2023/2024 Trade Rumors and Speculation Thread

[kehatch]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I think originally he was waiting on the Hanifin return (maybe the Backlund decision as well) as he didn't want to sign long term with a team taking a step back.

Market grinds to a standstill and now those decision points are hanging in the balance.

With that he holds the cards ... just don't sign, and it puts it back in the Flames corner.

The Flames with a GM that said he doesn't want to walk players to free agency (and two ex GMs with experience) has to have had that internal discussion ....

1) How long can we sit on this with the player not making a decision?
2) What happens if we go into the season and get into a playoff spot? Can we still move him?

I'm pretty sure one of the two gets moved before camp, the other before the season starts.

Lindholm won't love the Hanifin return from a win now mode, and nothing else will have changed.

Hanifin will be moved. My guess is they retain Lindholm and Backlund in hopes the season goes well enough for them to sign an extension. Top Cs are to hard to acquire and the Flames don't have anything in the system close to taking that spot.

[blankall]

Originally Posted by kehatch

Hanifin will be moved. My guess is they retain Lindholm and Backlund in hopes the season goes well enough for them to sign an extension. Top Cs are to hard to acquire and the Flames don't have anything in the system close to taking that spot.

I think we see Backlund being moved too. The Flames will be looking to get younger and finally make room for some of their prospects. The Flames are likely not going to give into Backlund's contract demand either.

[dammage79]

The lack of anything trade related league wide is a headscratcher for me.

Not just for CGY who could conceivably have 3 big trades fired off by now.

On the Hanifin front, I do bel8eve he is the consolation prize to the two or 3 teams still in on EK65.

Why? Beats me, makes no sense. But then again there's this 10m 100+pt d man vs a 30-40 point 4.5m minute muncher who is due a hefty new contract at the end of the year and is significantly younger. Geez, who should they really target?

I get the holding out hope until the bitter end in regards to Lindholm but as a fan it sucks not knowing which way this is going. I want Lindholm to stay at a fair price but I also don't mind if he is moved if he doesn't want to stay. But jeez Louise, purgatory sucks.

Backs, should be a no brainer, move him.

[Jiri Hrdina]

I think you get more for Backlund at the deadline. Just need to have the discipline to actually do it regardless of where you are in the standings.

[Bonded]

Originally Posted by dammage79

The lack of anything trade related league wide is a headscratcher for me.

Look at the trades that did go down. Cap is a huge issue and any trade for a player with value will need to involve a lot of moving parts.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

I think you get more for Backlund at the deadline. Just need to have the discipline to actually do it regardless of where you are in the standings.

Yep, 100%, and I think I have confidence in Conroy to stay true to what he said. I think he's seen enough of the repercussions of holding onto too many pending UFA's and will make the right choice.

[jayswin]

If I were to guess the game plan - Hanafin or Lindholm will be moved before the season starts in a hockey trade with talks and ideas happening throughout summer, simply because Conroy will want to have at one major pending UFA dealt with to take that pressure off.

He knows the trade deadline is great for returns, but it's where you're going to get a pick haul and maybe a prospect or two. He will want at least one cost controlled Sarangovich type player, therefore it makes sense to get that before the season.

Then Backlund and whoever is left out of Hanafin/Lindholm closer to or at the trade deadline and just hope to god neither suffers a major injury.

[Pickle Juice]

Originally Posted by jayswin

If I were to guess the game plan - Hanafin or Lindholm will be moved before the season starts in a hockey trade with talks and ideas happening throughout summer, simply because Conroy will want to have at one major pending UFA dealt with to take that pressure off.

He knows the trade deadline is great for returns, but it's where you're going to get a pick haul and maybe a prospect or two. He will want at least one cost controlled Sarangovich type player, therefore it makes sense to get that before the season.

Then Backlund and whoever is left out of Hanafin/Lindholm closer to or at the trade deadline and just hope to god neither suffers a major injury.

I sure hope your right! These guys will be a major distraction just from the media alone. Plus I believe the team will be better this year if they go into the season with their currant roster which will make it tuff to trade anyone if they are sitting comfortably in a playoff spot.

[jayswin]

Yeah, that's my major worry. If all three are here and we're playing well into January there comes a time when the cry from fans/media/everyone is "you can't trade away from this roster, we'll just consider the pending UFA's to be our 'rental pick ups'.

That's why I think Conroy is going to make at minimum one hockey trade before or very early into the season. He has time, he's likely letting ideas and proposals flow in as teams become more aware of what they want heading into the season.

[jayswin]

That's why I could also see an early season trade of Lindholm or Hanafin. Once play starts you never know what needs suddenly arise. A sudden long term injury of a top six centre or top 2-3 defensemen on a team that has spent big and is under pressure to be a contender could have a gravy offer coming Calgary's way if we're sitting on premier players in both positions.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Who’s left looking for a #3-4 dman?

Anyone honestly. Hanifin is an interesting case that any team should be in on him. A rebuilding team that is loaded on assets should bolster their blue line and pay for a top pairing stopgap until a franchise D comes along and bumps Hanifin down to the middle pairing, a damn good #3 might I add.

Or, retain 50% from Calgary and Calgary gets a fortune for Hanifin, hopefully. I think everyone is just holding their cards right now. A trade like Karlsson going down could get the market going again.

Calgary could also have the option of taking on a cap dump that expires this year, if there are any out there. It’s definitely a better and less complicated situation to trade Hanifin than Lindholm based on age alone.

[The Original FFIV]

Originally Posted by Parallex

... because they don't have the cap space or the assets to acquire both. Hell I'm not sure they will have the cap space or the assets to acquire just one.

Karlsson will be moved for cents on the dollar. And sj is eating 20% of his cap hit. Here’s how the math works.

In. Karlsson $9.2m
Hanifin. $5
Total. $14.2m

Out. Petry (buyout). $4m
Granlund. $5
Petterson. $4
Rutta. $2.75
Total. $15.75

Guentzel just went on ltir today so they actually have more money to play with.

Not impossible. Just a matter of figuring out the pieces. Given the age of that roster, expect more ltir candidates will pop up during the season so cap wise, it’s doable.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by The Original FFIV

Karlsson will be moved for cents on the dollar. And sj is eating 20% of his cap hit. Here’s how the math works.

In. Karlsson $9.2m
Hanifin. $5
Total. $14.2m

Out. Petry (buyout). $4m
Granlund. $5
Petterson. $4
Rutta. $2.75
Total. $15.75

Guentzel just went on ltir today so they actually have more money to play with.

Not impossible. Just a matter of figuring out the pieces. Given the age of that roster, expect more ltir candidates will pop up during the season so cap wise, it’s doable.

The point is they don't have the pieces. At least not without making some other deals first.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by jayswin

Yep, 100%, and I think I have confidence in Conroy to stay true to what he said. I think he's seen enough of the repercussions of holding onto too many pending UFA's and will make the right choice.

Need to temper that with some realism. No GM would ever dismantle a veteran roster that is poised to go on a playoff run. I heave heard nothing from Conroy to lead me to believe he is looking to rebuild so if this team is strongly in a playoff position, no way does he subtract from the roster.

Nor would I want him to. You can still build a team through your own draft picks.

[Flamesfan05]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

I think you get more for Backlund at the deadline. Just need to have the discipline to actually do it regardless of where you are in the standings.

If he stays healthy and performs like last year, they should get a first and maybe a B level prospect from a contender. He doesn’t have a great playoff record but all the skills for a good playoff is there

Right now, I doubt if teams would pay that and most don’t have cap room anyway

[Flamesfan05]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Need to temper that with some realism. No GM would ever dismantle a veteran roster that is poised to go on a playoff run. I heave heard nothing from Conroy to lead me to believe he is looking to rebuild so if this team is strongly in a playoff position, no way does he subtract from the roster.

Nor would I want him to. You can still build a team through your own draft picks.

No need to hear from him. Just watch what he is doing.

They want to see what this exact group can do. Nothing is going to happen until it’s proven they can’t do it again

[Pickle Juice]

What’s a realistic trade scenario for Columbus to make a trade for Lindholm? This trade just seems to oblivious for me. I just read a report they are thinking about getting Liane to try center this year.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Flamesfan05

No need to hear from him. Just watch what he is doing.

They want to see what this exact group can do. Nothing is going to happen until it’s proven they can’t do it again

Or ...

the Flames are like other teams in the market that aren't moving key pieces they planned on moving this summer but can't because the market just isn't there.

Hanifin is going. He hasn't gone. That isn't a stay with what you have plan, that's a nobody is paying the price.

Why do you bother?

[kehatch]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Need to temper that with some realism. No GM would ever dismantle a veteran roster that is poised to go on a playoff run. I heave heard nothing from Conroy to lead me to believe he is looking to rebuild so if this team is strongly in a playoff position, no way does he subtract from the roster.

Nor would I want him to. You can still build a team through your own draft picks.

Agreed. Ownership isn't going to sign off on a rebuild with 200+ million invested in long term contracts to veteran players. Especially when we are one year removed from the playoffs.

I also think Conroy and ownership agree that the Flames are trending in the wrong direction and are making an effort to manage assets and get younger. Its difficult to balance that with staying competitive, and it will be interesting to see what they do at the deadline if they are in the hunt and have major assets unsigned.

I think there is a lot of 'wait and see' from both the players and leadership. The Flames could be very competitive next season or they could be terrible. There has been so much change over the past two off seasons that I don't think anyone has a handle on what this team is.

[Poe969]

Originally Posted by Flamesfan05

No need to hear from him. Just watch what he is doing.

They want to see what this exact group can do. Nothing is going to happen until it’s proven they can’t do it again

This team has not been good. They've enjoyed flashes of success here and there over the years but overall, this franchise has historically underachieving.

Last year, this team was horrible. Not horrible in the standings, that would have got them a good pick. Their highest scorer was traded away and their best players want out.

They have to wait to see if the team is still bad???? AGAIN???? They had an average at best team, subtracted from it, and will likely subtract more from it, and they want to see what they can do?

I guess you never know, this time might just work....right?