2025/2026 Season Trade Rumours and Speculation Thread

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

Well yes although that was Rantanen going completely nuclear in full revenge mode — the rest of the team was not particularly impressive in that series. And then they got destroyed by the Oilers in pretty short order.

They beat MacKinnon and Makar every single time they play them in the playoffs though, Rantanen or no Rantanen.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

Well yes although that was Rantanen going completely nuclear in full revenge mode — the rest of the team was not particularly impressive in that series. And then they got destroyed by the Oilers in pretty short order.

The year before they didn’t have Rantanen

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

The year before they didn’t have Rantanen

True although that was the year Nichushkin up and left mid-series, right?

In any event I think it's very silly to say Dallas isn't a contender but MIN and VGK are. C'mon now.

[Rhett44]

Lol it's just an opinion and everyone is entitled to theirs. I think the chances the Flames win the cup in the next few years is the same as the Stars

Just not a fan of their team in the playoffs. They exist to give teams like Edmonton a bye round.

[dammage79]

Vegas can just as easily be a lotto team if the Pacific stays this tight.

[YyjFlames]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

In the east: Florida, Tampa, Carolina.

In the west: Colorado, Vegas, Edmonton, Minnesota (after the Hughes trade).

Minnesota is another interesting “model.” They’ve basically been mushy middle competitive for the last few years as they waited out their massive buyout penalties, forced to make smart, patient moves and develop their players.

They don’t, to my knowledge, have any top five picks, but have built team loyalty and found stars all over the draft (Kaprizov being the key one).

Their patience allowed them to pounce on an opportunity to grab another superstar and now they’re legitimate threats.

People keep pointing to the Dallas model or drafting top 3, but there are a number of different systems and strategies that can build contenders. But all of them include drafting well. As much as I’d like to see at this point the vets traded and a top pick, this patient path will lead to another competitive window.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

Lol it's just an opinion and everyone is entitled to theirs. I think the chances the Flames win the cup in the next few years is the same as the Stars

Just not a fan of their team in the playoffs. They exist to give teams like Edmonton a bye round.

Everyone is also entitled to question and disagree with opinions. Just because everyone can have one doesn’t make every opinion equal.

Saying Dallas isn’t a contender but Minnesota, Vegas, or Carolina sounds completely silly without some actual justification behind it.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

Lol it's just an opinion and everyone is entitled to theirs. I think the chances the Flames win the cup in the next few years is the same as the Stars

Just not a fan of their team in the playoffs. They exist to give teams like Edmonton a bye round.

Sure anyone can have an opinion.
It does feel like you don't want to admit the Dallas has built a contender because it may feel like some sort of admission that their approach worked.

It's OK to acknowledge that they are a contending team, while still debating if the Flames should try to replicate that approach and how successful it would be.

By any metric they are a contending team. Recent success. Current performance. Hell Vegas odds. Take your pick.

They built a contending team.

[TheScorpion]

I think the better point for Rhett44 to make is that while Dallas has made it work with a hybrid approach, they still wouldn't be anywhere remotely close to where they are now without getting Heiskanen at 3. And even if you think Parekh can be a Harley facsimile, the Flames don't have a Miro, nor do they have a Rantanen, Johnston, or Robertson. Those are players you can get anywhere in the draft, with a bit of luck and skill, but you're more likely to get them at the top. Dallas succeeded in getting those guys via different means; most teams can't. That, to me, is more meaningful analysis than just saying "Dallas model bad."

[YyjFlames]

Speaking of Minnesota, Guerin’s looking for a centre. Do they take a shot at Kadri? They need to make a bit of a playoff run this year to convince Hughes to resign, so they’re probably willing to pay up

[browntrout]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

I think the better point for Rhett44 to make is that while Dallas has made it work with a hybrid approach, they still wouldn't be anywhere remotely close to where they are now without getting Heiskanen at 3. And even if you think Parekh can be a Harley facsimile, the Flames don't have a Miro, nor do they have a Rantanen, Johnston, or Robertson. Those are players you can get anywhere in the draft, with a bit of luck and skill, but you're more likely to get them at the top. Dallas succeeded in getting those guys via different means; most teams can't. That, to me, is more meaningful analysis than just saying "Dallas model bad."

Management has no one to blame if it does not work out, not the "small market angle" or we "never get lucky in the lottery". They have consistently prioritized short term gain over championships, its sad, but true.

For the life of me I will never fully understand this. We could be getting excited about a top 3 pick, a change to the narrative, a different approach, you would think a team like Calgary with such poor playoff success, would be open to embracing a different philosophy, nope

[Bonded]

Will be interesting to see what happens after they trade Andersson

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

I think the better point for Rhett44 to make is that while Dallas has made it work with a hybrid approach, they still wouldn't be anywhere remotely close to where they are now without getting Heiskanen at 3. And even if you think Parekh can be a Harley facsimile, the Flames don't have a Miro, nor do they have a Rantanen, Johnston, or Robertson. Those are players you can get anywhere in the draft, with a bit of luck and skill, but you're more likely to get them at the top. Dallas succeeded in getting those guys via different means; most teams can't. That, to me, is more meaningful analysis than just saying "Dallas model bad."

Parekh is going to be better than Miro imo.

[TheScorpion]

That's an enormously high bar to clear. I hope you're right. But Heiskanen is so, so good.

[traptor]

Ofcourse drafting is important but how many stars have the flames drrafted over the last 20 years outside of the top of 6 of the draft?


2? 3?
Wolf, JG and Andersson (if you consider him that)


Verse our top 6 picks.


Monahan, Bennett and Tkachuk all hit as high level players.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by traptor

Ofcourse drafting is important but how many stars have the flames drrafted over the last 20 years outside of the top of 6 of the draft?


2? 3?
Wolf, JG and Andersson (if you consider him that)


Verse our top 6 picks.


Monahan, Bennett and Tkachuk all hit as high level players.

Not sure about 20 years but on the current team it’s Robertson, Johnston, Oettinger, Harley and Hintz. Plus they drafted Stankoven who could be a star and was a big piece to get Rantanen.
They find great players consistently

[looooob]

Originally Posted by traptor

Ofcourse drafting is important but how many stars have the flames drrafted over the last 20 years outside of the top of 6 of the draft?


2? 3?
Wolf, JG and Andersson (if you consider him that)


Verse our top 6 picks.


Monahan, Bennett and Tkachuk all hit as high level players.

TBF Fox likely qualifies in group one (spits)

[Sofa GM]

Originally Posted by YyjFlames

Speaking of Minnesota, Guerin’s looking for a centre. Do they take a shot at Kadri? They need to make a bit of a playoff run this year to convince Hughes to resign, so they’re probably willing to pay up

Minnesota isn’t great trading partner for the Flames. I don’t think they have a ton of prospects that would be enticing to move Kadri.

[#-3]

Originally Posted by traptor

Ofcourse drafting is important but how many stars have the flames drrafted over the last 20 years outside of the top of 6 of the draft?


2? 3?
Wolf, JG and Andersson (if you consider him that)


Verse our top 6 picks.


Monahan, Bennett and Tkachuk all hit as high level players.

looking and Brodie is probably #5 on the list, 19 years ago great career as a top4 dman. but already with Coranato, Zary, Reschney, Potter, Gridin, and Mews. the it's looking promising that the new list 15 years from now could look better, i think at least 1 or 2 of those guys hit.

[Rhett44]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

Parekh is going to be better than Miro imo.

I certainly hope so, I just don't assume any prospect will end up elite until they show otherwise.

I'm also not sure Huska is the right coach for Parekh anyways. I think he's a very good defensive coach, I just don't know if he is the guy you want teaching someone with this kind of offensive skill.