Friedman Breaks Down Key Trades After Wild NHL Deadline

The 2026 NHL trade deadline started quietly and ended in a flurry, the kind of finish that reminds you why everyone watches the clock tick down. The biggest stories? Nazem Kadri went back to the Colorado Avalanche, and Brayden Schenn is joining the New York Islanders. Both moves landed late Friday, sparking analysis from Friedman and Sportsnet’s Kyle Bukauskas on how it all came together

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Kadri to Colorado Showed Well on the Flames

Kadri’s return to Colorado didn’t just help the Avalanche; it was a feel-good moment in the middle of an up-and-down deadline week. Friedman noted that the Flames and Avalanche had talked about the trade earlier in the week, but nothing seemed to click. Everyone walked away frustrated, Kadri included.

Then, bam—deadline day, the deal finally happens. For Colorado, they get a familiar top player without giving up a top player from their roster. And for Calgary, it’s a chance to keep rebuilding while sending a player to the place he wanted. Friedman called it “a solid win on both sides,” and it really was—no messy drama, just a smart, late adjustment.

Schenn Finally Decided to Make a Move

Brayden Schenn’s another one. Friedman mentioned he held off deciding until the very last minute — that tells you something right there. The Blues were signalling they were ready to change things, so Schenn had to figure out what he wanted. He went with the Islanders, which gives them a reliable vet and lets the Blues keep moving forward with their rebuild.

Friedman said the Blues were “looking to adjust their group and weren’t going to do everything they wanted, but they did some important things,” which feels like a fair summary of the quiet-but-meaningful work done that day.

The Blues Also Made a Couple of Minor Moves

Another minor move, such as Justin Faulk to Detroit, happened. But trade chatter around Robert Thomas, Colton Parayko, and even Jordan Binnington shows that even when the deadline looks slow, there’s a lot going on under the surface.

Friedman and Bukauskas both made the point that the real story isn’t just who got traded, it’s about how teams are thinking about the future, balancing short-term need with long-term plans.

At the Trade Deadline, the Clock Rules Everything

At the end of the day, the deadline reminded us that the clock rules everything. Kadri went back “home,” Schenn moved on, and the rest of the league’s shuffle could reshape playoff races. As Friedman put it: sometimes the quietest days hide the most important moves, and Friday was proof enough.

Related: Sens Make Two Trades: Acquire Foegele, Ship Out Perron