Featured Image: John Carlson (74) of the Washington Capitals crosses his own blue line with the puck in an away game. (Photo Credit to James Guillory-Imagn Images)
Another NHL trade deadline has come and gone, and there have been a lot of trades to break down as we approach the postseason. Some teams are continuing to sell, and some teams have bought heavily to make a playoff push.
Chicago Blackhawks continue their rebuild
The Blackhawks have been rebuilding for quite some time now, and they freed up a lot of cap space. Their series of trades started with an exchange that sent longtime defenseman, Connor Murphy, to the Edmonton Oilers for a second round pick in the 2028 NHL Draft. Murphy was the longest tenured Hawk on the roster, having played in Chicago since 2017.
Colton Dach and Jason Dickinson were traded also to Edmonton for forward Andrew Mangiapane and a first-round pick in the 2027 draft.
Finally, the most detrimental trade wasn’t even a trade. Captain, Nick Foligno was sent to the Minnesota Wild for future considerations. This was a move of respect from the Blackhawks, giving their captain a chance to play with his brother, Marcus Foligno, and to pursue a Stanley Cup Championship.
With Foligno’s departure, the young Connor Bedard is almost certain to assume the captaincy next season, ushering in a new era of Blackhawks hockey. Also, with all of the cap space freed up, this leaves more money to sign Bedard to an extension this summer.
Washington Capitals ship out Carlson
In a trade that shocked Washington teammates and fans, longtime defenseman for the Capitals, John Carlson was shipped to the Anaheim Ducks for a first round pick in the 2026 or 2027 draft and a third-round selection in 2027. If the Ducks fail to qualify for the playoffs they can keep their 2026 pick.
Carlson has been a long time member of the Caps, as he was drafted there in 2008, and was a member of their 2018 Stanley Cup champion team. In an interview, Alex Ovechkin of the Capitals expressed his dismay with the trade of one of his longtime teammates.
Ovechkin stated “Obviously a sad day. Probably the toughest day of my career, talking personal wise. It sucks. It’s sad.”
One must wonder how much longer the 40 year old all-time NHL goal leader will play in Washington. He will either retire soon, or perhaps get shipped off in a deal for a younger prospect.
Nazem Kadri returns to Colorado
In a recent move right before the deadline, the Calgary Flames sent forward Nazem Kadri and a 2027 fourth-round pick to the Colorado Avalanche in return for a conditional 2027 first-round pick, conditional 2027 second-round pick, prospect Max Curran and Victor Olofsson.
Kadri was a player for the Avs’ 2022 Stanley Cup championship, making this a meaningful return. The Avalanche currently sit at the top of the Central Division, and have been consistently the best team in the league, with a stacked roster consisting of forwards Nathan MacKinnon, Brock Nelson, defenseman Cale Makar, etc. This certifies the Avs even further as Stanley Cup contenders.
