Top 5 Stanley Cup contenders after the NHL trade deadline

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The NHL's 2025-26 trade deadline passed on Friday, shifting the balance and altering the rosters of several Stanley Cup contenders. This writer's Cup preseason pick this season was the Colorado Avalanche, and that feeling has only gotten stronger in the wake of the Avalanche's additions in recent days. But other teams near the fourth or fifth place on this list prior to the deadline have slipped off the list in favor of other teams that improved at the deadline.

Why it matters

The NHL trade deadline is a crucial moment in the season, as teams make moves to bolster their rosters for a Stanley Cup run. The decisions made by general managers can significantly impact the balance of power in the league and determine which teams emerge as the top contenders for the championship.

The details

The Avalanche went into the trade deadline as the NHL's best team, and they got significantly better at the deadline, adding a defenseman in former Pittsburgh Penguin Brett Kulak, a center in former Toronto Maple Leaf Nicolas Roy, and an even better center in former Calgary Flame Nazem Kadri. The Stars had the NHL's second-best record going into the deadline and acquired defenseman Tyler Myers from the Vancouver Canucks, as well as winger Michael Bunting from the Nashville Predators. The Lightning re-acquired winger Corey Perry from the Los Angeles Kings, while the Wild added a play-finisher in Philadelphia Flyers winger Bobby Brink, former Chicago Blackhawks captain Nick Foligno, Florida Panthers defenseman Jeff Petry, and Predators center Michael McCarron. The Red Wings made one of the biggest moves at the deadline in acquiring veteran defenseman Justin Faulk from the St. Louis Blues.

• The NHL's 2025-26 trade deadline passed on Friday.