The most impactful date of the season has changed for the Red Wings: Confirmed by the NHL

The Wings remained quiet at the 2025 trade deadline, which generated criticism, even from inside the locker room.The team fell short of the playoffs last year, and now, with a tougher division and a heavier calendar, it's hard to predict what will happen for Todd McLellan and his men.

With the 2026 Olympic Games and the Gavin McKenna Draft lottery next year, it'll be very interesting to see how teams prepare.

The NHL insider Pierre LeBrun recently revealed on X that the NHL trade deadline will be March 6th, less than two weeks after the Olympic Games.

Many NHLers will be representing their countries at the Olympics in Italy between February 6 and 22, and others will rest ahead of the final push of the regular season.

What will be interesting to see is how the teams will plan ahead of that date. Many teams will surely assess how their players perform and try to fill lineup holes early on in the season.

As for rebuilding teams who will look to sell away players, getting it done before the Olympics will also be privileged.

Considering that in the Atlantic Division, the Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Florida Panthers will all look to return to the playoffs, the race will be fierce.

In the Metropolitan Division, it's safe to say that the New York Rangers will do everything they can to clinch a spot after missing out last year, while the New Jersey Devils, Washington Capitals, and Carolina Hurricanes are also expected to compete at the top of the standings.

Also, with the Columbus Blue Jackets and Philadelphia Flyers expected to take another step this year, it won't be easy for the Wings to get their way into the playoffs on a wild card spot.

This will make all moves, from the start of the season to the trade deadline, crucial for a team like the Wings with holes in the lineup.

With the playoff salary cap set to be established this season, the Wings are in a great position across the league: they have cap space and could use it to add rentals for the playoffs.