Red Wings Acquire David Perron
The Red Wings and Senators announced a rare deal between teams in the same playoff race. Winger David Perron is headed back to Detroit, with the Wings sending a conditional 2026 fourth-round pick to Ottawa to complete the deal. Ottawa will receive the pick, the Blue Jackets’ 2026 fourth, if Perron plays in at least one game. It will upgrade to Detroit’s third-round selection this year if the Wings advance to at least the second round of the playoffs and Perron plays in at least half of the first-round games.
Detroit has been tied to forward targets of a much higher prestige and acquisition cost, and Perron wasn’t an obvious trade candidate with Ottawa still pushing to get back into the wild-card race. He hasn’t played since January after undergoing sports hernia surgery, and it’s fair to wonder if the 37-year-old requested a move back to a familiar environment with a higher likelihood of making the postseason in what could be his final NHL season. He’s nearing the end of his projected return timeline anyway, and if healthy, he legitimately provides a third-line scoring presence the Wings desperately needed to add this week.
In his last two trips through free agency, Perron has signed two-year deals – first with Detroit in 2022 and then Ottawa in 2024. Now a pending UFA, he took a marginal pay cut from his $4.75MM cap hit with Detroit to the $4MM price tag he carries now. He was a legitimately impactful top-nine presence during his pair of seasons in Hockeytown, averaging 21 goals and 54 points with 113 hits per 82 games while staying healthy the vast majority of the time.
Due to age-related decline and a pair of injury-plagued seasons in Canada’s capital, he’s not that player anymore. A back injury held him out of nearly half the 2024-25 campaign, and his ice time and production dipped. He did manage to get his scoring back on track before his surgery this year, though, notching 10 goals and 25 points through 49 games. That’s still not the rate he was producing in Detroit, but it is still a half a point per game. That’s a significant offensive upgrade over names like Michael Rasmussen and Elmer Söderblom, who have spent time on the wings in Detroit’s top nine.
A Stanley Cup winner with the Blues in 2019, Perron also brings a wealth of experience – 1,223 regular-season games and 110 playoff games – to a club primed for its first postseason appearance in 10 years. His time in Ottawa aside, he’s been one of the league’s more consistent producers in the 50-point range since debuting for the Blues way back in 2007. Assuming he can return to play from his surgery and suit up for the Wings in the playoffs, it’ll be his 12th time in 19 NHL seasons making it to the dance.
The move offers a clear reason why the Sens opted to leverage a second-round pick to land winger Warren Foegele from the Kings earlier today. Entering play tonight six points back of a playoff spot, they weren’t comfortable sending Perron away without ensuring they could bring someone in to replace him in a separate move. The Sens do clear $500K in current cap space with the pair of transactions, but are still on the hook for Foegele’s $3.5MM cap hit through next season, while Perron is long for the open market.
Ducks Sign Ryan Poehling To Four-Year Extension
The Ducks announced they’ve signed center Ryan Poehling to a four-year extension. It carries an average annual value of $3.75MM for a total value of $15MM, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports. He’s now under contract through the 2029-30 season.
Poehling, 27, would have been an unrestricted free agent this summer. He’s in the back half of a two-year, $3.8MM deal he signed with the Flyers in 2024. Anaheim was likely never keen on letting him hit the open market after making him the key piece of the return they received from Philadelphia for Trevor Zegras last summer.
A first-round pick by the Canadiens back in 2017, Poehling has taken the long road toward being a stable top-nine contributor, but it’s looking like he’s finally arrived. He played mostly fourth-line minutes for the first several years of his career, but he first got an extended look on Philly’s third line last season. A defensively responsible pivot who’s featured heavily on the Penguins’, Flyers’, and Ducks’ penalty kills since the 2022-23 campaign, the offense arrived in earnest with a 12-19–31 scoring line in 68 games for Philly.
Anaheim was banking on him keeping that production up while continuing to feature as a #3/#4 center. So far, that’s been the case. Despite a five-point regression in shooting percentage from last season, his 7-17–24 scoring line through 54 contests as a Duck is roughly in line with his points per game output in 2024-25. He’s done that with what seems like a never-ending rotating cast of linemates while also leading Anaheim forwards in shorthanded ice time.
Poehling’s 46.3% faceoff win rate isn’t anything to write home about, but his +7 rating is tied with Troy Terry for the team lead, and his 62 blocked shots are the most among Ducks forwards. That kind of skillset, plus what seems like a consistent ability to score in the 30-to-40-point range, is valuable considering how low he generally plays in the lineup, and he’ll now be filling that role behind core centers Leo Carlsson and Mason McTavish through the end of the decade.
Image courtesy of Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images.
Red Wings Pursuing Robert Thomas, Vincent Trocheck
Insider Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet published this evening’s Trade Deadline Thoughts, where he noted that the Detroit Red Wings are in the mix on the market’s top two centers: Robert Thomas of St. Louis and the Rangers’ Vincent Trocheck.
Thomas, 26, is the bigger fish and likely the #1 overall player available before tomorrow’s 3 p.m. ET deadline. If GM Steve Yzerman would be able to pull it off, the 26-year-old could be the final piece to the puzzle up front after years of building. The center, an 80+ point getter over the last two seasons, is locked up through 2030-31 at a $8.125MM cap hit, reasonable considering that it will take him through the prime of his career.
Detroit has missed the playoffs for nine straight years, and patience was wearing thin. Making it 10 was simply not an option, and sure enough, the team is well on their way to end the drought. Even just making it is half the battle, but if the Wings could win more than one round, it would be the first time since 2009, when they came just short of back-to-back Stanley Cups.
A center such as Thomas or Trocheck could make Detroit a real dark horse contender. Current 2C Andrew Copp has played well this season, already reaching his second best point total as a Red Wing in 62 games, but he’d be better off as a third line middleman. Cheaper options exist, such as Nashville’s Erik Haula, but looking at their lineup it’s really all or nothing in terms of what could actually push the Wings over the top.
Suffice to say, there’s a reason for Yzerman to be aggressive. Years of patience have assembled a nucleus of young talent which few teams can rival in trade offers. For Thomas, it has been reported that the Blues are seeking multiple first-round picks or equivalent pieces, as Buffalo and Utah have made a push. As for Detroit, it’s not clear who may be in discussion, but St. Louis would have a variety of assets to choose from.
Standout NCAA goaltending prospect Trey Augustine could especially appeal to the Blues as they could move on from Jordan Binnington. Also, Michael Brandsegg-Nygard and Carter Bear are both wingers selected in the first round over the last two years. They’d allow Yzerman to march on without touching his current group.
On the other hand, Nate Danielson and Marco Kasper would be assets appealing to St. Louis, or maybe even New York as they could jump right into the lineup. Both top 10 selections, their NHL production has hit a bit of a snag, possibly enough that Yzerman could move on.
If St. Louis was to add defense to their Thomas trade wish list, youngsters Axel Sandin-Pellikka and Albert Johansson emerge, although both are current contributors to the Wings lineup, which is already thin in depth. Especially if Yzerman were to part with the uber-talented Sandin-Pellikka, it may require a bigger deal where someone like Justin Faulk also came along.
Detroit stands out as a suitor as even after all seven of those players listed, there are still several other noteworthy candidates, not to mention their draft capital. Yzerman holds all of the team’s selections besides one second rounder in 2027.
The Red Wings have all the pieces to put together a blockbuster, and it may simply come down to the Aurora, Ontario native’s preferences, as he holds a no trade clause.
Even if Thomas is not meant to be, Trocheck would still be a tremendous fit in Detroit. The 32-year-old already had ties to the area, playing in the Little Caesars program as a youth, and his OHL Hockey in Saginaw. He has already been linked to Detroit for such reasons. Older, and signed through 2028-29 at a reasonable $5.625MM, he would naturally bring less in return than Thomas. However, there’s still plenty to offer that would have the Rangers salivating as they move forward on their youth movement.
New York fans can likely forget about the Wings’ absolute top assets, but a first rounder in either of the next two seasons along with some serious second tier options would be adequate. Rangers GM Chris Drury is not forced to move Trocheck now, as he could hold off until the summer, but the Blueshirts completing their lost season with all three 32-year-old centers still in the fold doesn’t seem favorable.
Whether it could be Thomas in a blockbuster, or Trocheck in what would still be one of the bigger deals of the deadline, time will tell. Yzerman will remain disciplined against high demands. Yet there’s enough reason from Detroit to swing a trade for Thomas or Trocheck, and pushing for more than simply returning to the playoffs this spring.
Image Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images (Thomas)
Image Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images (Trocheck)
Kings Trade Warren Foegele To Senators
5:30 p.m.: The deal is now official, per both clubs. The details of the pick swap are as follows:
Ottawa will get the worse of the Kings’ own third round draft pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft or Dallas’ third round draft pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft (acquired in a previous trade). Los Angeles will get the better of Ottawa’s own third round draft pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft or Washington’s third round draft pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft (acquired in a previous trade). However, if both Ottawa and Washington do not qualify for the 2026 NHL playoffs, then Ottawa will instead transfer to Los Angeles the worse of Ottawa’s own third round draft pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft or Washington’s third round draft pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft (acquired in a previous trade).
The Kings also recalled forward Jared Wright from AHL Ontario in a corresponding move, per John Hoven of Mayor’s Manor. He was sent down just yesterday after making his NHL debut against the Avalanche earlier this week, but will be back in the lineup tonight.
4:13 p.m.: The Senators are adding some depth on the wings, with Darren Dreger of TSN reporting they’re acquiring forward Warren Foegele from the Kings. Ottawa is sending the Sabres’ 2026 second-round pick (acquired in last year’s Dylan Cozens/Joshua Norris deal) to Los Angeles in return, while the clubs are also swapping conditional third-round picks, per David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period.
Foegele, 30 next month, is a big left winger with some legitimate scoring upside, although he hasn’t shown much of it this season. He’s scored just seven goals and nine points in 47 games this year, and he was moved to the press box for five of the Kings’ last 10 games after being a lineup staple for L.A. and Edmonton for the last several seasons. Even still, he’s averaged 16 goals and 32 points per 82 games over his nine-year career.
Foegele is playing the season in year two of a three-year, $10.5MM deal and has a five-team no-trade list, which presumably didn’t include his home country’s capital. He still has another year left on that contract at a $3.5MM cap hit – a steep commitment if he can’t rebound to his career-average form, let alone the back-to-back 20-goal seasons he’d put up leading into this year. He’s making only $3MM in actual salary next season, though, so that’ll be financially attractive for the Sens’ books.
While he’d recently squeezed back into the Kings’ lineup thanks to their rash of injuries at forward, he’ll likely get a longer leash in Ottawa’s top-nine, at least to start. David Perron is close to a return from his sports hernia surgery, but his absence has stretched their depth scoring thin with Nick Cousins needing to step up into a third-line role (although even he’s produced at a better rate than Foegele has this year).
That makes a second-round pick a steep price to pay for a player on an undesirable contract who may not be in Ottawa’s regular lineup when Perron returns to health, but it’s only further evidence of the seller’s market this deadline is quickly turning out to be. Comparable fourth-line pieces like Michael McCarron and Nic Dowd have fetched similar returns in the past few days, but those names carry added value as centers (where Foegele has zero utility), and the Sens likely valued his controllability for another year while hoping a change of scenery could make his production more efficient.
Selling off a forward is at first glance counterintuitive for a Kings club that’s had nightmarish scoring troubles this season and is currently down a pair of top-nine wingers for the rest of the season in Kevin Fiala and Andrei Kuzmenko. After swinging a deal for Artemi Panarin last month, they were clearly trying to get themselves back into the playoff picture after a rough start, but their recent rash of injuries – plus the fact they managed to get Panarin extended for two more seasons – has seemingly pushed them the other way, with ESPN’s Emily Kaplan calling them a “wild card team in terms of direction.” Nonetheless, it’s tidy work in a vacuum to land a top-64 pick for a name they haven’t been using while opening up cap space to retool for next season.
Image courtesy of Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images.
Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia was first to report a second-round pick was headed the Kings’ way, while Frank Seravalli of Victory+ was first to report a pick swap was included.
Stars Acquire Michael Bunting
5:05 p.m.: Both teams have announced the trade as reported.
4:23 p.m.: The Dallas Stars are bringing in a formidable middle-six forward for their playoff run. According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the Stars have acquired Michael Bunting from the Nashville Predators. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reported that the Predators will receive the Seattle Kraken’s 2026 third-round pick from Dallas. Beat writer Robert Tiffin reported that Dallas has reassigned forward Arttu Hyry in a corresponding move.
Moving to Dallas, Bunting will suit up for his fifth team in the last four seasons. Bunting was acquired by the Predators at last year’s deadline (along with a fourth-round pick) from the Pittsburgh Penguins for Thomas Novak and Luke Schenn.
Bunting, 30, was having a strong year in Nashville, headed into his third trip through free agency. Before the trade, Bunting had scored 13 goals and 31 points in 61 games, averaging 14:48 of ice time per game. If that scoring trend continues with the Stars, Bunting will finish a 41-point campaign.
He’s not the most physical winger in the league, but he brings a strong possession game to Dallas for a team that needed reinforcements. Tyler Seguin has already been ruled out for the remainder of the 2025-26 season, including the playoffs, while Roope Hintz and Mikko Rantanen have each been dealing with injuries of late.
Given the injuries to Dallas’ top-six, it’s likely that’s where Bunting will begin his tenure with the Stars. Assuming everyone except for Seguin returns for the playoffs, Bunting can provide additional scoring punch to the team’s third line.
Despite being an expiring asset, a third-round pick as a return must feel underwhelming for the Predators. Only a few days ago, Nashville sent fourth-liner Michael McCarron to the Minnesota Wild for a second-round pick. Yes, McCarron is making $3.6MM less than Bunting, and is a center, but Bunting is outscoring him by more than double.
Regardless, it’s clear that general manager Barry Trotz is intent on accumulating draft capital for the next regime. Assuming the third-round selection is within the next three years, the Predators will have 16 picks in the first three rounds of the next three drafts. This will provide the next GM with significant control over team building.
Image courtesy of Tim Fuller-Imagn Images.
Sabres’ Colton Parayko Trade Falls Through
3/5/26: Parayko has declined to waive his no-trade clause to join the Sabres, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. As a result, as The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun noted, the reported trade will not happen.
On Frankly Hockey, Frank Seravalli indicated that Parayko is open to a trade from St. Louis, but will not accept a move to Buffalo, specifically. As frustrating as it may be for both clubs, it is Parayko’s right to dictate where he goes, given the no-trade protection in his contract.
Following Seravalli’s report, ESPN’s Kevin Weekes indicated that Parayko would prefer to stay in the Western Conference. Weekes specifically mentioned the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings, though neither club has any known interest in adding another defenseman.
It’s unknown at this time if Mrtka and a first-round pick were the only pieces that would have headed to the Blues in the deal. If that’s the case, Buffalo had the opportunity to amass arguably the best defensive corps in the league.
Missing out on a player of Parayko’s stature will sting, but there are a few remaining options for the Sabres. Justin Faulk, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and Logan Stanley, among others, are all options currently on the market that Buffalo could target. Depending on how long Buffalo negotiated with the Blues, it wouldn’t be surprising to see them turn around and acquire Faulk.
Unfortunately, it does paint a negative picture for Buffalo. Despite the team being on fire this year and heading toward the postseason for the first time in a decade, they are still having trouble encouraging outside talent to join the team. Factoring in Seravalli’s report, it’s clear that Parayko simply didn’t want to head to New York.
Meanwhile, it’s not the best situation for St. Louis either. There’s no reporting on how many teams are interested in Parayko. If they’re unable to move him before the deadline tomorrow, it’ll become awkward at the very least. While it remains a business decision, Parayko’s connection to the community may lead to feelings of animosity regarding the situation, particularly since the trade was leaked before he had a chance to approve it.
Things can and will change fast this time of year. Over the last few days, Parayko and Tyler Myers have each had their names leaked in trade conversations, only to veto the trade. Still, given that he’s willing to consider different clubs, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Parayko approve a trade somewhere else.
3/4/26: According to TSN’s Darren Dreger, the Buffalo Sabres are moving toward acquiring defenseman Colton Parayko from the St. Louis Blues. Dreger noted that the trade is still being finalized and that both teams are waiting to see if Parayko will waive his no-trade clause to join the Sabres. Dreger later added that defensive prospect Radim Mrtka and a first-round pick will be a part of the deal. Insider Frank Seravalli reported that the framework of the trade is complete, but Parayko has not yet signed off on it.
It would obviously be a seismic trade for the Sabres, especially if nothing is coming off the NHL roster. Buffalo already has Bowen Byram, Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power, and Mattias Samuelsson in the top four of their defensive corps. Parayko has been on the top pairing in St. Louis for nearly a decade, and is signed through the 2029-30 season at an affordable $6.5MM salary.
Golden Knights Acquire Nic Dowd
10:20 a.m.: Vegas’ acquisition of Dowd is now official. The Golden Knights have traded goaltender Jesper Vikman, a 2029 second-round pick, and a 2027 third-round pick to the Capitals to acquire the veteran center.
The price the Golden Knights have paid will likely seem high to some – there are fourth-line centers to be had for prices lower than what the Golden Knights have paid – but it’s not entirely out of line with the prices that have been paid for high-end bottom-six contributors in recent days. The Minnesota Wild paid a second-rounder to acquire quality fourth-line center Michael McCarron from the Nashville Predators. Smith, a winger, cost a third-round pick. The Blackhawks received a protected first-round pick for Jason Dickinson, albeit part of a wider deal containing other players.
Put simply: the prices for some of the game’s better role players has been relatively high in recent weeks, and for the Golden Knights to be able to add a player like Dowd, they couldn’t do so without paying a price in line with prior transactions. The fact that Dowd is under team control for an additional season likely made Vegas more comfortable paying this price to acquire Dowd.
From the Capitals’ perspective, this is a quality return for a role player who nonetheless held considerable to the team. The team’s scouting department has made the most of some of its recent second and third-round picks, landing promising prospects such as Cole Hutson, Ilya Protas, and Andrew Cristall in those rounds, among others. While this deal certainly costs them in the immediate term, they could very well land another quality contributor with one or both of these picks.
The addition of Vikman, a 23-year-old goaltender, also gives them a player as part of the deal as well. Vikman has struggled this season, posting an .866 save percentage across 18 AHL games, and spent most of last season in the ECHL. The Capitals will hope this change of scenery, and the chance to play either with AHL Hershey or ECHL South Carolina, will help him continue his development.
8:25 a.m.: The Vegas Golden Knights are acquiring center Nic Dowd from the Washington Capitals, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reports. TSN’s Darren Dreger seconded Pagnotta’s report, adding that while it’s “not done yet,” the deal is expected to be completed this morning.
What Vegas will send Washington to complete the deal has not yet been reported. One would have to imagine it’s likely going to be a draft pick, but where that potential pick might land is still unknown, Dowd’s age and role would suggest mid-to-late-round value, but his consistency, leadership and experience could make him a more valuable asset than some might expect at first glance.
In any case, the move marks the second addition of a fourth-line player the Golden Knights have made this week, after trading for Nashville Predators grinder Cole Smith on Tuesday. With Colton Sissons and Keegan Kolesar already locked in on the team’s fourth line, in addition to Smith, there doesn’t appear to be an immediate need for an additional fourth-line player.
With that said, it could be argued that Vegas does have a need for an additional natural center. Against the Detroit Red Wings yesterday, the Golden Knights lined up with Mitch Marner, a longtime winger, as their second-line center. 
By adding Dowd, the team can shift Marner back to the wing, and have a clear set of four centers: Jack Eichel for the first line, Tomas Hertl for the second, Colton Sissons for the third, and Dowd for the fourth.
The move also gives the Golden Knights some more insulation against the injury suffered by William Karlsson, as Karlsson remains sidelined with a lower-body injury.
Dowd’s addition to the lineup gives the Golden Knights more protection against the possibility that Karlsson’s absence might extend beyond what may have been initially expected.
Making $3MM against the cap on a contract that runs through next season, Dowd’s addition isn’t a mere rental. Vegas could go on two playoff runs with the player. Whether Washington has retained any salary is not yet clear, though they do have all three retention slots available.
Dowd’s merits as a fourth-line center are immediately evident. For the last half-decade, Dowd has finished each season scoring double-digit goals and around 25 points. Those aren’t big numbers by any means, but it’s healthy secondary scoring from someone who largely receives deployment in defensive situations.
His offense is down somewhat this year, as the Capitals as a whole have struggled, but his value as a defensive center remains intact. He’s leading all Capitals forwards in short-handed time-on-ice per game, playing 2:40 per game. He led the team in that metric last season as well. In 2024-25, Washington had the league’s No. 5 penalty kill with Dowd as a key cog, though it has dropped to No. 19 this season.
While Dowd is winning slightly under half of his draws this season, he remains someone coaches trust in late-game situations protecting a lead, and has even landed a few stray Selke Trophy votes in each of the last two years.
In Vegas, he’ll be able to potentially alleviate some of the burden of penalty-killing placed on leading center Jack Eichel. Eichel on his own is a strong defensive center, but the team may believe he could benefit down the stretch from being able to focus more singularly on creating offense.
While the price the Golden Knights paid to add Dowd remains unclear, what is clear is that the Golden Knights are preparing for what they hope is another long playoff run. Reaching the playoffs has been the baseline standard in Vegas, and long runs have been a frequent activity for the franchise. Dowd is the exact kind of veteran player teams covet for those runs.
From the Capitals’ perspective, it’s difficult to fully categorize their motivation to make this deal when the value they’re receiving in return is still unknown. With that said, given that the team is unlikely to reach the playoffs this season, trading Dowd allows the player to play playoff hockey this season, which is not a small thing for a player set to turn 36 in May. The passage of time is a looming threat no athlete can fully prevent, and as a result, Dowd has only so many years of NHL hockey left in him. Trading him now gives him the chance to chase a Stanley Cup in Vegas, a notable thing as he joined the Capitals the year after their victory over Vegas in the 2018 final.
In addition, trading Dowd opens up key penalty-killing minutes, as well as a fourth-line role, for another, potentially younger player to seize. 26-year-old Brett Leason was a regular penalty-killer for the Ducks last season, averaging 1:42 short-handed time on ice per game in 2024-25. Save for six games, he’s spent all of 2025-26 at the AHL level, posting 34 points in 39 games for the Hershey Bears.
It’s possible the trade of Dowd is the transaction that puts Leason back in the NHL, where the Capitals can use the final portion of the season to assess whether that role can be a long-term fit for their 2019 second-round pick.
Photos courtesy of Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
Mammoth Acquire MacKenzie Weegar
3/5/26: The Mammoth have recalled defenseman Dmitry Simashev from their AHL affiliate, the Tucson Roadrunners. Armstrong told the media yesterday that he expects Weegar to be unavailable for 10 days at most as the team finalizes his visa, allowing him to work in the United States. With Weegar sidelined and Maatta off to Calgary, the Mammoth had a need for an additional defenseman – a need that has been filled by this recall.
Simashev, 21, was the No. 6 pick of the 2023 draft, and in in his first full season of professional hockey in North America. He’s split time between Utah and Tucson, scoring 28 points in 30 games at the AHL level, and one point in 24 games in the NHL.
9:00 p.m.: The trade has now been officially announced by both teams. Utah GM Bill Armstrong issued the following statement regarding the addition of Weegar:
MacKenzie is a high-end defenseman with the type of leadership and work ethic that we want in a top-four blueliner. Acquiring MacKenzie solidifies our back end as we continue to push towards the playoffs, and he will be a great addition to our team on and off the ice.
The terms of the deal were confirmed to be what had been previously reported. Utah acquired Weegar in exchange for Maatta, Castagna, and three 2026 second-round draft choices. (via Utah, via New York Rangers, via Ottawa) Flames GM Craig Conroy told the media that Calgary was on Maatta’s 10-team no-trade list, meaning both Weegar and Maatta needed to, and ultimately did, sign off on being traded.
7:00 p.m.: According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the Utah Mammoth and Calgary Flames are finalizing a trade for defenseman MacKenzie Weegar. Sportsnet’s Eric Francis reported that Weegar has agreed to waive his contractual protection against a trade in order to facilitate the move to Utah. The deal has not yet been officially confirmed.
According to Frank Seravalli, the Flames are acquiring veteran defenseman Olli Maatta, a prospect, and three second-round picks in exchange for Weegar. Francis reported that the prospect involved is Jonathan Castagna, a 20-year-old center currently playing college hockey at Cornell University.
The Mammoth entered deadline season coveting a right-handed shooting defenseman, and they have seemingly landed a top target. Not only is Weegar one of the better two-way defensemen in the league, but he’s arguably the best at being able to play on both sides of the blue line. That’s an added level of versatility that should complement the existing defenders in the lineup in Utah.
From Weegar’s perspective, the significant decision was likely about whether to commit what is likely to be the rest of his best playing years to the Mammoth. Utah (or previously the Coyotes) have made the playoffs once since 2011-12. Weegar is under contract for an additional five years beyond this one at a $6.25MM cap hit. When his contract expires, he will be 37 years old.
When deciding whether to commit to the Mammoth, Weegar undoubtedly had to consider whether he feels he’ll be able legitimately compete for a Stanley Cup championship. Utah are an ascending team, to be sure, but there is still a difference in near-term competitiveness between them and, say, the Tampa Bay Lightning or Colorado Avalanche.
The on-ice fit in Utah appears to be there, at least. The Mammoth boast several high-quality defensemen, but his best fit may be on their second pairing alongside John Marino, a spot currently occupied by 34-year-old Nate Schmidt. He could also play alongside Ian Cole, which would likely mean playing on the right side.
In any case, the Mammoth are adding a versatile, extremely reliable defenseman for their playoff push, and for several future playoff pushes.
Weegar has been an all-situations minutes-eater for the Flames this season, averaging 23:06 time-on-ice per game, including usage on both sides of special teams.
From the perspective of the Flames, they have added some useful future assets in this deal.
While the return for Weegar notably lacks a high-end young asset going the other way, adding three second-rounders (presumably the trio of second-round picks the Mammoth have for the 2026 draft) is still extremely valuable.
There are talented players to find in the second round every year, and odds are the Flames will have the chance to draft a few future NHLers with those picks. One of the draft picks originally belonged to the New York Rangers, and its one that is likely to be near the top of the second round of the draft order.
In addition to the picks, the Flames added Maatta, who is a useful veteran defenseman in his own right. He’s a player who needed a fresh start, having been a frequent healthy scratch, and he’s now gotten one in Calgary, where he’ll likely play heavy minutes. He’s averaged just 12:03 time on ice per game this season, way down from his career average of 18:16 per game.
Maatta is under contract for an additional two years at a $3.5MM cap hit, and if he can effectively weather the minutes he’s likely to receive as a Flame, he could be a candidate for the Flames to trade at some point down the line. If that ends up being the case, the Weegar trade could still yet add even more future assets to the Flames organization.
The final piece of the Flames’ return for Weegar is Castagna, who as mentioned is currently a top center for Cornell. The 2023 No. 70 overall pick has had a strong bounce-back year, and according to Scott Wheeler of The Athletic, is an “excellent athlete and skater.” Wheeler noted Castagna was set to slot in as the No. 12 prospect in Utah’s system in his upcoming prospect pool rankings. Francis reported that the Flames are “very excited” about adding Castagna.
While he’s not a high-pedigree prospect with a strong chance of changing the fortunes of the Flames franchise, his addition fits the strategy the Flames appear to have taken with this deal: they’re looking for as many chances as possible to get future long-term NHL contributors.
The Flames, as currently constructed, have quite a few roster needs, so it’s understandable that they would rather spread out their return and give themselves as many chances as possible to land a quality player, rather than shift all of their eggs in one basket in hopes of one target turning into a star.
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Oilers Acquire Jason Dickinson, Colton Dach
9:50 p.m.: Both teams have now officially announced the trade, with the terms corresponding with what had been previously reported.
The conditions on the 2027 first-round pick received by the Blackhawks are as follows: if Edmonton’s 2027 first-rounder is inside the top-12 of the draft order, Edmonton may choose to transfer its 2028 first-round pick to Chicago instead, to be declared prior to the commencement of the 2027 draft. Should Edmonton choose to trade its 2028 first-rounder before the 2027 trade deadline, the 2027 first-round pick will automatically transfer, unconditionally.
7:30 p.m.: Friedman reported that young Blackhawks winger Colton Dach “is another part of this trade conversation to Edmonton.” His inclusion in the deal has not yet been confirmed, but it would help explain how the Blackhawks have managed (alongside the financial aspect of the deal) to land a first-round pick in the trade.
Dach, 23, is an Edmonton native who Bowman selected No. 62 overall in the 2021 draft. The 6’4″ pivot is the brother of Kirby Dach, a Montreal Canadiens center who Bowman selected No. 3 overall at the 2019 draft. Dach has broken into the NHL as a full-time player over the last calendar year, scoring seven points in 25 games last season and nine points in 53 games this season.
Entering the season, he was ranked as the No. 10 prospect in Chicago’s system by the team at Elite Prospects, and No. 10 by The Athletic’s Corey Pronman, who projected him as a future middle-six winger. Dach has averaged 11:40 time on ice per game this season.
6:18 p.m.: The Edmonton Oilers and Chicago Blackhawks are discussing a trade that would send veteran center Jason Dickinson to Edmonton, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. The move comes in the wake of today’s news, via Jason Gregor of Sports 1440 Edmonton, that veteran center Curtis Lazar of the Oilers is set to miss up to four weeks with an undisclosed injury.
According to Frank Seravalli of Frankly Hockey, the deal is currently still being discussed, but would involve Andrew Mangiapane heading the other way, to Chicago. Moving out Mangiapane and his $3.6MM cap hit is likely viewed as necessary for the Oilers to have the breathing room to add Dickinson’s $4.25MM cap hit to their books.
Sportsnet’s Mark Spector reported that the Blackhawks will retain 50% of Dickinson’s deal, meaning the Oilers should be able to comfortably fit in their new player’s cap hit with Mangiapane heading to Chicago.
In addition to those two pieces, Seravalli said the “framework of what’s been discussed” between Edmonton and Chicago includes “another piece” heading to the Oilers, and a conditional draft pick heading to Chicago. The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun has added that as part of the deal, the Blackhawks will receive a top-12 protected 2027 first-round pick from Edmonton in exchange for Dickinson.
Undoubtedly, the Blackhawks’ decision to take on the full freight of Mangiapane’s contract, as well as retain half of Dickinson’s deal, has contributed to the significant asset they were able to extract from the Oilers.
The Athletic’s Scott Powers reported earlier today that the Blackhawks “don’t see a point” in trading Dickinson for a marginal return. If Dickinson is indeed dealt to the Oilers, it will be the second time this week that Edmonton has added a veteran player from Chicago. The Blackhawks traded veteran defenseman Connor Murphy to the Oilers on Monday, and it’s possible that, in the process of negotiating that trade, the possibility of a Dickinson deal was also discussed.
A key factor here is the presence of Oilers GM Stan Bowman. Bowman was the one who acquired Murphy back in 2017, during Bowman’s tenure as GM of the Blackhawks.
While he was no longer GM in Chicago when the team added Dickinson, he would undoubtedly still have many connections within the team’s hockey operations infrastructure, and therefore would potentially have more detailed information on Dickinson than another GM might have access to.
The fit for Dickinson in Edmonton is relatively easy to identify. While he’s not a right-shot center like Lazar, there are stylistic similarities between the two players. Dickinson, 30, is a 6’2″ true center who is a veteran of 549 NHL games. A pending UFA, Dickinson is playing out the final year of a $4.25MM AAV deal.
Early in his tenure in Chicago, it looked as though Dickinson was reaching new heights as an offensive producer. He scored 22 goals and 35 points in his debut campaign with the Blackhawks, riding a career-high 17.5% shooting percentage to a career year, one that landed him down-ballot Selke Trophy consideration.
In the last two seasons, Dickinson’s offensive production has evaporated. In 106 NHL games over the course of 2024-25 and 2025-26, he has managed 13 goals and 29 points. But even though he hasn’t been able to sustain his prior levels of production, he remains a valuable contributor in the specific role he occupies. Dickinson wins just about half of his faceoffs, provides a physical edge, and anchors the Blackhawks’ penalty kill as its top center. When Chicago is defending a late lead or has a big defensive zone draw, more often than not, its Dickinson who hops over the boards first.
That’s the kind of set of skills Edmonton is likely looking for in advance of what it hopes will be another deep playoff run. With two of the game’s best scorers already on the roster, and one of the best offensive defensemen manning the blue line, the Oilers don’t need Dickinson to be his 22-goal, 35-point self for him to provide value in their lineup. If he can maximize his current role as an Oiler, trading for him will be more than worth the cost for Edmonton.
With Lazar’s health uncertain, it certainly makes sense to target a player of Dickinson’s mold. The two forwards occupying top spots on the depth chart with Edmonton’s AHL affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors, are not exact stylistic fits for when an injury is suffered by a defensive bottom-sixer. (Both Isaac Howard and Quinn Hutson are more offensively-oriented.)
The Athletic’s Chris Johnston noted an aspect of the trade that relates to a seemingly unrelated team – the San Jose Sharks. Per the terms of last season’s Jake Walman trade, in which Edmonton surrendered a top-12 protected 2026 first-round pick to San Jose, that pick would become unprotected if Edmonton were ever to trade its 2027 first-rounder. Because they have now done so, Edmonton’s 2026 first-round pick is now owned by the Sharks without restriction.
This is likely a moot point as Edmonton is well on course to secure a playoff spot. It’s nonetheless worth noting that in the event the Oilers endure a shocking fall down the standings, the Sharks are poised to profit.
In any case, the exact details of the trade are yet to be determined. What is clear, at least, is that Bowman isn’t done trying to add veteran help to his roster, and it appears the next area of interest is adding a bottom-six, penalty-killing center.
Photos courtesy of Chris Jones-Imagn Images
Sharks Sign Kiefer Sherwood To Five-Year Extension
2:02 p.m.: Per PuckPedia, Sherwood’s deal will pay him a $4.5MM base salary and $2.5MM signing bonus in 2026-27 and 2027-28. That drops to $4.15MM and $2MM, respectively, for 2028-29, with his base salary then dropping to $2.4MM and the same $2MM signing bonus for 2029-30. He’ll be paid entirely in base salary $4.2MM, in the final year of the deal. The contract also features gradually decreasing trade protection. He’ll start off with a full no-trade clause in 2026-27 that drops to a 16-team no-trade list in 2027-28, then 13 in 2028-29, 10 in 2029-30, and five in the final year of the deal.
1:09 p.m.: The Sharks have confirmed a five-year, $28.75MM deal for Sherwood.
12:13 p.m.: Kiefer Sherwood has gone from a potential trade candidate to a top-nine cornerstone, as Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports the Sharks are close to signing him to a five-year extension worth “a little under” $6MM annually. Chris Johnston of The Athletic adds it’ll be an average annual value of $5.75MM for a total commitment of $28.75MM. The contract also includes signing bonuses and trade protection for the first four seasons, per Frank Seravalli of Victory+.
Sherwood was set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, an undesirable outcome for a still-building Sharks club that paid two second-round picks to acquire him from the Canucks less than two months ago. It was either a second trade or an extension for Sherwood, who has evidently chosen the latter after San Jose general manager Mike Grier stepped up his offer.
Assuming the extension crosses the finish line, Sherwood will be under contract longer than any other Sharks player. Only William Eklund and Alexander Wennberg are under contract through as late as 2028-29, and Sherwood’s new deal will carry him through the 2030-31 season. That’s certainly life as a club slowly exiting from a years-long rebuild, still boasting many entry-level contracts and stopgap veterans on short-term commitments. That will obviously change soon when Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith, and Yaroslav Askarov become eligible to sign extensions on July 1, though.
Sherwood’s reward comes on the heels of a two-point outing against the Canadiens last night in a wild 7-5 win, including the game-winning goal (it was one of four shots he had in the game). Those were his first two points as a Shark after going without one through his first four games in San Jose. At the time he was dealt, he was dealing with an upper-body injury and didn’t debut for them until their final game before the Olympic break.
That brings the 30-year-old up to 18 goals and 25 points in 49 games on the year. It’s an identical point pace and even better goal-scoring pace than last year’s breakout campaign in Vancouver that saw him set the NHL single-season hits record with 462. He’s not checking at that pace this season, but still ranks second in the league with 238 despite the missed time.
A late bloomer, the Miami-Ohio product made his NHL debut as an undrafted free agent with the Ducks in 2018, but was relegated to a mostly minor-league role for the next few years after a 50-game showing as a rookie. That began to change when he landed with the Predators in free agency in 2022. After hovering around or well above a point per game in the AHL through the early 2020s, he received an extended call-up with the Preds in 2022-23 and put up a 7-6–13 scoring line in 32 games in a fourth-line role.
That earned Sherwood an opening-night spot the following season, and he’s remained in the NHL ever since. Since the beginning of the 2023-24 campaign, Sherwood has a 47-45–92 scoring line in 195 games for Nashville, Vancouver, and San Jose with a +5 rating and 934 hits. That’s an average of 20 goals, 39 points, and 393 hits per 82 games.
The league’s most physical forward by definition, the mild goal-scoring upside he’s flashed in that time makes him an intriguing complementary fit higher in San Jose’s lineup alongside either Macklin Celebrini or 2025 #2 pick Michael Misa, quickly emerging as their second-line pivot after a rough start to the campaign. Sherwood is averaging 17:25 of ice time per game in his small sample in San Jose.
There will be undeniable sticker shock to see a recent breakout talent without a years-long track record of top-nine play this late in his pro career land that combination of length and AAV. It’s simply the reality of a new era of aggressive salary-cap increases. Considering past comparables who signed for similar percentages of the cap, the terms of the deal don’t jump out as overly groundbreaking. AFP Analytics projected Sherwood’s extension at five years, with a price tag of $5.75MM annually, which was right on the money.
Image courtesy of Bob Frid-Imagn Images.