2025/2026 Season Trade Rumours and Speculation Thread

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by Bonded

I don’t think Laine has any value…

He possibly could if we traded:

Kadri

For

Laine
1st
Top Prospect

Flip Laine at half to a team that maybe would give a conditional 3rd/2nd/1st based on Laine production/GP.

[FusionX]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

He possibly could if we traded:

Kadri

For

Laine
1st
Top Prospect

Flip Laine at half to a team that maybe would give a conditional 3rd/2nd/1st based on Laine production/GP.

Prospect = Zharovsky

Make it so! I'd accept a 2nd with conditions for 1st in this case IMO

[Vox]

Originally Posted by PaperBagger'14

I don’t believe that would be a top 5 factor at all, I’m sure players can look at his performance and think “meh, he had it coming to him” to some extent. When you have at most 31 companies to work for and <5 who want your skillset / have room for you, there’s a short list of things you care about. Money, facilities, family’s wishes, city to do’s, other friends and family, other teammates and a bunch of other things rank above being mean to the NHL leader in full season points drop.

Who’s to say Conroy will even be GM by the time the flames are competitive again? In which case your point loses some value.

I think the issue is more that past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior. Everyone wants to be treated well, so when choice is available there is a natural tendency to avoid organizations that demonstrably treat their people poorly.

[Macindoc]

Originally Posted by Bonded

I don’t think Laine has any value…

Negative value on his current contract.

[Rhett44]

Originally Posted by Vox

I think the issue is more that past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior. Everyone wants to be treated well, so when choice is available there is a natural tendency to avoid organizations that demonstrably treat their people poorly.

Normally I would agree with this statement. However, Vegas comes to mind.

Players want to play there and management doesn't give a crap about them once they are there.

[blankall]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

Oilers have also largely been capped out in the McDavid / Draisaitl era and haven't really been creative in trying to open up space to attract that top talent the way other teams do.

When you have McDavid, Draisaitl, and Nurse (and now Buchard) all signed for top dollar, you simply can't fit another top UFA guy in there and have to focus on contracts with more value. They did a great job signing Hyman and getting a steal on the RNH contract. I like the Ekholm move too.

The rest of their moves have not been good. They've also totally depleted their prospect pool by trading away draft picks and young players. Championship teams typically have self-drafted players on team friendly contracts contributing. The only player the Oilers have drafted that is still on the team in Evan Bouchard.

The Oilers didn't win a championship due to bad asset management. Championship teams have good asset management.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Macindoc

Negative value on his current contract.

So it's basically equal to a retention on Kadri.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

So it's basically equal to a retention on Kadri.

Except Laine is a UFA this summer

[Macindoc]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

So it's basically equal to a retention on Kadri.

Probably better than a retention on Kadri, because you still have the retention slot for another trade. And it's for a much shorter time. And it's less cash than cap hit because of his big signing bonus. I would do it.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

He possibly could if we traded:

Kadri

For

Laine
1st
Top Prospect

Flip Laine at half to a team that maybe would give a conditional 3rd/2nd/1st based on Laine production/GP.

If they wanted to switch top prospect for Newhook I'd do that too. I think the only real prospect they have is Hage. I would imagine Kapanen is not on the table.

[Vox]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

Normally I would agree with this statement. However, Vegas comes to mind.

Players want to play there and management doesn't give a crap about them once they are there.

One factor among many. I believe in maximizing what you can. Can't change the weather, can't change the taxes, but can choose behavior.

I'm actually curious, regarding Vegas, there seem to be differing opinions on whether they treat their players well or poorly. They treat them like commodities for sure, but how are they treated when there? Posters have indicated both well and poorly in this thread.

[FlamesAddiction]

Instead of retention, maybe we could take back Gallagher (gross) or Anderson

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Macindoc

Probably better than a retention on Kadri, because you still have the retention slot for another trade. And it's for a much shorter time. And it's less cash than cap hit because of his big signing bonus. I would do it.

That's what I mean, it's retention without using a slot.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Vox

One factor among many. I believe in maximizing what you can. Can't change the weather, can't change the taxes, but can choose behavior.

I'm actually curious, regarding Vegas, there seem to be differing opinions on whether they treat their players well or poorly. They treat them like commodities for sure, but how are they treated when there? Posters have indicated both well and poorly in this thread.

Vegas has first rate facilities. They let Eichel get his preferred surgery. So I'd say while they are there they are treated well.

When they want to let a player go, they are professional to the point of cold blooded.

https://www.hockeyfeed.com/nhl-news/...t-vegas-deceit

[Groot]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Vegas has first rate facilities. They let Eichel get his preferred surgery. So I'd say while they are there they are treated well.

When they want to let a player go, they are professional to the point of cold blooded.

https://www.hockeyfeed.com/nhl-news/...t-vegas-deceit

They offered Marchessault 3 years, he wanted 4. They let him walk as a UFA and he signed a contract with Nashville almost instantly when UFA window opened. He can he choked, but they hardly did anything cold-blooded or even negative by him.

Marc Andre-Fleury is the clearest example, but outside of that there isn't as much history of Vegas just being ruthless or screwing over players in the better interest of the team as many seem to say.

[sureLoss]

Insider trading:

https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/2026/01...hting-a-wrong/

Edmonton targeting a top 9 forward.
Not sure if they want a center or winger because they are having internal discussion of whether RNH is a better winger or center.
More wingers are expected to be available than centers before the deadline so more likely they end up trading for winger
Might have to be patient, some of the guys on their list are on teams that haven't decide to sell yet.

Seattle is looking for a top 3/6 winger.
Kraken feels like they have C depth to trade for this top 6 winger.
Listening on Shane Wright, and expected return is incredibly high

Panthers are making calls
Up against the cap and don't have a lot of room to make moves.

[jmac98]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Panthers are making calls
Up against the cap and don't have a lot of room to make moves.

Ugh. They, like Vegas, will get what they want.

[transplant99]

Not sure if they want a center or winger because they are having internal discussion of whether RNH is a better winger or center.

Dude has played over 1000 games in 15 years..... all in Edmonton..... and they STILL dont know if he is a better C or W??

Par for the course for that clown show I suppose.

[PaperBagger'14]

Originally Posted by Vox

I think the issue is more that past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior. Everyone wants to be treated well, so when choice is available there is a natural tendency to avoid organizations that demonstrably treat their people poorly.

There’s a long list of O&G companies in AB that have historically treated employees like garbage, but every time work gets busier people come back. Money talks. I agree being treated good is something everyone wants, but one player being treated poorly (while playing like trash for years and being paid to be elite) isn’t a great indicator of what will happen to the UFA signed to be a 4th liner.

[browntrout]

My last wish for the season is that they trade at least one of Coleman or Kadri, the org needs to make room for rookies at the forward position. Seems to be too many meddling forwards in that 3-6 million dollars range that should be thinned out

One more 2026 1st round round pick, you can do this CC��