NHL Trade Deadline Fallout: Fantasy Movers, Blockbusters & Waiver Targets

The trade deadline is in the rear-view mirror. It was a bit of a light year on the trade front -- cap flexibility didn't lead to a higher volume, though the restrictions on salary retention likely also played a role in making it tougher to do deals. I like that generally, as I think trading should be tough. With the cap set to rise in the coming years, that will lead to more room for win-win deals rather than salary dumps. 

There was enough action right at the deadline that I'll keep the focus on the trades and their fantasy impacts for this week's column. You know your league -- if a traded player or one who is set for an increased role looks enticing, you'll know if it's the right move to make as you continue your fantasy playoff push. 

I'll keep the focus on trades that have an NHL impact. Some of these will include prospects likely to make an immediate impact with their new team, even if they were AHL players prior to the deal. 

Impactful Blockbuster Trades 

MacKenzie Weegar to the Mammoth for Olli Maatta, Jonathan Castagna and three second-round picks: Weegar has had a tough year, but he brings all-around fantasy upside now that he's on the move. He can pile up hits and blocks, which isn't team-dependent, but the chance of playing on an up-and-coming Mammoth team is encouraging for his offense. He should be looked at in fantasy, especially in shallow leagues where he may have been dropped earlier in the year. Weegar is getting a top-pairing look, and that should come alongside Mikhail Sergachev (lower body) soon. Going back to the Flames, Maatta will get a chance at steady playing time for the rest of the season, but he's not a fantasy factor. Castagna is an interesting prospect with a big frame who has broken out for 32 points in 29 games with Cornell this season. He'll be a work in progress for a few years, but the Flames don't need to rush him. This is my biggest trade of the season because of the picks -- Calgary's prospect cupboard should be overflowing soon if the scouting department gets the picks right. 

John Carlson to the Ducks for a first-round pick and a third-round pick: This deal had the highest shock value, and not only because it went official early Friday morning. Carlson is arguably on the Capitals' Mount Rushmore, at least for their golden years in the Alex Ovechkin era. He's second to Ovechkin in games played for Washington as well. That said, the Capitals have been proactive in preparing for the future while maintaining the current team. They'll likely miss the playoffs this year, but they cashed in on pending free agents. Carlson will provide the Ducks with valuable championship experience as well as strengthen the right side of their defense, which now boasts three veterans to work alongside three youngsters on the left. The Ducks' high-powered offense should help maintain Carlson's production, particularly if he can get power-play time. Back in Washington, all eyes will be on Cole Hutson once Boston University's season ends, as he'll be the heir apparent to Carlson's old role. Jakob Chychrun and Rasmus Sandin also get a bump in fantasy value in the absence of Carlson. 

Nazem Kadri and a fourth-round pick to the Avalanche; Victor Olofsson, Max Curran, a first-round pick and a second-round pick to the Flames: The Flames' second big move saw them make a smart choice to get out of a contract that was bad from day one. That's not to say Kadri was a bad player in Calgary -- he topped 50 points in each of his three full seasons with the team and was on pace to do so again prior to the trade. However, the Flames never managed to build a real contender around Kadri and Jonathan Huberdeau, who is much less likely to be moved with an even rougher contract. Victor Olofsson is a rental who can help the Flames' power play, and Curran is a prospect bound for UMass-Amherst in the fall, so neither player will get in the way of the Flames developing more NHL-ready prospects. For Kadri, the move back to Colorado slots him in as a middle-six center or winger, which will improve his fantasy versatility. He'll get power-play time, and he returns to a familiar place that was the home of his best NHL campaign. He's in a high-powered offense now and will be a key contributor the rest of the way, so he's a firm hold in fantasy. 

Brayden Schenn to the Islanders; Jonathan Drouin, Marcus Gidlof, a first-round pick and a third-round pick to the Blues: It's always a shock when a captain is traded, but this was a smart move for the Blues. Schenn will bring some blue-collar grit to the Islanders' top six and power play, and it could be just the right mix of offense and toughness to help the team make a push for a playoff run through the Metropolitan Division. Schenn should also help shelter Calum Ritchie, who can move to the wing for the rest of the season, removing some of the defensive pressure of playing center. Even better, the Islanders get out of the Drouin contract, which has one more year at a $4 million cap hit. Drouin just didn't fit with the Islanders, and he'll have more room to operate on a Blues team that still has a decent top six with or without him in it. With young players stepping up, Drouin has a chance to be a mentor and a facilitator for a player like Dalibor Dvorsky or Jimmy Snuggerud. 

Major Deals Elevating Fantasy Value and Offensive Potential

Conor Garland to the Blue Jackets for a second-round pick and a third-round pick: It's not often that a player signs an extension with a team and gets traded before that extension takes effect. That makes the Garland deal interesting, as the Blue Jackets get a cost-controlled winger for six years. He's a player with 50-point potential, though playing with the Canucks this season has put a damper on his offense. I see Garland as a bounce-back player for next season, though he's also a sneaky good waiver-wire option for the rest of 2025-26 if he adjusts to Columbus quickly. He'll be expected to produce since the Blue Jackets are in the playoff race. 

Michael Bunting to the Stars for a second-round pick: Bunting is a player I like, and clearly the NHL's general managers agree, considering how often he's on the move. The Stars will be his fourth team in three years, as he was dealt at the deadline once again. His last two landing spots, Pittsburgh and Nashville, were not in the right part of their competitive cycle to benefit from Bunting's complementary offense and agitation skills. The Stars view themselves as a Stanley Cup hopeful if they can survive the meat grinder of the Central Division. Bunting and Jamie Benn could form an agitating duo on the third line once the Stars are at full health. They can play playoff hockey. Fantasy value isn't as strong for Bunting, especially if he's fairly limited in his role with Dallas, but he's a decent depth player. In Nashville, look for Matthew Wood to get the biggest bump in usage for all of the Predators' trades to clear roster space for younger options. 

Justin Faulk to the Red Wings; Justin Holl, Dmitri Buchelnikov, a first-round pick and a third-round pick to the Blues: This is a trade that's big more because of the number of assets moved rather than the impact. Still, Faulk is a good pick-up for the Red Wings, strengthening a weak spot on the blue line. Faulk can be a top-four option who should still see power-play time, and ultimately, Detroit may want to let Axel Sandin-Pellikka get more time in the AHL with a Grand Rapids club that could go deep this spring. Along with Moritz Seider and Simon Edvinsson, Faulk brings significant all-around upside to Detroit. The trade also opens up a more permanent top-four assignment for Logan Mailloux, who has been improving for the Blues recently. 

Bobby Brink to the Wild, David Jiricek to the Flyers: It can't be easy to let a young player go, but I can understand why the Flyers did it here with Brink. While there's not a lot of established wing depth in Philadelphia, the team is clearly higher on some of their prospects than they were on Brink. He'll fit fine in his homecoming to his native Minnesota, where he can be a middle-six option with a power-play role and a bit of a physical edge. Brink has 26 points over 57 contests, and I think he'll benefit from a stronger supporting cast with the Wild. Going the other way, Jiricek is now on his third team without making a true NHL impact. The Flyers have done pretty good work to develop Cam York and Jamie Drysdale into viable NHL blueliners, but they've also struggled with the likes of Egor Zamula, now in Columbus, and Emil Andrae. Jiricek is a move for the future, so expect him to compete for a job in training camp this coming fall. The Brink trade also allowed Alex Bump to make his NHL debut Saturday, and he scored a goal. Bump has 26 points in 36 games for AHL Lehigh Valley, so I don't see him as a must-have fantasy player yet. 

Corey Perry to the Lightning for a second-round pick: If recent history is any indicator, the Lightning become the favorites to be the Stanley Cup runners-up after adding Perry. The 40-year-old winger still has some skills, as evidenced by his 28 points in 50 contests for the Kings prior to the trade. The Lightning have rolled a lot of seven-defensemen lineups lately, which indicates they lack the necessary forward depth due to injuries and a lack of trust in call-ups. Perry is a fine bottom-six veteran who can help out a power play, but he won't get the same looks with the Lightning as he got with the Kings. Back in Los Angeles, I'm looking at Trevor Moore to get a big bump in usage, while call-ups Jared Wright and Taylor Ward are poised to be in the lineup fairly regularly. Mathieu Joseph could also absorb some of Perry's minutes after the Kings signed him. 

Jason Dickinson and Colton Dach to the Oilers, Andrew Mangiapane and a first-round pick to the Blackhawks: The Oilers have coveted a third-line center, and now they have one in Dickinson, who has labored through the Blackhawks' rebuild. Dickinson will be a pure defensive option in Edmonton, so his fantasy value will take a hit. Dach was a throw-in for this trade, and he'll join a pool of not-quite-there-yet forwards who can compete for bottom-six minutes. Don't put a lot of trust in the Oilers' bottom six -- they've really struggled to put players in positions to succeed away from their superstars. Mangiapane is a clear example of that, as he languished on the third line and eventually in the press box before this trade gave him a fresh start in Chicago. His fantasy value has arguably never been lower, though he could contend for power-play time in a middle-six role with the Blackhawks, if he doesn't get shouldered out of the lineup by prospects. 

Logan Stanley and Luke Schenn to the Sabres; Isak Rosen, Jacob Bryson, a second-round pick, and a conditional fourth-round pick to the Jets: The Jets took a while to acknowledge their failed free agency strategy from the summer. They made sure not to repeat the mistake, cashing out on Stanley's career year while also shedding Schenn in a trade that looks good for Winnipeg and makes little sense in Buffalo. Adding Stanley and Schenn to an already-strong blue line doesn't click for the Sabres, though Stanley is a pure upgrade over Bryson, who will get a chance to rebuild his value in Winnipeg. In the long run, I imagine Rosen will be the highlight of this trade. Rosen was well on his way to topping 50 points for the third straight AHL season prior to the deal, but he'll now get a middle-six look with the Jets. I doubt he'll be a top-line leading scorer, but he'll be the kind of complementary piece who should be on the fantasy radar as soon as next season. 

Bobby McMann to the Kraken for a second-round pick and a fourth-round pick: I think the Maple Leafs should have kept McMann, but there's no fault in getting assets for an expiring contract. Still, he looked good when he played with Auston Matthews, and McMann topped 30 points in two straight years with the Maple Leafs. His departure opens the door for Easton Cowan to get better usage. In Seattle, there is no Matthews-level talent for McMann to work with. He'll need to find chemistry somewhere in the top nine, or he'll end up being a rental on a Kraken team that just can't shake the scoring-by-committee approach. McMann's offense gets a downgrade, but he still has a decent floor because of his physical play. 

Depth Acquisitions and Waiver Wire Opportunity Players

Ryan Strome to the Flames for a seventh-round pick: Good work here for the Ducks to get out of a contract that soured. Strome will provide some internal competition for the Flames' prospects for the rest of this season and in training camp for 2026-27. Strome is no better than a middle-six forward, but he'll have the opportunity for steady playing time that had disappeared in Anaheim, which makes him a player to at least keep an eye on moving forward. 

Tyler Myers to the Stars for a second-round pick and a fourth-round pick: Quick question: when has Myers done his best in the last five years? That would be in 2023-24, when the Canucks looked like a future contender, and Myers was down to an average of 18:57 of ice time per game. He's been above 20 minutes in every other year of his career. Myers hasn't reached 30 points in any campaign since 2018-19, but he had 29 in the year when his ice time was the lowest. Here's the good news for the Stars: with Miro Heiskanen, Thomas Harley and Esa Lindell eating big minutes, there's no need to play Myers more than 16-18 minutes a game. He does more with less, so this could end up being a great move for the Texas-born blueliner, but Myers will also be top-four insurance for Nils Lundkvist, who can be streaky. 

Scott Laughton to the Kings for a third-round pick: The Maple Leafs didn't do as well on asset management with Laughton, but his departure opens the door for Jacob Quillan. In Los Angeles, Laughton quickly earned a look as a third-line center with power-play time, earning a goal in his Kings debut Saturday. He's known as a defensive center, but Laughton operated at a 40-point pace when he received steady second-unit power-play time with the Flyers a few years back. The Kings need all the offense they can get, so Laughton will get extra minutes if he contributes, boosting his fantasy value in the process. 

David Perron to the Red Wings for a fourth-round pick: Perron is recovering from groin surgery, so it'll be a while before he can start his second stint in Detroit. The Senators no longer had room for him after the emergence of Stephen Halliday and the trade for Warren Foegele (see below), so Perron will get a fresh start with a division rival. Perron has middle-six potential, especially since the Red Wings' forward depth is poor. However, Perron will have to challenge Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, who earned a call-up with a hot week at AHL Grand Rapids. 

Warren Foegele to the Senators for a second-round pick and a third-round pick swap: Foegele began his Senators tenure on the fourth line, and given the team's chemistry on the other three lines, that might just be where he stays. The Senators spread ice time around pretty well, so look for Foegele to benefit from that. However, I think he ends up being this year's Fabian Zetterlund, who has been unable to earn much more than bottom-six minutes in Ottawa since a trade at least last year's deadline. Foegele was already off the radar in fantasy given his slow offense for the Kings, and that won't change with this move unless he moves up in the lineup. 

Nick Foligno to the Wild: Probably the top sentimental trade of the season, the Blackhawks let Foligno walk for future considerations to go play with his brother, Marcus, in Minnesota. The Wild were active at the deadline, so Foligno could end up as a part-time player with his new team, especially when Minnesota's forwards are fully healthy. Foligno is 38 years old, and while he still adds plenty of physicality, there's no other aspect of his playing style that will help in fantasy. 

Nic Dowd to the Golden Knights for Jesper Vikman, a second-round pick and a third-round pick: If the Selke Trophy was purely for defensive forward prowess -- rather than a good offensive forward that also excels on defense -- Dowd would have a good case for it. So yes, I like this move for the Golden Knights, who have been running thin down the middle all season. The Capitals loved Dowd, but like Carlson, he was on an expiring contract and netted his former team two picks and a prospect. Dowd was limited to 16 points in 55 outings prior to the trade, but it's the shutdown defense and faceoff wins that earn him money. Vegas still has some lineup rearranging to do, namely to get Mitch Marner out of the middle. Ideally, the center position would run Jack Eichel, Tomas Hertl, Dowd and Colton Sissons with Brett Howden and Marner able to mix as necessary. Dowd won't get more than bottom-six minutes, though his penalty-killing role should be large. 

Nicolas Roy to the Avalanche for a first-round pick and a fifth-round pick: Prior to the Kadri trade, the Avalanche addressed their center depth with Roy, though it was a costly deal. A first alone was a steep price to pay, so good on Toronto for getting that for a player who had 20 points in 59 contests. Roy brings defensive skill and a certain versatility that will help the Avalanche create a lot of looks between him and Kadri down the middle and on the wing. Roy gets a boost in scoring upside as well in a deeper offense, while Jack Drury's value takes a hit with a move down to the little-used fourth line. Roy does everything Drury can do, and he does it better. 

Sam Carrick to the Sabres for a third-round pick and a sixth-round pick: Another expensive move for a depth center, but this makes a bit more sense than the Sabres' other deals. Carrick is a faceoff ace with physicality, giving some needed grit to the fourth line. I'm still not thrilled with the Sabres' center depth, especially if Josh Norris gets hurt again -- Carrick won't do well if he has to move up the lineup, though the team could shuffle other players around to make it work in that hypothetical scenario. 

Connor Murphy to the Oilers for a second-round pick: The first notable deal of the deadline week saw the Oilers get stronger on the blue line. This is nearly a non-fantasy move -- Murphy won't be in the lineup for his offense, but his physical play, especially for blocking shots, adds plenty of value. Spencer Stastney, a trade add from Nashville earlier in the season, is poised to lose playing time, as is Ty Emberson. In Chicago, Louis Crevier should gain more shutdown minutes, while Sam Rinzel and Artyom Levshunov will also benefit from Murphy's departure, opening up playing time. 

Cole Smith to the Golden Knights for Cristoffer Sedoff and a third-round pick: The Golden Knights love a physical bottom six, so Smith should fit right in on the fourth line. Arguably, he's a better fit for the team than both Brandon Saad and Reilly Smith. The newcomer, Smith, was limited to 10 points in 42 games for the Predators prior to the trade, but he also amassed 119 hits and can kill penalties. Keep an eye on him in deeper fantasy formats, especially if he gets bumped up through a line shuffle at some point. 

Michael McCarron to the Wild for a second-round pick: This was a steep overpay by the Wild, but they wanted a better depth center. McCarron is that, allowing Nico Sturm to move to the wing and Zac Jones and Tyler Pitlick to head to the AHL. McCarron is also thunderous with the body, logging 168 hits over his first 60 games of the campaign. He adds to the Wild's penalty kill and gives them an edge for toughness, which they'll need in the playoffs since they're likely to face the Stars in the first round. 

David Kampf to the Capitals for a sixth-round pick: The Capitals needed a depth center after the Dowd trade, and they got one in Kampf. He'll be a fourth-liner at best with his new team, though Hendrix Lapierre could also take that role. The real good work here is from the Canucks, who signed Kampf in November and managed to get an asset back in a trade for him. 

Elmer Soderblom to the Penguins for a third-round pick: Soderblom never put it together in Detroit, but he didn't get much of a chance to do so. He put up 22 points in 86 career games with the Red Wings. With the Penguins, the big winger gets a fresh start with a team that has proven pretty good at unlocking skills in players who didn't get to shine in their previous home. He'll start as a bottom-six option for the Penguins, but he could grow into more pretty quickly, especially since he's still under contract for next season. 

Timothy Liljegren to the Capitals for a fourth-round pick: Much like the Kampf trade, the Capitals picked up Liljegren to fill a void created by the Carlson trade. Liljegren was going to get crowded out on the Sharks' blue line at some point. With the Capitals, he may still not be an everyday player, and power-play time isn't likely, but he has a bit more scoring upside than Declan Chisholm. Liljegren is a fine player with flaws, and he'll want to do his best ahead of free agency this summer. 

Non-Fantasy Trades Shaping Long-Term Value

Tanner Pearson to the Sabres for a seventh-round pick: There's cooking, and then there's overcooking. The Sabres' trade deadline looks to be more of the latter, as they added four roster players without gaining an impact performer in any of those deals. Pearson seems particularly unnecessary as a fourth-line winger at best, though far from a prototypical one. At worst, he delays the development of Zach Benson or Noah Ostlund, who have more than proven themselves as quality depth scorers. Again, good business by the Jets, though this return was minimal. 

Vinnie Hinostroza to the Panthers: The other future considerations deal with the deadline. Hinostroza goes from the Wild's bottom six to a part-time job with the Panthers. He had a nine-game stint with Florida in 2020-21, but he didn't earn a point in those games, and there's no guarantee his second go-round with the Panthers will be any better. 

Nicolas Deslauriers to the Hurricanes for a seventh-round pick: Deslauriers was reportedly coveted by the Hurricanes for a while. He gives them an element of pure physicality that isn't really on the roster aside from William Carrier. Deslauriers is not a fantasy factor, as he had just one assist in 24 contests with the Flyers before the deal. He wasn't playing regularly for Philadelphia, and it seems unlikely he'll do any better in Carolina. 

Nick Blankenburg to the Avalanche for a fifth-round pick: Blankenburg is a pending unrestricted free agent, which is about the only logical explanation for the Predators letting him go. He had 21 points in 49 contests in Nashville, but moving to the Avalanche ruins his fantasy value, as he's buried behind an earlier acquisition in Brett Kulak on the blue line. Blankenburg did enough with Nashville to cash in somewhere this offseason, and he's good depth for the Avalanche to have, but this was an odd deal to make. 

Jeff Petry to the Wild for a seventh-round pick: Petry's experience is his value, and the Wild will be able to lighten the workload for Jared Spurgeon and Zach Bogosian down the stretch. Petry was in a full-time role with the Panthers prior to the trade, earning eight assists over 58 games for the season, but he'll be a healthy scratch more often than not in Minnesota. 

Brennan Othmann to the Flames, Jacob Battaglia to the Rangers: This was essentially a prospect trade. The Flames get a player closer to being NHL-ready, though they'll keep Othmann in the AHL for now. Battaglia is a junior prospect, and he's earned 43 points over 60 contests between Flint and Kingston in the OHL. He's taken a step back this season, though he has a bit of an edge to his game. Othmann could be an NHL player in 2026-27, but it'll be a few years before Battaglia can help the Rangers. 

Lukas Reichel to the Bruins for a sixth-round pick: Reichel is on his third organization this season, and he's looking to be close to flaming out of the NHL altogether. Reichel had five points in 19 games between the Blackhawks and the Canucks this season, and he logged a modest 13 points in 23 outings for AHL Abbotsford. The Bruins won't have room for him in the NHL this season unless he kicks the doors down at AHL Providence. 

Jack Thompson to the Canucks, Jett Woo to the Sharks: This is a minor-league deal on paper, but I wouldn't be shocked to see Thompson get a look with the Canucks before the end of the season. Still just 23 years old, Thompson is a good pick-up for the Canucks, who need to see if they can assemble an NHL-caliber blue line at some point. He has just 17 points in 44 AHL appearances so far, but Thompson had three of those points in his Abbotsford debut. 

With that, the trade deadline is done, and the fantasy playoff push is in full force. Some formats will already be in the playoffs to avoid the tail end of the season and all the roster shenanigans that come with that, but for those that play to the finish line, this is a pivotal part of the year. Work to improve your seeding and see if you can take advantage of any of the NHL's big trades to get ahead of your opponents. I'll return to the waiver-wire format next week to help you during the stretch run. 

Stuck between two players available on the waiver wire? Check out the NHL Player Comparison Tool or the NHL Trending Players to help break the tiebreaker on your waiver wire decisions.