Avalanche, Predators momentum after deadline
Since the deadline the Avalanche have climbed to a top‑10 power play and Nashville has surged from the standings’ basement into a wild‑card spot — two clear examples of teams flipping their late‑season narratives. (nytimes.com; stamfordadvocate.com)
Colorado’s deadline wheeling included reacquiring Nazem Kadri from Calgary on March 6, 2026 and adding Nicolas Roy, Brett Kulak and Nick Blankenburg in separate moves at the deadline. (nhl.com) (dailyfaceoff.com) Kadri has registered multiple points in his first weeks back with Colorado, recording a string of assists and power‑play contributions across games from March 8–24, according to his game log. (espn.com) Colorado’s man‑advantage has surged in March, averaging 23.1% on the power play this month versus a season‑long rate that sat in the mid‑teens earlier in the year. (statmuse.com) The Avalanche sit atop the Central Division with more than 100 points entering the final weeks of the season, a position front offices and analysts flagged as strengthened by the deadline additions. (statmuse.com) Nashville’s climb began after a Dec. 8, 2025 low point when the club sat last in the league; the Predators now occupy the second Western Conference wild‑card spot with 77 points and 34–29–9 on the season. (nbcsports.com) (cbssports.com) The Predators entered the stretch with a three‑point gap behind Utah for the first wild‑card berth but held a game in hand, and the surge has been paced by Filip Forsberg’s 30+ goals and 60+ point campaign alongside goaltender Juuse Saros, who has accumulated 20+ wins this season. (wkrn.com) (espn.com 1) (espn.com 2)
