Which Eastern Conference team could be an interesting seller?

Nov 9, 2026, 13:00 EST

Credit: Travis Sanheim, Sidney Crosby and Dan Vladar

We’re nearly a quarter into the 2026-27 NHL season and while teams fight for a playoff spot, others are showing early struggles.

The Pittsburgh Penguins, who clinched a playoff berth last spring, are 6-10-2 through 18 games and have lost five of their last six. The Philadelphia Flyers, who also made the playoffs, are 4-10-5 after opening the season with an 0-6-3 record.

Even the Toronto Maple Leafs, who made several key acquisitions in the offseason and drafted Gavin McKenna No. 1 overall last summer, are 8-9-2 and have lost five of their last six.

On Monday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, Tyler Yaremchuk and former NHL goaltender Carter Hutton are joined by The Nation Network writer and Sports 1440 host Jason Gregor as well as Altitude 92.5 FM reporter Jesse Montano to discuss the Eastern Conference and which teams could be sellers at next spring’s Trade Deadline.

Tyler Yaremchuk: The Buffalo Sabres, Washington Capitals and Toronto are on the outside looking in. Who knows what the Detroit Red Wings’ expectations really were this season … the wheels are going to fall off there at some point. Pittsburgh is a team I find interesting, and me being a nerdy, armchair GM type, I immediately think: “At what point will some of these teams need to make a decision?”

I know it’s not now, we’re not even at the quarter mark of the season. But when we look at some of these teams who might have a disappointing end to the season, where you don’t live up to your expectations, is there one of those teams from out East where you think they could make the trade deadline really interesting if they decide to pull the plug in three month’s time?

Jason Gregor: The Penguins, for sure. I thought the Penguins last year would be the team we see this year. I give them credit, last year they overachieved. Toronto is the other one … I know they won the lottery and got Gavin McKenna, but anytime you want to retool, it’s rarely just one year. They’re going to be aggressive, maybe they’ll add pieces, but if they keep sputtering along here and we get to two or three weeks before the deadline, they got some pieces on that team that could be good rentals.

The other one would be the Columbus Blue Jackets. There’s so much drama around that team right now. I don’t understand why the pieces they have aren’t better as a collective group. I’m not saying they should be world beaters, but they should be better than what they are. When you have a Norris Trophy-winning defenseman in Zach Werenski. Look at how many guys on that team are doing nothing … who knows.