NHL Trade Deadline Countdown: Which Blockbuster Deals Are About to Drop?

Trade winds barely whispering through the NHL corridors have got me scratching my head — when exactly will the trade chatter break into a full-blown storm this season? I mean, we all crave those blockbuster moves that shake up our fantasy leagues and ignite heated debates around the water cooler. But here’s the kicker — the early shots fired, like that Lukas Reichel trade to Vancouver, seem more like a tentative tap than a cannon blast. Chris Johnston recently shared some insider vibes on The Chris Johnston Show, hinting that while talks have warmed up over the past ten days or so, the fireworks? Eh, not quite yet. The free-agent market’s cooling faster than you’d expect, with big names like Jacob Markstrom quietly locking down deals, thinning out options for teams desperate to make a splash via trades. It’s a game of patience, strategy, and timing — teams need those urgent needs and desirable assets aligning just right to set trade wheels in motion. And sometimes all it takes is a single domino falling, sparking a cascading effect as we edge nearer to that iconic U.S. Thanksgiving timeline, which notoriously marks a shift in NHL trade dynamics. So, hold tight. The dam might not burst today, but these subtle currents are setting the stage for something… potentially game-changing. LEARN MORE

When are the NHL trades coming?

The Chris Johnston Show: Chris Johnston, when asked about the trade market and when will things get going?

** NHLRumors.com transcription

Julian McKenzie: “CJ, I’ll keep it going here. From the Fighting Mongoose, you do these questions about trades, knew would be coming. Do you think there could be some early-season trades this year, or do we have to wait till closer to the trade deadline? We just want these trades, CJ.

Johnston: “Yeah, I don’t know what’s going to happen. You know, I sense that there’s more discussion getting going around the league, the last, I’ll call it like week or 10 days. You know, that doesn’t always produce results, but, you know, you at least need teams that feel they have needs, and teams that feel they have players that they might look to move. And you need those discussions happening, generally speaking, to stoke the trade market.

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You know, you did have the (Lukas) Reichel deal to Vancouver under those kind of circumstances, and the Canucks just felt like they had to get a live body, forward in there to help their team. And so some of that is coming.

But, I mean, I do think November is going to include a little bit more action. But I have no reason at this point in time to think that we got a bunch of fireworks coming.

You know, we still have. The UFA market is getting weaker even since our last show. I know we focus on that then, I mean, Jacob Markstrom, you know, as I did just mention, on that show, but formally signs his two-year deal over the weekend, $6 million per season, there’s another goalie off the market.

I mean, trades are going to have to be a way to solve problems for teams or for ways to get better. I mean, I know we’re a long way from 2026 free agency, but the fact remains, there’s, there’s not a lot there. And so I’m hoping that can prompt some trade activity.

You know, the sort of trades that typically get made during the season are all about addressing issues of the moment, and either for a team trying to bolster up for a stronger run or filling a lineup need or what have you. But it’s a long way of saying, not overly optimistic that if we’re the dam is going to break anytime soon.

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But that sometimes it just takes one, one thing happening there can be trickled down effects. So you know, we do know US Thanksgiving is seems to be this mythical day on the NHL calendar, and we’re getting closer, closer to that.

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