The 2026 NHL trade deadline has come and gone with no major moves made. This is the tiem of year when team general managers look to upgrade their rosters one last time before the playoffs. While many trades were diiscussed, five trades stood out as ones that could affect a teams playoff chances. The reason? They do not include major names. However, these trades could have a major effect on the teams making those trades come playoff time.
Sam Carrick, Logan Stanley, Luke Schenn to Buffalo
Sam Carrick is not an elite scorer. Nor is he huge is size. However, he is a player that most teams should have put in a call about. Carrick is a middle-six player who does it all. While he does not have big numbers in point production he does everything else. He is a great defender at even strength or on the penalty kill. He hits everything that moves and fights on occasion, regardless of the size of the opponent. His style of play makes him a player to watch if the Sabres make the playoffs as the playoffs suit his style very well. Good pickup for Buffalo.
Logan Stanley is a massive defenseman at 6-foot-7 and 231 pounds. While not offensively gifted, he can produce in spots from the back end. He uses his size to break up plays and eliminate the opposition with his physical play. Schenn is an old-school type of defenseman who relies soley on his deefense and physical style. He will fight and lay the body whenever the situation rpesents itself. Together, Stanley (6-7) and Schenn (6-2) give Buffalo a massive defense that also includes Rasmus Dahlin (6-3), Owen Power (6-6), and Michael Kesslering (6-5). That size will come into play come playoff time.
Bobby McCann to the Kraken
Bobby McCann is going from an offensive team in the Toronto Maple Leafs to a team that does not have much offensively in the Seattle Kraken. However, Seattle is starting to accumulate some offensive pieces that could change things. A bottom-six player in Toronto, he may be asked to play in the top-six in Seattle. He could see power play time as he does have big offensive potential and is another player that could be looked upon as the Kraken look to build something for next season.
Timothy Liljegren to the Capitals
Defenseman Timothy Liljegren has seen a couple of stops in his short NHL career but this may be the one he breaks out with. With the San Jose Sharks and Maple Leafs, he was not given a big opportunity due to little ice time and was demoted to the minors. However, Washington lost a big offensive piece in John Carlson and they need someone to produce from the defensive position. Liljegren could also see time on the power play too as that position has been voided by the loss of Carlson. His playing time should increase as he will be given a bigger role with additional point production come playoff time.
Nicolas Deslauriers to Carolina
One thing that has kept the Carolina Hurricanes from making a deep playoff run is the lack of physical players in the lineup. While they do have offensive players and a well-rounded team this position is lacking. However, in picking up Deslauriers from the Philadelphia Flyers, he immediately fills that void. he will score th odd goal from time to time but he is out on the ice for one thing and that is play a physical game. he will stick up for teammates and fight when the Hurricanes need a tyurnoaround. He will play a big role when the playoffs start as he is a big body that will park himself in fornt of the net for screens and deflections. Good add for Carolina.
The deadlien is over and the dust has settled. People will talk winners and losers but these trades could have a big impact that is not talked about. They do not include big names but the impact they make could be massive, These are the deals that make the differnce between winning a round in the playoffs and lifting the Stanley Cup. Do not be surprised if one of the players on the list above is lifting the Stanley Cup due to one of their performances.