The NHL trade deadline is Friday, March 7.

That is a little more than six weeks away, but that time will move quickly for NHL front offices and their AHL counterparts.

• Subscribe to FloHockey today to watch the AHL all season long
• AHL All-Star Rosters Presented By FloHockey Announced
• 2025 AHL All-Star Team Atlantic Analysis
• 2025 AHL All-Star Team North Analysis
• 2025 AHL All-Star Team Central Analysis
• 2025 AHL All-Star Team Pacific Analysis

And for good measure, the AHL has its own roster deadline the following week. That date was put in place several years ago in part to allow NHL front offices and their AHL affiliates to assess the NHL trade deadline’s fall-out as well as to determine what, if any, moves could fortify a team for an upcoming two-month Calder Cup pursuit. Teams can swap players on AHL contracts or acquire NHL-contracted talent on loan.

Three years ago, for example, the Chicago Wolves went to work. Then-general manager Wendell Young acquired forward Richard Panik on loan from the New York Islanders while also bringing in defensemen Tarmo Reunanen from the Hartford Wolf Pack and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s Chris Bigras. As it turned out, Bigras and Reunanen ended up only playing a combined 20 games down the stretch – and none in the postseason – but having elite depth like that could provide a measure of comfort for any coaching staff. Panik, though, arrived bearing 521 games of NHL experience. In his final spin through North America before going to Europe the following season, he played a key role for the Wolves with 6-5-11 in 16 Calder Cup Playoffs games.

Three months following Young’s handiwork, the Wolves lifted the Calder Cup. The total cost for those three moves ended up being forward Maxim Letunov, who went to Hartford for Reunanen.

Or go back to 2019 when the Charlotte Checkers maneuvered to acquire goaltender Dustin Tokarski on loan from the Hartford Wolf Pack. Tokarski’s arrival not only eased the regular-season workload on prospect Alex Nedeljkovic, but the pressure-tested veteran got time in the postseason in net. And earlier that season the Checkers had brought in forward Tomas Jurco, who ended up churning out 7-11-18 in 18 playoff games during the Checkers’ run to the Calder Cup. He also served as a mentor to top prospect Martin Necas, who of course has since gone on to a standout career with the Carolina Hurricanes.

So let’s begin to sift through the AHL’s 32 teams at midseason. Where do they stand right now? What is each team’s state going into the second half of the AHL season? What might they need? And where does their NHL parent club sit? That is, if the NHL team decides to ship out several veterans, that could prompt several AHL recalls to fill in the resulting roster gaps; conversely, an influx of additions to the NHL team via trades can trigger younger players being returned to the AHL to get late-season experience.

Let’s work our way upward with the bottom-eight teams in the AHL standings as of Thursday. The remainder of the AHL's 24 clubs will follow later.

32. Bridgeport Islanders (New York Islanders): 9-26-2-2

Where Do They Stand Now?

--17 points out of a playoff spot (yield one game in hand on Hartford)

What Is The State Of The Team?

Frankly, the Islanders need everything at this point in what has been an extraordinarily difficult season featuring just two home wins. Marcus Hogberg has impressed in a brief trial period with New York, which means that an already-troubled Bridgeport team is without its veteran netminder. At this point, the main objective can be to aim for a competitive environment that benefits prospects like William Dufour, Alex Jefferies, Matthew Maggio, and others. Games like Wednesday’s 7-1 loss at Utica cannot happen.

Where Does The NHL Parent Team Sit?

The situation in New York is difficult as well with Bridgeport’s NHL parent second-to-last in the Eastern Conference.

31. Manitoba Moose (Winnipeg Jets): 11-22-1-1

Where Do They Stand Now?

--13 points out of a playoff spot (hold three games in hand on Rockford)

What Is The State Of The Team?

Scoring. The Moose went into Thursday managing just 2.15 goals per game and working at 12.5 percent on the power play. Both numbers rank them last in the AHL. First-round picks Brad Lambert and Chaz Lucius have just three goals apiece.

Manitoba does possess a solid blue line, especially with Isaak Phillips arriving last week in a trade. Kaapo Kähkönen arrived early in the season as goaltending experience but has not regained his prior form yet.

Where Does The NHL Parent Team Sit?

Winnipeg tops the Western Conference and is only two points behind Washington for the NHL lead. The Jets are a bona fide Stanley Cup contender.

30. Henderson Silver Knights (Vegas Golden Knights): 12-25-2-0

Where Do They Stand Now?

--14 points out of a playoff spot (yield two games in hand on Tucson)

What Is The State Of The Team?

Henderson can be a tricky opponent and has heated up a bit lately. They took a road win at Ontario last weekend and opened this week by defeating Tucson in back-to-back games. Akira Schmid and Carl Lindbom get pelted with shots every night as the Silver Knights allow the most shots-against per game in the AHL.

Where Does The NHL Parent Team Sit?

Like Manitoba, Henderson is the AHL affiliate of a team that can compete for the Stanley Cup.

29. San Diego Gulls (Anaheim Ducks): 11-20-4-2

Where Do They Stand Now?

--12 points out of a playoff spot 

What Is The State Of The Team?

Ducks management already got busy this week, sending Pavol Regenda to the San Jose Sharks organization in exchange for Justin Bailey. The swap of veterans brings the 29-year-old Bailey, someone who played 59 NHL games last season, to San Diego. He had 7-7-14 in 33 games with the San Jose Barracuda, but this is someone who had 19 goals as recently as 2022-23 with Bakersfield. Losing Tomas Suchanek to a knee injury last September scrambled the organization’s goaltending plan for San Diego. If Anaheim opts to audition prospects late in the season, that could hollow out the San Diego roster quickly.

Where Does The NHL Parent Team Sit?

Anaheim is a distant 11 points out of a Western Conference wild-card spot.

28. Utica Comets (New Jersey Devils): 13-19-2-2

Where Do They Stand Now?

--13 points out of a playoff spot (hold three games in hand on Syracuse)

What Is The State Of The Team?

It’s a near-miracle that the Comets are even anywhere near playoff contention after starting the season 0-10-1-2. Since then, they have gone a quite-respectable 13-9-1-0 and have taken five of their past six games. It’s just that the hole that they dug themselves was so deep that even stringing together weeks of good play may not be enough. Still, they have a schedule heavy with games against Belleville and Syracuse, the two teams that they are chasing. And they are a team that has outscored opponents in those past six games, 25-10.

Where Does The NHL Parent Team Sit?

New Jersey is seven points clear of a playoff spot.

27. Iowa Wild (Minnesota Wild): 14-22-2-0

Where Do They Stand Now?

--7 points out of a playoff spot

What Is The State Of The Team?

Like San Diego, the Wild had their goaltending plans upended when veteran signing Troy Grosenick’s preseason knee injury ended his season before it had even started. Jesper Wallstedt has struggled in limited action, forcing the Wild to go to a Dylan Ferguson-Samuel Hlavaj-William Rousseau mix. Liam Öhgren, whose 12 goals tie him for the team lead, is in Minnesota, which is a significant loss. Iowa has only three games against Rockford remaining.

Where Does The NHL Parent Team Sit?

Minnesota is comfortably in a playoff position.

26. Belleville Senators (Ottawa Senators): 15-13-1-4

Where Do They Stand Now?

--8 points out of a playoff spot (hold six games in hand on Syracuse)

What Is The State Of The Team?

Belleville’s position in the North Division standings might be a bit misleading given the six games in hand on the Crunch. Of course, games in hand only matter if a team can do something with them, and the teams only have one more head-to-head meeting. Special-teams play is hampering the B-Sens, who are 24th on the power play and 29th on the penalty kill. That said, Belleville has had to battle through injuries and recalls in net.

Where Does The NHL Parent Team Sit?

Ottawa is just one point out of an Eastern Conference wild-card spot.

25. Bakersfield Condors (Edmonton Oilers): 16-15-4-1

Where Do They Stand Now?

--3 points out of a playoff spot (hold one game in hand on Tucson)

What Is The State Of The Team?

NHL veterans Josh Brown and Derek Ryan coming down from Edmonton could be a good midseason boost for the Condors.

Management has not been reluctant to make moves. Defenseman Ronnie Attard and forward Jacob Perreault both have arrived in separate deals. If the organization sees an opportunity to shake up the Bakersfield roster and bring in a young player, it has shown it can act. With some high-end offensive talent around, it is reasonable to think that the Condors should be able to improve on their 28th-ranked power play.

Where Does The NHL Parent Team Sit?

Edmonton is in a fight for the Pacific Division lead, one point behind Vegas.

24. Springfield Thunderbirds (St. Louis Blues): 17-17-2-1

Where Do They Stand Now?

--2 points out of a playoff spot (hold one game in hand on Hartford)

What Is The State Of The Team?

The Blues like having their top prospects in Springfield. Their two picks from the first round of the 2023 NHL Draft are both with the Thunderbirds at 19 years old. Dalibor Dvorsky, an AHL All-Star selection, has been excellent. Otto Stenberg, who went 25th overall, just came to the Thunderbirds this month from the SHL. Young prospects can bring mistakes, but they also have the potential to make rapid gains, especially players like Dvorsky and Stenberg.

Where Does The NHL Parent Team Sit?

St. Louis is right in the Western Conference wild-card mix.

How To Watch The AHL On FloHockey 

The AHL is streaming on FloHockey and the FloSports app. Live games, replays, highlights and breaking news also will be available on both platforms.

NHL Prospect Coverage On FloHockey

The best, and most complete, coverage of the NHL minor league hockey and NHL Draft is found on FloHockey. Don't miss the latest new prospect guides, rankings, and more from Chris Peters and the FloHockey staff.

Watch the AHL, ECHL, USHL, And More On FloHockey

FloHockey is the streaming home to some of the best hockey leagues in North America, including the AHL, ECHL, USHL, and more. Check out the broadcast schedule to watch more hockey.

Join The Hockey Conversation On FloHockey Social

• Follow us on Twitter @FloHockey
• Follow us on Instagram @flohockey
• Follow us on TikTok @flohockeytv
• Watch us on YouTube
• Like us on Facebook