The 2026 NHL transaction cutoff has concluded. The Toronto Maple Leafs divested themselves of players, the Foligno siblings are set to compete on the same ice hockey roster for the very first occasion, Colton Parayko did not transfer to the Buffalo Sabres, and the already strong teams appeared to gain even more strength.
This observation holds particularly true within the Central Division. The Central’s three premier squads also rank among the league’s top four overall. The Dallas Stars, holding the second position in both the NHL and the Central, maintained a relatively low profile on Friday, having previously brought in Tyler Myers and Michael Bunting earlier in the week, while their formidable counterparts were actively engaged.
Our discussion commences with the Minnesota Wild. The “trade period” truly commenced when they secured Quinn Hughes in December, well in advance of the deadline. Hughes is not only one of the sport’s elite defensemen but also a genuine leader who played a crucial role in Team USA’s Olympic gold triumph.
Over the past week, they acquired forward Bobby Brink from Philadelphia (and he’s there to contribute, not for a reunion with his companions in Minnetonka), defenseman Jeff Petry from Florida, and Blackhawks captain Nick Foligno, who joins his brother Marcus in an endeavor to jointly claim the Stanley Cup.
Not a bad showing for a team that already occupied the fourth spot in the NHL standings.
While the Wild and Stars are likely to contend fiercely in the opening round of the Stanley Cup playoffs as the second versus third seed matchup, the Colorado Avalanche finally resolved the long-standing query: “Who will step in for Nazem Kadri as the Avalanche’s second-line center?”
The solution: Kadri, who made a last-minute trade from Calgary back to Colorado. The seasoned pivot secured the Stanley Cup in 2022 (and famously brought the Cup that summer to a mosque, an unprecedented event as far as is known). The Avs now boast Nathan MacKinnon, Kadri, Brock Nelson, and Nic Roy as their centers. Quite impressive.
Supporters voice grievances about the playoff structure each spring, and this campaign offers yet another justification: Whichever team emerges from the Central Division bracket will have had to overcome two of the league’s most formidable teams to do so.
Regarding power, the Anaheim Ducks also emerged as significant beneficiaries at the deadline, astonishing the hockey community by acquiring Washington Capitals’ veteran defenseman John Carlson. The Ducks are now poised for a postseason appearance for the first time in eight seasons.
The Eastern Conference remains an absolute trial, and I am surprised that more teams did not engage actively. The revised regulations concerning double salary retention and the “playoff salary cap” may have contributed, but numerous teams are still vying for berths.
The Sabres, experiencing the league’s longest playoff drought at 14 years, and the Detroit Red Wings, who have not hosted postseason hockey in their current venue, both currently occupy playoff positions with fan bases eager to erupt upon a return to the postseason.
It’s time to delve directly into one of the most thrilling periods of the hockey calendar. Let the concluding phase of the playoff competitions commence!
Advance to:
Matches of the week
What I adored this past weekend
Hart Trophy nominees
Social media post of the week
Stick taps
Most significant games of the week
This week, my attention will be on the teams that executed the most substantial moves to observe how these new acquisitions assimilate.
For the Avs: How will Nazem Kadri fare in his familiar surroundings? He is the kind of competitor who can deliver an immediate effect. The Avs are scheduled to face the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday, the Seattle Kraken on Thursday, and will travel to play the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday.
What about the Ducks and John Carlson? Anaheim can now deploy defensive pairings featuring one youthful player under 25 on the left (Jackson LaCombe, Pavel Mintyukov, and Olen Zellweger) and a seasoned playoff veteran of 32 or older on the right (Carlson, Radko Gudas, and Jacob Trouba).
Following Sunday’s contest against the Blues in Southern California, the Ducks will embark on a Canadian road trip: facing the Jets on Tuesday, the Maple Leafs on Thursday, the Ottawa Senators on Saturday, and the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday.
Hart Trophy contenders if the season concluded today
For those who have been following throughout the season, I am officially narrowing the pool to a final trio:
My current victor is Connor McDavid. He leads the league with 106 points, including 10 in his last five appearances.
Nathan MacKinnon ranks second as the captain of the league’s premier team. He has amassed 103 points and also registered 10 in his previous five games.
Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Bay Lightning is my other prospective finalist. He has accumulated 100 points this season, with six in his recent five games.
These three individuals have set themselves apart from the rest, but with a month remaining in play, there is still an opportunity for someone to mount a charge.
What I cherished this past weekend
On Saturday, I facilitated a hockey analytics discussion panel at the MIT Sloan Sports Conference and shared the stage with Stathletes founder Meghan Chayka, Olympic gold medalist and Hockey Hall of Famer Angela Ruggiero, and Team USA women’s coach John Wroblewski, who literally transitioned from winning gold in Milan to joining our panel.
Coaches do not receive physical medals to retain, but I inquired if he at least obtained one of the official Olympic plush toys (you know, the one Nathan MacKinnon appeared as if he might toss all the way to France when it was presented to him?)
“I didn’t, but I purchased one on my initial day there,” Wroblewski responded. Seriously, IOC, coaches could have at least received the stuffed animal!
The discussion is worth watching, particularly how all three participants delved into the ways analytics can influence performance and assurance in top-tier athletes at varying junctures of their professional journeys. Wroblewski also recounted pivotal moments in the gold medal match against Canada.
The panel commences at the 15-minute mark of the video below:
After Sloan, it was back to the ABC Hockey Saturday studio, featuring a special guest, the viral content creator Kickball Dad. Speaking of content generation…
Social media submission of the weekend
This caught my attention as an admirer of themed evenings at hockey games (and at sports events broadly): The Oilers presented World of Warcraft night last Friday. It was a joint promotion with Blizzard, the developer responsible for the popular game. Video games and sports certainly intertwine but I had not heard of World of Warcraft executing a Leeroy Jenkins
and expeditiously heading to ice hockey matchups.
If you’re coming to tonight’s #Oilers vs. Hurricanes game at @RogersPlace, check out the World of Warcraft: Midnight booth behind section 105 for a chance to win this custom Hunter x World of Warcraft shirt & other @Warcraft prizes while supplies last! pic.twitter.com/6YXhYyNeA
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) March 6, 2026
Consequently, I resolved to delve into the matter. From Blizzard’s perspective, the game is launching a new add-on, making heightened visibility a primary objective.
“Our direct observations from our Canadian player community highlight just how profoundly ice hockey is interwoven into the local culture,” Guido Alves, publishing director for Canada/Latin America at Blizzard Entertainment, conveyed to ESPN. “This fervor consistently emerges when players discuss their pursuits beyond our gaming titles, leading us to acknowledge that while our communities already share many similar affinities, we had not truly interacted with the sport in a substantial, straightforward manner previously.”
“Given that World of Warcraft: Midnight is engineered for increased sociability and inclusivity, offering more profound communal experiences, it struck us as the opportune time to bridge these two realms.”
Alves further clarified that the initiative isn’t primarily about creating a “direct congruence” between ice hockey and the gaming titles, but rather about engaging with players within their existing interests.
Alves indicated the corporation would be keen to keep orchestrating comparable evenings at NHL contests throughout the entire league. “The reception from enthusiasts has been remarkably favorable,” he remarked.
Having invested roughly 3,500 hours into Hearthstone Battlegrounds, I eagerly anticipate an event inspired by that specific game.
Acknowledgements
Heartfelt felicitations to Warroad for triumphing in the Class 1A Minnesota high school boys’ ice hockey state tournament championship! They staged a comeback to necessitate overtime, credit to a 43-save exhibition from Patrick Kennedy. Roderick Jackson netted the winning goal in the extra period, making Warroad champions for the first occasion since 2005.
Coincidentally, 2005 also marked the year ESPN commentator T.J. Oshie competed for “Hockeytown USA” and secured the state championship. This time around, he had the chance to witness the win with his offspring:
Got to watch with my 4 kids! Would love to be in Leni’s brain right here. Helmets, gloves and sticks all over the ice from the OT GWG celebration. Champs and runner-ups shaking hands. What’s she thinking? I’m guessing something like “that’ll be me one day.” You gotta love sports! https://t.co/hluO3VxcCa pic.twitter.com/1EQYb4W2QF
— TJ Oshie (@TJOshie77) March 8, 2026
“The Tourney” is likewise celebrated for the players’ characteristic coiffures, frequently featuring platinum blonde “lettuce” alongside magnificent (never to be labeled ghastly) mullets or mohawks during their pre-game introductions. Oshie stood among the originators of this style more than two decades prior.
“My mother operated her own beauty establishment for two decades,” he recollected. “She styled the hair of virtually the entire squad.”