2025/2026 Season Trade Rumours and Speculation Thread

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by getbak

Remember when Vancouver won 4 in a row immediately after the Quinn trade? Well, after that, reality hit them and they've gone 1-10-2. They have yet to win a game in 2026.

I expect the Flames to have a similar run after the Andersson trade, but probably without the 4 game win streak.

Flames can really drive that down too. Moving Coleman and Kadri sequentially to really take the air out of the room. If the tank is on of course.


I m curious what Conroy's plan is from now to the deadline.

[devo22]

Originally Posted by dammage79

I m curious what Conroy's plan is from now to the deadline.

yeah. I think the plan should be to move all of Coleman, Kadri and Whitecloud, but I just don't see it. How many will be moved? One, maybe two? Really curious to see how the team looks after the deadline.

My guess is Coleman goes and Kadri stays. Whitecloud ... no idea.

[Jason14h]

One can hope !

[868904]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

This argument that we swapped Andersson for Whitecloud, and thus won't be able to tank, is truly extraordinary! If Whitecloud is that good, why did VGS throw in a 1st and a 2nd?

Had we traded with BOS, and Lohrei were part of the return, would people be making the same argument? Answer: No, because Lohrei is 25 and therefore not almost 40, and therefore everything is fine.

When have the Flames truly tanked?

I’m not saying they will get better after this trade, but I am saying they will continue at their current mid pace but that the other teams around them will truly tank. This organization is not capable of tanking; they’ve said it many times, whether it is Conroy or Maloney, they don’t believe tanking is good for team culture. At the end of the year, the Flames will be drafting in the 11 to 19 range, it always happens.

[CFO]

I think 2 of the following are traded. Coleman White Cloud pachal.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by 868904

When have the Flames truly tanked?

I’m not saying they will get better after this trade, but I am saying they will continue at their current mid pace but that the other teams around them will truly tank. This organization is not capable of tanking; they’ve said it many times, whether it is Conroy or Maloney, they don’t believe tanking is good for team culture. At the end of the year, the Flames will be drafting in the 11 to 19 range, it always happens.

What does "truly tanking" look like to you? I look at this roster and it seems bottom 5 to me. No top line forwards, a stripped down D and a 2nd year goalie who is struggling at times.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

What does "truly tanking" look like to you? I look at this roster and it seems bottom 5 to me. No top line forwards, a stripped down D and a 2nd year goalie who is struggling at times.

True tanking comes from the tanking region of France.

That’s about as sensical and coherent of a response you’re going to get anyway so might as well take that as the gospel.

[dissentowner]

I think Coleman probably goes, Kadri probably stays, and Whitecloud isn't going anywhere this year. Pachal probably goes as well. Hanley maybe.

[devo22]

Originally Posted by 868904

When have the Flames truly tanked?

I’m not saying they will get better after this trade, but I am saying they will continue at their current mid pace but that the other teams around them will truly tank. This organization is not capable of tanking; they’ve said it many times, whether it is Conroy or Maloney, they don’t believe tanking is good for team culture. At the end of the year, the Flames will be drafting in the 11 to 19 range, it always happens.

we're approaching the 2 year anniversary of Elias Lindholm being traded. In those 2 years, the Flames have shipped out Lindholm, Tanev, Hanifin, Markstrom, Mangiapane and Andersson. They have added four 1st round picks, two 2nd round picks and two 3rd round picks as well as young players like Bahl, Frost, Farabee and Brzustewicz.

People can debate about their definition of "rebuild" and "tanking", but I'm always surprised when it's so boldly claimed that the Flames aren't doing those things, when in fact it happens right before their eyes. Who cares what the front office calls it, the moves speak for themselves. They have ripped the core out and stockpiled picks and prospects. The team on the ice has exceeded expectations, but Conroy's whole body of trades in these last couple of years is that of someone who tries to bottom out.

[D as in David]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

This argument that we swapped Andersson for Whitecloud, and thus won't be able to tank, is truly extraordinary! If Whitecloud is that good, why did VGS throw in a 1st and a 2nd?

Had we traded with BOS, and Lohrei were part of the return, would people be making the same argument? Answer: No, because Lohrei is 25 and therefore not almost 40, and therefore everything is fine.

Sounds like Whitecloud is worth a 2027 1st, a conditional 2nd that becomes a 1st if the trade partner wins the Stanley Cup, a college player in their D+3 year, and a Whitecloud.

[YyjFlames]

Originally Posted by 868904

When have the Flames truly tanked?

I’m not saying they will get better after this trade, but I am saying they will continue at their current mid pace but that the other teams around them will truly tank. This organization is not capable of tanking; they’ve said it many times, whether it is Conroy or Maloney, they don’t believe tanking is good for team culture. At the end of the year, the Flames will be drafting in the 11 to 19 range, it always happens.

How is this still a thing? What organizations are you referring to?

Vancouver? They traded their young star (because he wouldn't resign) but still have most of their core. They just have no rudder.

Winnipeg? They haven't traded anyone!

San Jose? When Grier was hired, he said they weren't going to rebuild. Took him a while and then they traded away their core (a lot like Calgary!)

Chicago Blackhawks? They finished first in their division in 2017-18 and then fell off an absolute cliff in 2018-19... but didn't trade Kane until 2023! (which I guess was Bedard's year, so maybe they tanked for him after trying to hold on for three more years).

I don't even know of an example that didn't really go the way Calgary's current rebuild is going. And maybe if Crosby/Mcdavid/Bedard/Celebrini were available this year, Calgary would be trading Kadri for peanuts too right now... but they are tanking as much as any team has tanked.

Not intentionally, as no team really does, but they're not exactly out there doing much to stop it... the Andersson trade should finally show you they're fully rebuilding (if you didn't get there with the other half dozen trades).

[Vinny01]

It feels like both Kadri and Coleman will require a retention slot so they can likely only move one in season but will be able to retain on both after free agency opens and both the Andersson and Markstrom deals expire.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

It feels like both Kadri and Coleman will require a retention slot so they can likely only move one in season but will be able to retain on both after free agency opens and both the Andersson and Markstrom deals expire.

I think this is why Kadri is likely moved past the draft. Coleman is likely used for the last retention spot, and then Andersson/Markstrom will be off the books.

[1qqaaz]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

What does "truly tanking" look like to you? I look at this roster and it seems bottom 5 to me. No top line forwards, a stripped down D and a 2nd year goalie who is struggling at times.

Finishing bottom 2, something nearly all teams in professional sports have done, seems like a reasonable sign of tanking.

It's not really that difficult, because again, nearly every non-new team except the Flames has done it. The average age of the Flames' top 7 scorers is about 30 years. Doesn't really look like a team that has tanked.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by 1qqaaz

Finishing bottom 2, something nearly all teams in professional sports have done, seems like a reasonable sign of tanking.

It's not really that difficult, because again, nearly every non-new team except the Flames has done it. The average age of the Flames' top 7 scorers is about 30 years. Doesn't really look like a team that has tanked.

And how many hockey rebuilding teams have a franchise goalie in net? Or are we just gonna ask Wolf to fake an injury?

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by 1qqaaz

Finishing bottom 2, something nearly all teams in professional sports have done, seems like a reasonable sign of tanking.

It's not really that difficult, because again, nearly every non-new team except the Flames has done it. The average age of the Flames' top 7 scorers is about 30 years. Doesn't really look like a team that has tanked.

So when you look at this roster where do you place them relative to the rest of the league

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

And how many hockey rebuilding teams have a franchise goalie in net? Or are we just gonna ask Wolf to fake an injury?

No, he wants to trade Wolf and Coronato.

[Jason14h]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

And how many hockey rebuilding teams have a franchise goalie in net? Or are we just gonna ask Wolf to fake an injury?

Wolf hasn’t bee more then average this season

He isn’t stopping us from tanking this year

His backup might be

[Jason14h]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

So when you look at this roster where do you place them relative to the rest of the league

3-7

If Kadri was gone 1-4

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by Jason14h

Wolf hasn’t bee more then average this season

He isn’t stopping us from tanking this year

His backup might be

True, and we are only going to get worse with Andersson gone. He was a huge reason we aren't worse than Vancouver right now.