Arvidsson (RW), Andrew Peeke (D).
What’s the Game Plan?: Test the waters of the buyer and seller’s markets, figure out what makes the most sense.

The Bruins are inevitable. They were expected to be outside the playoff picture this season, and yet they hold the final Wildcard spot with a six-point lead over the Panthers. Their yard sale at the 2025 trade deadline was more of a retool than a rebuild, so it’s not a total surprise if they buy at this year’s deadline with a new-look team. But maybe they aren’t committed to buying this year either and will just see what the market looks like for their pending UFAs, even in a playoff spot. Either option is a possibility and isn’t a wrong one.

Buffalo Sabres

Potential Assets to Move: Alex Tuch (RW), Owen Power (D).
What’s the Game Plan?: Go for it.

The Sabres have gone 15 years without playoff hockey, and this season is their closest opportunity to returning. Tuch’s pending free agent status made him a possible sell when Buffalo was at the bottom of the standings. But with a strong hold on a playoff spot, they should treat Tuch as an own rental, especially when there’s a decent chance of re-signing him. If some team comes knocking with a big offer for Tuch or Power, maybe consider it. But the Sabres shouldn’t actively shop either player or aim to be sellers.

Columbus Blue Jackets

Potential Assets to Move: Boone Jenner (C), Charlie Coyle (C), Mason Marchment (LW).
What’s the Game Plan?: Sell off the vets, give the kids bigger roles.

The Blue Jackets have been in the range of a playoff spot for large chunks of the season, but never close enough to commit to this season. With a six-point gap between themselves and third place in the Metropolitan Division, it’s foolish to move notable assets to buy. With a smaller trade market, teams will ask about quality centers like Jenner and Coyle, or a physical winger like Marchment. Considering those forwards have taken ice time away from Columbus’ younger players like Kent Johnson, Cole Sillinger and Dmitri Voronkov, it’s not the worst idea to get what you can for veteran players if the offers are good and give some more ice time to the future pieces of the team.

Florida Panthers

Potential Assets to Move: N/A.
What’s the Game Plan?: Cautiously buy… or sell?

The Panthers aren’t in any rumors about selling off pieces. But as they now sit six points out of a playoff spot, maybe they should see what offers they can get? Think the 2016-17 Tampa Bay Lightning, an injury-riddled Cup contender who couldn’t sneak into the playoffs and sold off pending UFAs like Brian Boyle, Valtteri Filppula and Ben Bishop. That’s not to say the Panthers should do the same with Sergei Bobrovsky, but if teams are offering good prices for other soon-to-be free agents, why not move them in a potentially lost season? Florida could also make some small buys but shouldn’t give up major assets to improve the team. They’re coming off three straight Finals, won two Cups and have dealt with injuries to key pieces of their lineup this season. At worst, this is a year off, and they can bounce back next season with better health.

New Jersey Devils

Potential Assets to Move: Dougie Hamilton (D), Evgenii Dadonov (RW).
What’s the Game Plan?: Punt the season, retool for next season.

The Devils began the season on a promising note. But after a 13-4-1 record to start, they’ve nosedived down the standings. With a core of Jack & Luke Hughes, Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt and Simon Nemec, New Jersey can’t go scorched Earth on this group. But they can sell off some pieces, accumulate some assets for the future and try again next year. Hamilton’s recent hot run might salvage some trade value, but he’s still good enough that the Devils shouldn’t rush to sell low on him either.

New York Islanders

Potential Assets to Move: Jean-Gabriel Pageau (C), Anders Lee (LW).
What’s the Game Plan?: Operate for the long-term.

We’ve already seen the beginning of the Islanders’ deadline plans this week. First, they flipped a third-round pick to shore up their blueline with Carson Soucy. Then, they got a third-round pick back plus a sixth by taking on some cap space in Ondrej Palat. The Isles are in a playoff spot, but they’re also in a retool. There’s no reason to sell the farm when the future is even brighter, and Kashawn Aitcheson, Cole Eiserman and Victor Eklund are set to join Matthew Schaefer and Cal Ritchie. If the Islanders keep picking their spots and prioritizing the long term in their decisions, they’ll be in a good spot.

New York Rangers

Potential Assets to Move: Artemi Panarin (LW), Vincent Trocheck (C), Jonathan Quick (G), Alexis Lafreniere (LW).
What’s the Game Plan?: Take advantage of a seller’s market where you can.

The Rangers are the only team in the Eastern Conference committed to selling at the trade deadline, so why not take advantage of it? Few teams can offer players like Panarin, Trocheck and Lafreniere in this market. With up to 28 teams still in playoff contention, there’s strong potential for a bidding war for these players. General manager Chris Drury made sure to specify the Rangers were retooling, not rebuilding, so they don’t need to commit to a fire sale, especially with the long-term options like Trocheck and Lafreniere. As for pending UFAs like Panarin and Quick, the Rangers shouldn’t hesitate to move them, albeit Quick has a 20-team no-trade list and isn’t a lock to leave his hometown team.

Ottawa Senators

Potential Assets to Move: Brady Tkachuk (LW), Claude Giroux (RW), Nick Jensen (D).
What’s the Game Plan?: Depends on Brady.

The Senators were poised to become a consistent playoff team after their 2024-25 season, but 2025-26 has gone as poorly as possible. However, bad goaltending is the driving force of this season, which means a return to form next year (or maybe even this year) wouldn’t be a surprise. If that’s the case, punt the season and try again next year. But if Tkachuk is getting tired of losing in Ottawa and wants out, how that move pans out will alter their trajectory. There’s no sign that’s the case though, so the Senators should assume they’re building around this core and retooling for next season.

Philadelphia Flyers

Potential Assets to Move: Rasmus Ristolainen (D), Emil Andrae (D), Owen Tippett (RW).
What’s the Game Plan?: Operate for the long term.

The Flyers are in a tricky place, sitting six points out of a playoff spot. It isn’t too far out of reach, but they’re also another slump away from being out of contention. They’ve been competitive all season, but after a recent skid, selling may be the best option. This is a young team in the early stages of their rebuild, so they don’t have to sell off everything. But if they can get some value out of veterans like Ristolainen or players who aren’t fits like Tippett, the Flyers can get some more future assets to build around their core.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Potential Assets to Move: Erik Karlsson (D), Rickard Rakell (LW), Bryan Rust (RW), Anthony Mantha (LW).
What’s the Game Plan?: Give Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang one more playoff run.

The Penguins are in a very weird spot in terms of their development. They’re still led by the franchise legends in Crosby, Malkin and Letang, and you want to give them one last chance in the playoffs before they retire (especially with Malkin’s pending UFA status). But GM Kyle Dubas has done a good job of rejuvenating Pittsburgh’s depth to make them a stronger team when the legends leave. They shouldn’t sell the farm on a fringe Cup chance, but they also shouldn’t neglect improving the team either. They should either go for younger players with long-term upside or less expensive options on the market.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Potential Assets to Move: Nick Robertson (RW), Brandon Carlo (D), Matias Maccelli (LW), Simon Benoit (D), Morgan Rielly (D), Scott Laughton (C), Bobby McMann (LW), Calle Jarnkrok (RW), Troy Stecher (D).
What’s the Game Plan?: Sell, but they’ll probably wait until the last minute.

The next 10 games heading into the trade deadline will decide the Leafs’ approach, but let’s be realistic. They’re eight points out of a playoff spot and they’re outplayed most nights. Even if they do make the playoffs, they aren’t putting up much of a fight. Selling is the smart option, especially when there are a decent number of players Toronto could move. The only problem is most players will be sold at their lowest value, save for McMann and Stecher. Some pending UFAs like Laughton may have to be moved anyways to recoup some value. But for others, it might be best to wait until they return to form.

Washington Capitals

Potential Assets to Move: N/A.
What’s the Game Plan?: Cautiously buy or punt the season.

A regression felt inevitable for the Capitals after how well last season went, but no one expected them to be six points out of a playoff spot with an extra game played heading into February. It’s hard to gauge how they should approach this trade deadline. Like Pittsburgh, Washington has an older core and probably would like one more push or two before Alex Ovechkin leaves. But they also have a lot of younger players ready to maintain success past the old regime, so it’s not the worst idea to punt and try again next season. Right now, there’s no sign they’re sellers, but we’ll see what the coming weeks bring if their performance continues to slip.

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