NHL Trade Buzz: Panthers have ‘very important week’ before Deadline

Welcome to the NHL Trade Buzz. There are nine days remaining until the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline (3 p.m. ET; March 6). Here's a look around the League at the latest Deadline doings:

Florida Panthers

Panthers general manager Bill Zito said this week will determine how he approaches the Trade Deadline, and potentially a push for a third straight Stanley Cup championship.

Florida returns from the break for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 with back-to-back games against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, TSN4, TVAS) and the Buffalo Sabres on Friday. Then, after a day off, they visit the New York Islanders on Sunday, the start of a four-game road trip.

"This is obviously a very important week," Zito said. "We may have easy answers, or easy questions to answer, at the end of it. Or we may have real difficult ones, I don't know. I will be watching every game."

The Panthers (29-25-3) are eight points behind the Boston Bruins for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference.

Florida has six players who can be unrestricted free agents after the season -- forwards A.J. Greer, Cole Schwindt and Luke Kunin, defenseman Uvis Balinskis, and goalies Sergei Bobrovsky and Daniil Tarasov.

Or, if they want to add, one option to open space under the salary cap would be putting center Aleksander Barkov on long-term injured reserve because of a knee injury, but that would eliminate his potential chance to return during the playoffs.

"There is any number of scenarios that may present themselves," Zito said. "We just have to be poised to make decisions for each of the fact patterns that are presented to us. And we will."

Winnipeg Jets

Jonathan Toews plans to remain with the Jets, even with their chances of qualifying for the playoffs seemingly a long shot at best.

"I wouldn't consider going anywhere,” Toews told The Athletic on Monday. “I want to keep playing for this team.”

The Jets (22-26-8) are 11 points behind the Anaheim Ducks for the second wild card in the Western Conference entering their game at the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday (10 p.m. ET; SNP, TSN3), but that hasn’t dampened the enthusiasm of the 37-year-old center, who hasn’t thought at all about the prospect of moving ahead of the Trade Deadline.

Toews, who has a no-movement clause in the one-year, $2 million contract he signed July 1, 2025, has been eligible to sign another contract with Winnipeg since Jan. 1. He can become an unrestricted free agent after this season but said he hasn't pondered going anywhere else.

"I'm obviously thankful the Jets organization and coaching staff have given me [an opportunity] to play in the NHL again,” Toews said. “It was an adjustment period this year, but I want to keep playing for this team."

Toews, who missed all of the previous two seasons dealing with long-term COVID-19, has 19 points (seven goals, 12 assists) in 56 games this season.

Toronto Maple Leafs 

In a letter to season-ticket holders, the Maple Leafs will do "whatever is needed for this team to make the next step."

Toronto (27-21-9) has qualified for the playoffs nine straight seasons, but it is six points behind Boston for the second wild card in the East entering its game at Tampa Bay on Wednesday (7:30 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, truTV, TNT, SN, TVAS).

"The 2025-26 season for the Maple Leafs, so far, has been a series of ups and downs, and unfortunately with a number of key injuries that have affected the team, we are not currently in the position we had anticipated, but that is professional sports," wrote Keith Pelley, president and CEO of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment. "This team has made the playoffs nine seasons in a row, the longest streak in the NHL and something to be proud of, but as I have said since joining the organization (in 2024), our goal is to not just make the playoffs, and we will do whatever is needed for this team to make the next step.

"We understand this team's strengths, as well as the areas we need to address. ... While we always strive to be as open as possible, I know that you understand, in the world of professional sports, protecting competitive advantages is paramount and limits our ability to reveal team strategy until the appropriate time."

Calgary Flames

Blake Coleman was activated from injured reserve Friday, and the 34-year-old forward understands he could be traded with the Flames (23-27-6) 11 points behind the Ducks for the second wild card in the West.

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't aware of everything and keeping up with it," Coleman said. "It's a lot of moving pieces at this stage of my life with family and kids. It's not just me anymore.

"The dialogue's been open and pretty clear. I always looked at it the same. From Day 1, I'm a Flame until I'm told I'm not and I'm going to bring my best every day here."

Coleman practiced without a noncontact jersey Feb. 18 for the first time since sustaining an upper-body injury during a 4-1 loss at Boston on Jan. 8. He has 21 points (13 goals, eight assists) in 44 games and is second on the Flames in goals, behind Matt Coronato (14).

He said he has had conversations with Calgary general manager Craig Conroy.

"That's the good thing about 'Conny,' he's lived it," Coleman said. "He's been in my shoes and guys in the room's shoes. There's a lot of mutual respect and understanding the situation on both sides. I don't think it's a lack of appreciation for anyone here, I think it's just the situation we're in."

The Flames visit the San Jose Sharks on Thursday (10 p.m. ET; NBCSCA, SN1).