Top storylines with Trade Deadline approaching

Sabres on verge

The Buffalo Sabres have failed to qualify for the playoffs the past 14 seasons, the longest drought in the NHL.

It looked like they would make it 15 when they replaced general manager Kevyn Adams with Jarmo Kekalainen on Dec. 15. At the time, they were eighth in the Atlantic Division and six points behind the Bruins, who held the second wild card in the East.

But Buffalo has gone 22-5-2 since, the best record in the NHL in that span, and has vaulted to second in the Atlantic. The Sabres (36-19-6) are two points behind the Tampa Bay Lightning for first place.

Kekalainen was known for making bold moves as GM of the Columbus Blue Jackets when he felt they had a chance to win.

Eyes on Yzerman

The Detroit Red Wings have failed to qualify for the playoffs for the past nine seasons, the longest drought in their 100-year history and the second-longest active drought in the League.

At the Deadline last season, Detroit was one point behind the Ottawa Senators, who held the second wild card in the East. The Red Wings’ most significant move was acquiring goalie Petr Mrazek and forward Craig Smith from the Chicago Blackhawks for center Joe Veleno. They went 9-8-2 the rest of the season.

In his season-ending media availability, captain Dylan Larkin said guys were “kind of down” about the Deadline. “It’d be nice to add something and bring a little bit of spark on the ice, and maybe a morale boost as well,” he said.

Asked about Larkin’s comments, GM Steve Yzerman said: “I’m counting on our best players, our leaders, to give us a bit of a morale boost. That’s what they’re paid for, and that’s the expectation from them.”

Yzerman later said Larkin’s comments were no big deal. But everyone in Detroit will be watching now with the Red Wings (35-20-7) third in the Atlantic, seven points ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets, the first team below the cut line in the East.

Mammoth moves

The Utah Mammoth have a chance to make the playoffs for the first time and already have made a big move, acquiring defenseman MacKenzie Weegar from the Calgary Flames on Wednesday.

In their second season in Salt Lake City, the Mammoth (32-25-4) hold the first wild card in the West, four points ahead of the San Jose Sharks, the first team below the cut line in the conference.

Weegar gives Utah a 32-year-old veteran with a right shot who moves the puck. He’s in the third year of an eight-year, $50 million contract signed with Calgary on Oct. 7, 2022. The Mammoth gave up defenseman Olli Maatta, forward prospect Jonathan Castagna and three second-round picks in the 2026 NHL Draft.

There has been tremendous progress since the NHL established a new franchise in Utah and the team purchased the hockey assets of the Arizona Coyotes. Utah fans will get their first outdoor game when the Mammoth host the Colorado Avalanche in the 2027 Discover NHL Winter Classic at Rice-Eccles Stadium. The playoffs would be an important step.