The NHL is officially in its 2026 Winter Olympics break. That gives teams a chance to reset before returning to action in late February, making this a perfect time to look at some of the biggest storylines heading into the stretch run.
Will the Maple Leafs Sell?
First up, will the Toronto Maple Leafs sell? As it stands right now, they are six points out of the second wild card spot and will only have six games to play before the trade deadline once the break ends. That doesn’t give them a lot of time to figure things out, which is why many believe their direction will depend heavily on how they look in those first few games back.
They return in late February with a back-to-back against the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers. If they play well, it likely buys them some time. But if they lose both games and miss out on four points, falling further behind in the standings, it could push them firmly toward selling.
Does Panarin’s Trade Shake Up the Market?
Next, does the Artemi Panarin trade to the Los Angeles Kings shake up the market? In other words, will we see more movement around the NHL once the roster freeze lifts, now that Panarin is off the board? It certainly feels like that could be the case. There are a lot of names floating around the rumour mill, and typically, when a big-name player becomes available, the market tends to stall. Once that player is finally moved, things usually open up pretty quickly.
Panarin Kings extension
At this year’s trade deadline, there are several teams that appear ready to sell aggressively. The Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, and New York Rangers have all made it clear that multiple players could be available. With Panarin no longer holding up the market, there’s a good chance we see more trades start to fall into place shortly after the freeze ends.
Can the Red Wings and Sabres End Their Droughts?
This season feels different for both the Detroit Red Wings and the Buffalo Sabres. As we head into the break, both teams are in strong positions in the standings and are expected to still be there when play resumes. For the Red Wings, there’s even a path to pushing for the top spot in the Atlantic Division, which could make them buyers at the deadline. As for the Sabres, while there’s always a chance they slide, they’ve been one of the better teams in the league over the past few months, so it doesn’t feel likely.
It’s been a long time coming for both fan bases. But if things hold, we could be looking at playoff hockey in both Detroit and Buffalo for the first time in close to, or even more than, a decade.
Next: Is Panarin Worth More than Draisaitl? The Kraken Apparently Thought So…
