NHL Trade Buzz: Trocheck game-time decision for Rangers with Deadline looming

Welcome to the NHL Trade Buzz. There is one day remaining until the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline (Friday, 3 p.m. ET). Here's a look around the League at the latest deadline doings:

New York Rangers

Vincent Trocheck will be a game-time decision when the New York Rangers host the Toronto Maple Leafs at Madison Square Garden (7 p.m. ET; MSG, TSN4).

The Rangers forward confirmed Tuesday he is prepared to be traded and that he has a 12-team no trade list and is not interested in going to a team on the West Coast.

The 32-year-old center has three seasons remaining on a seven-year, $39.375 million contract (average annual value of $5.625 million) he signed with the Rangers on July 13, 2022. He has 39 points (12 goals, 27 assists) in 46 games.

“Right now, everybody is a game-time decision,” Rangers coach Mike Sullivan said Thursday morning. “Obviously there’s uncertainty around this week, but everybody is a game-time decision.”

The Rangers (23-29-8) are eighth in the Metropolitan Division, 19 points behind the Boston Bruins for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference.

Carolina Hurricanes

Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour said there is a fine line when it comes to making trades for a team expected to contend for the Stanley Cup.

Carolina (39-16-6) is first in the Metropolis Division, nine points ahead of the Pittsburgh Penguins and the New York Islanders.

The Hurricanes have made it to the Eastern Conference Final two of the past three seasons and are looking to take the next step this season.

"When you bring people in, that means people have to go out or their roles change but at the same time, you always want to get better," Brind'Amour said Thursday. "If there's a chance to improve, you have to be doing it, especially where we are and you watch other teams and what they're doing. They're pushing it."

The Hurricanes play at the Edmonton Oilers on Friday (9 p.m. ET; SNW, FDSNSO) in the third of a four-game road trip. Carolina won 6-4 at the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday and is 8-1-1 in its last 10 games. 

"We'll see what happens," Brind'Amour said. "If we do stuff that's making it better, then we'll be happy and if we don't, we're happy with the group we have obviously."

Utah Mammoth

General manager Bill Armstrong said no-movement clauses in contracts have made it more difficult to make trades.

The Mammoth acquired defenseman MacKenzie Weegar from the Calgary Flames for defenseman Olli Maatta, forward prospect Jonathan Castagna and three second-round picks in the 2026 NHL Draft on Thursday.

“That’s the new normal of the NHL, that when you’re making deals, a lot of them have trade protection so you have to go through, explain a little bit about our team, a little bit about Utah,” Armstrong said. “As you know, Utah’s a new city to the National Hockey League and you want to explain a little bit of who we are and where we’re headed. I think we’ve played Calgary pretty tough over the years, so I think he had a good understanding of how we play and what we are. He’s been in to Utah before and seen the loudest building in the National Hockey League.”

Utah (32-25-4) is the fourth in the Central Division and are the first wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference, one point ahead of the Seattle Kraken.

“We wake up every morning trying to improve the team,” Armstrong said. “That’s our biggest thing; via trade, via waivers, watching our young players play in Tuscon (American Hockey League) and their improvement and when they’re ready to take that step we’re trying to put them into our lineup. This is a club right now that is pushing to get into the playoffs, take that next step, and we’re hungry to make it better every single day.”

Chicago Blackhawks

The Blackhawks have already traded three players. Could captain Nick Foligno be the next one to go before the Deadline?

“I’ve made it no surprise how much I care about this group, especially as a guy who’s led this group for a few years," the 38-year-old forward said after practice on Thursday. "You feel weird when you have those hard conversations (with the general manager), but it’s the reality of where we’re sitting and when you have expiring contracts or the age I’m at.

“There’s always a personal thing that you go through, too, where you want to still compete and battle and win. So that’s the fight that you have. I believe in this group so much. It’s been an absolute honor to be the captain here, so I’m still fully committed to that until told otherwise, but there’s a competitor inside you too that wants to play meaningful games.”

Defenseman Connor Murphy was traded to the Edmonton Oilers on Monday while forwards Jason Dickinson and Colton Dach were traded to Edmonton on Wednesday for forward Andrew Mangiapane.

Foligno is in the final season of the two-year, $9 million contract ($4.5 million average annual value) he signed on Jan. 9, 2024. He has 11 points (three goals, eight assists) in 37 games this season. 

The Blackhawks (23-28-10) are 11 points behind the Seattle Kraken for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference.

Edmonton Oilers 

General manager Stan Bowman said the Oilers are likely done dealing following the acquisition of Dickinson and Dach in a trade with the Blackhawks for Mangiapane and a conditional first-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft on Wednesday.

Edmonton also acquired Murphy from Chicago for a second-round pick in the 2028 NHL Draft on Tuesday. 

“I would imagine that we’re done, I don’t expect to make other moves,” Bowman said Thursday. “Part of our job is to see what’s out there, but if I’m looking at where we’re at, I think any further addition wouldn’t be a significant one, if it is, it’s in a depth role. Something that made sense, certainly we would look at it, but likely I would say this is our team.” 

Edmonton (30-24-8) is third in the Pacific Division, three points behind the Anaheim Ducks and four back of the Vegas Golden Knights. 

The Oilers next host the Carolina Hurricanes at Rogers Place on Friday (9 p.m. ET; SNW, FDSNSO). 

Bowman said this was a unique season leading up to the deadline with the trade freeze during the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, the implementation of a salary cap in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and the limited number of contracts where teams were able to retain salary. 

“There wasn’t a lot of games from the restart of the Olympics and the deadline,” Bowman said. “I think some teams were deciding, are they going to sell or are they going to buy, based on a few games. 

“I could be proven wrong tomorrow, but I don’t think there will end up being as many trades, maybe quantity-wise as there was and it’s probably due to those (factors).”