The 2026 NHL trade deadline has an official date. March 6, 2026, will be the final day for teams to make moves before the window closes, insider Pierre LeBrun reported on Saturday.Now that there’s an official date for the NHL trade deadline this season, the countdown has begun for major moves to happen. Here’s a look at what trades are looking forward to happening:“The day McDavid becomes a New York Ranger,” a fan opined.“The day Quinn Hughes becomes a New Jersey Devil,” this fan chimed in.“The day that Makar will be an Oiler,” another fan weighed in.Meanwhile, other fans are not so optimistic about the number of deals that could be made. Some of these fans pointed to rule changes from the incoming CBA that could get in the way of massive trades.Let’s take a look at what these fans wrote:“So there will be a first wave of trades ending on December 21, 2025, 75 days prior to the NHL deadline,” one fan commented.“Too bad there will be no trades due to these new rules,” this fan stated.“Any teams working on a deal yet?” another fan wrote.With the incoming CBA rules, GMs may be more cautious about the types of trades they pursue before effectively pulling the trigger. Regardless, the 2026 NHL trade deadline should provide fans with exciting news weeks in advance.Playoff salary cap could impact 2026 NHL trade deadlineEarlier this week, the league announced it would be moving forward with the proposed playoff salary cap one year in advance. The change means that teams must be cap-compliant during the postseason just like in the regular campaign.That change could have a significant impact on the types of deals conducted at the NHL trade deadline. Instead of teams taking advantage of LTIR or double retention to get deals done, clubs will now have to slide their incoming acquisitions under the cap. That situation could prompt teams to hold back from making major acquisitions.Additionally, teams with limited cap space will need to clear out contracts to make room for newcomers. That scenario promises more “hockey” trades, as teams will have to move out surpluses from one area to address shortcomings in another.Some fans, however, fear that the trade deadline will go from an unofficial holiday to a mere transactional moment. Since this year’s NHL trade deadline will be different from the last decade or so, GMs may tread lightly.Ultimately, fans will see trades. But they may not see the ones they’d hope their favorite teams will make.