NHL Hockey 3d Briefing
×Trade Deadline Activity
NHL trade deadline espn.com approaches this Friday with the market remaining quiet so far. The Predators traded winger Smith espn.com to the Golden Knights in exchange for prospect defenseman Christoffer Sedoff and a 2028 third-round pick. Meanwhile, the Wild acquired McCarron espn.com from Nashville for a 2028 second-round pick, while the Oilers fortified their defense espn.com by dealing for Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy. Vincent Trocheck espn.com has Western Conference teams on his no-trade list, preferring an East Coast destination if moved by the Rangers.
Cap Rules & Trade Projections
New NHL cap rules espn.com are frustrating teams and executives ahead of Friday's deadline, complicating trade discussions. Analysts have projected six win-win trades espn.com that could occur before 3 p.m. on Friday, suggesting specific deals teams should consider to strengthen their rosters for the playoff push.
Coaching Changes & Injuries
The L.A. Kings fired coach Hiller espn.com after two seasons, naming associate head coach D.J. Smith as interim. The Kings lost their first game espn.com under the new coaching staff, while the Avalanche became the first NHL team with 40 wins this season. In injury news, Rangers captain Miller espn.com was placed on injured reserve with an upper-body injury, and Knights captain Stone espn.com left a game against the Penguins with an undisclosed injury.
Team Recognition & Fantasy
The Sabres honored Thompson espn.com and Eichel in a ceremony recognizing their Olympic gold medal wins. For fantasy hockey managers, weekly pickups espn.com include Evander Kane and Luke Hughes as valuable additions before the trade deadline. Meanwhile, Meredith Gaudreau thanked U.S. men's hockey espn.com for their Olympic gold medal victory, which came after the tragic death of her husband Johnny Gaudreau.