Olympic Hockey Shifts NHL Values
Post-2026 Winter Olympics buzz focuses on NHL playoff races and trade values, with Dom Luszczyszyn's Playoff Report noting upward trends for ANA, BUF, BOS, CBJ and declines for FLA, NJD, WSH, EDM. Olympic performances are shifting trade stocks, including Blues' Binnington and Canucks' Pettersson.
- St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington is in the midst of a six-year, $36 million contract, which carries an annual salary cap hit of $6 million through the 2026-27 season. His contract includes a modified no-trade clause that allows him to submit a 14-team no-trade list for the 2025-26 season. - Elias Pettersson's trade situation is complicated by the massive eight-year, $92.8 million contract extension he signed with the Vancouver Canucks, which carries an $11.6 million average annual value through 2031-32 and includes a no-movement clause. His performance was also reportedly hampered by a knee injury during the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. - The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina marked the first time NHL players participated in the tournament since 2014. The gold medal game between the USA and Canada drew 18.6 million viewers in the U.S., the largest audience for a hockey game since the 2010 Olympics, amplifying the impact of player performances. - Team USA's Jack Hughes (New Jersey Devils) scored the "Golden Goal" in overtime against Canada to win the Olympic final. The goaltender for Canada in that game was Jordan Binnington. - The Florida Panthers, noted as a team in decline, are eight points out of a playoff spot with several pending unrestricted free agents, including starting goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. General Manager Bill Zito called the week leading up to the trade deadline "very important" for determining the team's strategy. - The Edmonton Oilers' downward trend comes after significant roster turnover, losing 26% of the skaters from their 2024-25 Stanley Cup Final team. The team is also navigating major salary cap hits from new extensions for Leon Draisaitl and Evan Bouchard, with Connor McDavid's next contract negotiation on the horizon. - Following the conclusion of the Olympics, NHL teams have a tight 10-day window to make moves before the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline at 3 p.m. ET on March 6.
