The NHL’s trade deadline has officially come and gone after altering the league landscape on Friday afternoon. There was no shortage of action as contending teams loaded up for the home stretch of the season, while others shifted gears toward next year and beyond.
Among the main players dealt were a major star, a franchise icon, and plenty of other moves around the margins. So, what does the fallout of trade season look like when it comes to contenders’ chances to raise Lord Stanley?
How did the NHL trade deadline affect contenders’ Stanley Cup odds?
Deadline day saw several shifts among championship odds, but there’s a new favorite to win it all on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Dallas Stars, +600
The Dallas Stars, previously tied with the Florida Panthers for the second-best title odds, jumped from +800 to +600 and are now the leader among all teams. What propelled them to the top? Just the acquisition of the biggest name on the trade market and former Stanley Cup champion, Mikko Rantanen.
This feels a bit like deja vu since the Carolina Hurricanes traded for the star forward earlier this season, but upon hearing Rantanen wouldn’t be signing an extension in Carolina, the Stars decided one team’s loss is another team’s gain and swept in. The framework for a deal developed late Thursday night and the Stars were given permission to negotiate a new contract with the 28-year old. The two sides agreed on a massive eight-year, $96 million extension and Rantanen was officially shipped to Dallas in exchange for Logan Stankoven, two future first-round picks, and two future third-rounders.
After the Stars’ last two seasons both ended in heartbreaking Western Conference Finals losses, two-time Executive of the Year Jim Nill seemingly decided it was time to swing for the fences. In Rantonen, Dallas gets a top-10 scorer who’s tallied at least 90 points in each of his last three campaigns. He’s a fantastic fit with this Stars squad and gives them another deadly goal-scorer among a lethal top-six. With Rantonen in the mix, they appear equipped to finally exorcise their playoff demons and get over the hill for the first time since 1999.
Florida Panthers, +650
The Florida Panthers nearly jumped as high as the Stars in the race to the top after their title odds increased from +800 to +650 following the deadline. Their acquisition was arguably more shocking, though.
In the hours before the final buzzer, the Panthers acquired center Brad Marchand for the low cost of a second-round pick. The Boston Bruins were widely expected to embrace their looming rebuild, however, that didn’t make the trade of a franchise icon any less jarring. After 16 years with the Bruins, Marchand will don another jersey for the first time in his career. How weird.
As strange as it’ll be to see him in red and blue, the 36-year-old still has gas in the tank. Marchand’s got 47 points across 61 games and is a near-seamless fit with Paul Maurice’s coaching philosophy and the team’s style of play. While the 2027 second-round pick it cost the Panthers is a conditional one and can potentially become a 2028 first-rounder instead, they’re chasing back-to-back titles. Contenders make contender moves.
Edmonton Oilers, +800
Prior to the trade deadline, the Oilers sat atop DraftKings Sportsbook with the best odds to win the Cup at +650. However, they slipped a bit today while Florida and Dallas gained ground and passed Edmonton in the rankings. Now, the Oilers possess the third-best odds at +800.
They only made a single trade on deadline day, but it’s a solid one nonetheless. Edmonton sent center Carl Berglund and a first-round pick to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for Jake Walman.
Walman is a 29-year-old defenseman with 32 points in 50 appearances for a struggling Sharks team in the midst of a rebuild. While not a star by any means, he’ll be productive in the Oilers’ lines and does make them better — they likely slipped in the odds because of other contenders’ gains rather than their own shortcomings. With Connor McDavid and a very talented squad overall, Edmonton remains squarely in the mix.
Colorado Avalanche, +1000
Finally, the Colorado Avalanche made a pretty large leap in championship odds today. They sat at +1400 to win a title before the deadline but have now moved to +1000 odds, fourth-best in the NHL overall.
Charlie Coyle was acquired from the Bruins along with a future fifth-round pick for Casey Mittelstadt, William Zellers, and a 2025 second-rounder. The winger is 33 years old, but the Avs need all the depth they can get ahead of a playoff push.
It’s not an earth-moving trade, but Coyle is a solid player and should get plenty of time on ice with Colorado. While they remain relative long-shots to win it all, Nathan MacKinnon’s prowess means they could make a run if they get hot at the right time. The most interesting storyline to watch? A potential first-round playoff matchup with the rival Dallas Stars, who bounced the Avalanche last postseason and now have a disgruntled former Av on the roster in Rantanen. If it happens, that series may be a grudge match to remember.
