Which team needs to go all-in at the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline?
The 2026 NHL Trade Deadline is six weeks out – but, really, it’s more like three and a half, because GMs lose 18 days of trading time (albeit not necessarily negotiation time) during the Olympic roster freeze.
The time for contenders to ante up with aggressive moves has arrived. And with that comes the 2026 edition of the annual question for the Roundtable: Which team needs to go all-in at the NHL Trade Deadline?
MATT LARKIN: I’m surprising myself with my answer. Instead of selecting a long-standing contender with a shrinking Stanley Cup window, I’m zagging with the Detroit Red Wings. Their playoff drought sits at nine seasons, the second-longest in the NHL. Last year, their captain, Dylan Larkin, publicly expressed disappointment in GM Steve Yzerman not bringing in significant help at the deadline. The Wings finally have some breathing room as a top-three team in the Atlantic Division, they have lots of prospect capital to use in trades, and it’s time to pursue a high-impact upgrade or two and reward the players and fans in Hockeytown.
PAUL PIDUTTI: Having limited cap space, draft picks, and prospects isn’t the dream scenario for upgrades. But I think the Tampa Bay Lightning need to do everything in their power to win the Cup this year. Why? For starters, the Eastern Conference path looks extremely friendly right now. We’re also starting to see injuries to Tampa’s aging core, particularly blueline pillars Ryan McDonagh (36 years old) on LTIR and Victor Hedman (35). Andrei Vasilevskiy has a back surgery on his medical record. Brayden Point remains out for a while. This becomes reality once players approach and fly by their 30th birthdays. Nikita Kucherov is 32 now. Jake Guentzel is 31. Most critically, however, is the myth that Cup windows stay open long-term. Ask Pittsburgh, Chicago, and Los Angeles how things went once their stars exited their 20s. Tampa’s rivals, the Florida Panthers, are in a dog (cat?) fight to make the postseason with a team that’s looked old and beat up seemingly overnight. To me, it’s only going to get harder for the Bolts going forward.
SCOTT MAXWELL: Normally I like to be different in these Roundtables, but I have to agree with Paul on this one and go with the Tampa Bay Lightning. They are one of four teams that I would consider to be true Cup contenders this season based on the trend I’ve noticed in past years, and while the Colorado Avalanche are older by average age, Brent Burns brings that number up a fair amount on his own. The Lightning’s core is older on average (30.44 to Colorado’s 29.57), so they only have so many years left to capitalize on this group, and this is the best year for them to do so. They aren’t exactly brimming with prospect and draft capital, but that hasn’t stopped Julien BriseBois from adding around the edges before. The Atlantic Division is in flux, as the top teams (Florida, Toronto) are in transition years, and the up-and-coming teams (Buffalo, Detroit, Montreal, Ottawa) are rising but not at elite status yet, so the Lightning are the top of the class. With the Metropolitan Division also lacking in Cup contenders (outside of Carolina, who is at the “prove us wrong” stage of failing to go on a deep run), the path is as clear as it will ever be. This may be Tampa’s last chance to add to their dynasty.
ANTHONY TRUDEAU: Has any team’s Cup chase become more urgent, more rapidly than that of the Dallas Stars? In the early days of their window, Dallas was like a Western version of the Carolina Hurricanes, a well-balanced juggernaut built on player development and cost control. Since acquiring Mikko Rantanen from those same Hurricanes, the Stars have transformed into a glass cannon who need their top-six studs to score a knockout before the other guys realize just how thin their depth is. With puckmover Thomas Harley due a $6-million raise, RFA sniper Jason Roberston’s future undecided, and Minnesota looming as another Central Division superpower, circumstances are only going to get more desperate in the Metroplex. It’s got to happen now for the Stars, who can open up over $9 million in use-it-or-lose-it cap space by officially shutting down Tyler Seguin (torn ACL).
STEVEN ELLIS: I agree with Anthony on Dallas, but I’ll go with the Carolina Hurricanes. This is a team that always seems to draft well, value-wise. I feel like capitalizing on that and trading some future assets to show that this team is legit could go a long way. At this point, go get some extra goalie insurance. Brandon Bussi has been electric, but can you trust Freddy Andersen? Move Jesperi Kotkaniemi in a package to get something else. Don’t be reckless, but make a real impact – prove that these years of being legit contenders weren’t for waste.
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