2025/2026 Season Trade Rumours and Speculation Thread

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Why?
If you can use a late 1st to acquire a younger player with years of contract control, would you not be open to that?

Well it’s all hypothetical of course. If someone is going to trade you a 22 year old player that is better than the player you could draft sure.

Why would someone do that?

I realize my post is stating something as an absolute rule and in real life you have to assess individual situations. I just can’t fathom a situation where a team is willing to trade you a young player with higher upside than you could draft with your pick. I want the upside right now because it is what the team is missing most.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by traptor

So hypothetical situation:

-We pick #1-3 this year
-We trade Rasmus and get pick #29 back as part of the package

So we have top 3 pick, VGK 1st, #29 and #33. Almost 4 1sts this year.

Would you be willing to trade #29 for Mintyukov

Yup. Guy has a lot of talent and is just buried in Anaheim. take advantage of that.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Bingo

For sure ... as a simple rule.

But what if you take a late first and acquire a great young player that is 22 and won't be in Calgary for a year.

You still draft top five this year and next and that player isn't here yet.

Really comes down to the asset value of the player in question and the asset value of the player you would draft if you didn't deal the pick.

If the scouting staff likes the 21-22 year old better you make the deal.

Well sure. You better be sure about that evaluation, teams don’t often trade young prospects they like to get back in the draft.

[Geeoff]

If the Flames are going for the Dallas model, then I don't think they are gonna move these late firsts for an RFA.


Dallas got Robertson at 39, Wyatt Johnston at 23, Roope Hintz at 49, Oettinger at 26

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Well sure. You better be sure about that evaluation, teams don’t often trade young prospects they like to get back in the draft.

yes but a changing dynamic of the NHL is young players are less patient about things and will force their way out of situations. So we DO see some players getting traded for less than their worth. Philly did pretty bad with Gauthier.
And now Anaheim is facing it with Minty.
Friedman had another example recently that escapes my mind.

As teams build up their rosters, they don't have room to play them all. Those create opportunities.

I used Buffalo as an example because I think they have too many of the same type of players and they aren't all going to fit.

[gvitaly]

Originally Posted by Bingo

For sure ... as a simple rule.

But what if you take a late first and acquire a great young player that is 22 and won't be in Calgary for a year.

You still draft top five this year and next and that player isn't here yet.

Really comes down to the asset value of the player in question and the asset value of the player you would draft if you didn't deal the pick.

If the scouting staff likes the 21-22 year old better you make the deal.

In your hypothetical scenario it makes sense, so how many teams are looking to trade great young 22 year old players for a late 1st? Especially now that the cap space doesn't come at a premium.

We'd be also betting on the Flames' pro scouts knowing the player better than his own team. The previous acquisitions of Frost, Farabee, Bahl, Kuzmenko, Sharangovich, Miromanov, and Okhotyuk came with mixed success.

Off the top of my head Rasmus Sandin was a good get by WSH from TOR a couple of years back, but those trades don't happen too often IMO. Teams typically only give up on players once they become 24-25 year olds, use them as trade chips for upgrades, or trade them for other 22 year olds.

[Rhett44]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

That's easy to say.
Let's push on the point a bit.
Let's say you could trade the Vegas pick this year to Buffalo for Konsta Helenius, would you do it?

Why or why not.

Let's not debate if that deal would be on the table or not, I'm just proposing it as a thought exercise.

I would probably do that, but I don't think teams generally put those players on the market.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

yes but a changing dynamic of the NHL is young players are less patient about things and will force their way out of situations. So we DO see some players getting traded for less than their worth. Philly did pretty bad with Gauthier.
And now Anaheim is facing it with Minty.
Friedman had another example recently that escapes my mind.

As teams build up their rosters, they don't have room to play them all. Those create opportunities.

I used Buffalo as an example because I think they have too many of the same type of players and they aren't all going to fit.

True. But I’m still concerned about upside.

Gauthier is a great example, Ducks gave up an older prospect and a 2nd round pick. And got him when he was still 20. I’d do that all day.

[Harry Lime]

Somewhat i teresting that Bruins beat writers talking about trading for Ras, with Mason Lohrei and Florida's 1st coming the other way.

[SuperMatt18]

I'd probably be okay with that but I think Lohrei probably has more upside than most

[Monahammer]

Originally Posted by Harry Lime

Somewhat i teresting that Bruins beat writers talking about trading for Ras, with Mason Lohrei and Florida's 1st coming the other way.

Florida's 1st is interesting. So many injuries.
Lohrei big bodied LHD. If he doesnt jive here he probably has good trade value too. I like it. Would prefer if we could ensure it didn't bump Kuznetsov down.

Bahl-Lohrei-Kuz would be an excellent, massive, and mobile Left side on the back. All are at least 6'4.

[stemit14]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

Florida's 1st is interesting. So many injuries.
Lohrei big bodied LHD. If he doesnt jive here he probably has good trade value too. I like it. Would prefer if we could ensure it didn't bump Kuznetsov down.

Bahl-Lohrei-Kuz would be an excellent, massive, and mobile Left side on the back. All are at least 6'4.

I think that would be a solid return for Andersson. That Florida pick could be really good if they don’t get healthy in time. Right now, it would be 11th overall.

[Monahammer]

Panthers third lowest in the east... seems like it would be absolute insanity to trade that 1st right now lol.

[Monahammer]

If we are thinking how to build a long term contender, we should be watching the Sam Presti model of the NBA. OKC looks invincible.

[stemit14]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

Panthers third lowest in the east... seems like it would be absolute insanity to trade that 1st right now lol.

Yeah. Would be a shrewd move by Conroy to pry that pick from Boston.

Even if Boston decided to put some Treliving style conditions on the Boston pick, I think it could still be a good move. For example, it could be top 10 protected where, if it’s in the top ten, Florida retains the pick but owes Calgary an unprotected pick in 2027. I think Boston is overachieving this year and could take a step back next year.

[Tbull8]

CmpDave on Twitter talking about how the chatter around the team in the last couple days has been moving towards dealing the vets moreso than before.

Having a guy like Mckenna at the top who openly wants to play in Calgary, along with a guy like Dupont in next years draft who is from here, could be massive. The jersey sales for either (or both) of those guys would be off the charts imo

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

Panthers third lowest in the east... seems like it would be absolute insanity to trade that 1st right now lol.

They already did in the Seth Jones trade, belongs to Chicago.

Or are we talking about the 2027 pick which is owned by Boston?

[PepsiFree]

Yeah, Florida’s 2026 1st belongs to Chicago. It’s the 2027 1st that belongs to Boston.

[devo22]

which wouldn't be a bad thing IMO. Two 1sts each in 24, 25, 26 and 27 sounds good to me.

[Monahammer]

Thanks Cobra, definitely had those mixed up. The Florida 27 1st is much, much less interesting. Though Bob could always implode and leave them without a goalie I guess. Trading Knight was a weird move.