March 6, 2026
Detroit Red Wings goaltender John Gibson (upper body) will return to work on Friday against the Florida Panthers. He has been named the starter for Friday night after missing Wednesday's loss to Vegas with an upper-body injury. Gibson has been strong between the sticks this season, posting a 23-12-2 record with four shutouts. He holds a 2.58 goals-against average and a .906 save percentage. On Friday, Gibson draws a good matchup, as Florida has dropped nine of its last 11 games and has scored two or fewer goals in four of the past six contests.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
March 6, 2026
Dallas Stars center Roope Hintz (illness) will return from a four-game absence on Friday night against the Colorado Avalanche. Due to illness, the Finnish forward hasn't played for the Stars since the Olympics. Hintz will resume his role as the top-line center, with Wyatt Johnston shifting to the right wing. Mavrik Bourque is expected to move down to the third line. Across 52 games this season, Hintz has tallied 15 goals and 29 assists. He has recorded points in three of his last four regular-season games against Colorado.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
March 6, 2026
Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (lower body) returned to practice on Friday. He skated for the first time since suffering a lower-body injury at the Olympics. Last Wednesday, Crosby was ruled out for at least four weeks. However, it seems there's a chance the Penguins captain might return sooner. While it's great news for the Penguins and fantasy managers to see Crosby back on the ice Friday, he has not been cleared for contact and isn't expected to play during Pittsburgh's back-to-back set this weekend. With Crosby out, Thomas Novak held the top-line center spot in Thursday's loss to Buffalo, while Ben Kindel has also seen increased usage recently.
--Taavi PailkSource: Sportsnet
March 6, 2026
Left wing Bobby McMann will finish the 2025-26 season with the Seattle Kraken. He was traded on Friday by the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for a 2027 second-round pick and a 2026 fourth-round pick. McMann is in the final season of a two-year, $2.7 million contract. While McMann was a top-six regular in Toronto, it's not yet clear where he'll fit into the Kraken's lineup. The 29-year-old is aiming for his first 40-point campaign, amassing 19 goals and 13 assists in 60 appearances so far.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
March 6, 2026
The Detroit Red Wings acquired defenseman Justin Faulk from the St. Louis Blues on Friday in exchange for a 2026 first-round pick, a 2026 third-round pick, defenseman Justin Holl, and forward prospect Dmitri Buchelnikov. Faulk spent six and a half seasons with the Blues, recording 32 points (11 goals, 21 assists), 116 shots, 102 blocks, and 49 hits in 61 appearances this term. The veteran blue-liner has had a decent campaign on a bad team and will have an opportunity to improve his production with the playoff-chasing Red Wings. He's going to be part of the top-four group in Motown and will likely strengthen the second power-play unit.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
March 6, 2026
Center Nazem Kadri rejoined the Colorado Avalanche in a trade deadline deal on Friday. After winning the Stanley Cup with the Avalanche in 2022, Kadri signed a seven-year, $49 million contract with the Calgary Flames as a free agent. Now, he's back in town after Colorado re-acquired Kadri from Calgary in exchange for forward Victor Olofsson, unsigned draft pick Maxmilian Curran, a conditional 2028 first-round pick, and a conditional 2027 second-round pick. Additionally, the Avalanche received a 2027 fourth-round pick as part of the deal. Calgary will retain 20 percent of Kadri's salary. Kadri had a career year with the Avalanche in 2021-22 and could increase his productivity down the stretch. He has recorded 41 points (12 goals, 29 assists) in 61 games this season.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
March 6, 2026
The New York Islanders acquired center Brayden Schenn from the St Louis Blues for a first-round pick, a third-round pick, and a prospect to be named later on Friday. Schenn is having a down year with just 12 goals and 28 points this season, but a change of scenery on a better team like the islanders can help improve his production. He will most likely be the second-line center behind Bo Horvat.
--Marko23Source: Darren Dreger
March 6, 2026
The Pittsburgh Penguins have acquired forward Elmer Soderblom from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for a 2026 third-round draft pick. Soderblom has appeared in 39 games this season, scoring just two goals and occupying a minimal role on the team. The 24-year-old is signed through the 2026-27 season, and his contract has an average annual value of $1.125 million. Despite the move to the Penguins and a change of scenery, Soderblom is not on the fantasy radar outside of the deepest formats and dynasty leagues.
--Marko23Source: @penguins
March 6, 2026
The Tampa Bay Lightning have acquired forward Corey Perry from the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for a second-round draft pick. The 40-year-old will reunite with the team that he spent two seasons with in 2021-22 and 2022-23, while he provides the Lightning with veteran presence and plenty of playoff experience. Perry scored 11 goals and totaled 28 points through 50 games as a member of the Kings during the 2025-26 NHL season.
--Marko23Source: Elliotte Friedman
March 6, 2026
The Minnesota Wild are closing in on a deal for forward Nick Foligno from the Chicago Blackhawks, with the return currently unknown. The veteran forward will team up with his brother, Marcus Foligno, who has played for the Wild for the past nine seasons. The 38-year-old has scored three goals and totaled 11 points through 37 games, and he will occupy a bottom-six role with the contending Wild.
--Marko23Source: Frank Seravalli
March 6, 2026
The Minnesota Wild have acquired forward Bobby Brink from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for defenseman David Jiricek. The 24-year-old is in the final season of his two-year contract, and he is set to become a restricted free agent this summer. Brink, who was a former second-round draft pick, brings some scoring depth to the Wild forward group, as he has totaled 13 goals and 26 points through 55 games.
--Marko23Source: Elliotte Friedman
March 6, 2026
The Vegas Golden Knights acquired center Nic Dowd from the Washington Capitals in exchange for goaltender Jesper Vikman, a 2027 third-round pick, and a 2029 second-round pick. Serving in a bottom-six role, Dowd registered 16 points (four goals, 12 assists), 48 shots, 43 blocks, and 113 hits in 55 outings with the Capitals this season. He led all forwards on the team with an average of 2:40 short-handed ice time. Dowd is on track to record a fifth consecutive 20-point campaign, adding depth in the middle for the Golden Knights, who have lost Brett Howden (lower body) and William Karlsson (lower body) to injuries.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
March 6, 2026
The Minnesota Wild have brought in defenseman Jeff Petry from the Florida Panthers ahead of Friday's trade deadline. The 16-year veteran was acquired in exchange for a 2026 seventh-round draft pick. Petry is averaging a career-low 14:51 of ice time this season, and his offensive output was limited to eight assists in 58 games with the Panthers. Additionally, he has recorded 135 shots, 57 blocks, and 59 hits. Petry, who turned 38 in December, no longer has any fantasy value in the later stages of his career, but he will bring veteran experience and depth to the Wild's blue line, which has struggled with injuries for much of the season.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
March 6, 2026
The Toronto Maple Leafs traded forward Nicolas Roy to the Colorado Avalanche for a conditional first-round pick in 2027 and a conditional fifth-round pick in 2026. Roy, who arrived in Toronto during the offseason as part of the deal that saw Mitchell Marner move to Vegas, posted 20 points (five goals, 15 assists) in 59 outings with the Maple Leafs. If Roy can't improve his scoring rate in Colorado, he will finish with fewer than 30 points for the first time in five years. The 29-year-old will strengthen a forward line that has recently lost Artturi Lehkonen (upper body) and Joel Kiviranta (concussion).
--Taavi PailkSource: Sportsnet
March 6, 2026
The Detroit Red Wings re-acquired winger David Perron (groin) from the Ottawa Senators in exchange for a conditional 2026 fourth-round draft pick. The veteran forward enjoyed a good two-year spell in Motown a few campaigns back before moving to Ottawa, amassing 103 points (41 goals, 62 assists) in 158 appearances. As a member of the Senators, his points per game average dropped from 0.65 to 0.45. It would be a big boost for Detroit's offense if Perron can rekindle some of the old magic he once had on the team. Perron, who has tallied 25 points (10 goals, 15 assists) in 49 appearances this season, is currently recovering from a sports hernia surgery, which is expected to keep him out for at least one more week.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
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