2025/2026 Season Trade Rumours and Speculation Thread

[Bonded]

Originally Posted by Fire

Have not heard this anywhere. Link?

https://x.com/NHLRumourReport/status...64138610045085

Now no idea if that’s a fake summary lol. So could be a nothing burger and rumours are spinning around that

[Reggie Dunlop]

Would the Oilers put Mangiapane on waivers?

[Bonded]

Originally Posted by Reggie Dunlop

Would the Oilers put Mangiapane on waivers?

Why not, it’s not like they have to be worried about making him angry

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by Bonded

Might have already been covered but couple tidbits the Flames don’t want to retain on Kadri. That slides me back to not expecting a deal for now if actually true

Just take someone back to make the cap work and then flip that guy for like a Girard and a 2nd.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Bonded

Might have already been covered but couple tidbits the Flames don’t want to retain on Kadri. That slides me back to not expecting a deal for now if actually true

I said a long time ago that there is no way the Flames are gonna pay a guy 10.5M over the next 3 seasons to not play for them.

Maybe half of that and a decent roster player in return, they would be willing to go there.

Otherwise its unlikely he gets dealt this season. He's still a very good player, is clearly a leader on the team, and likes Calgary....so keeping him one more cycle isnt the worst thing to happen unless there is a big drop in his play next season.

[metroneck]

Originally Posted by transplant99

I said a long time ago that there is no way the Flames are gonna pay a guy 10.5M over the next 3 seasons to not play for them.

Maybe half of that and a decent roster player in return, they would be willing to go there.

Otherwise it’s unlikely he gets dealt this season. He's still a very good player, is clearly a leader on the team, and likes Calgary....so keeping him one more cycle isnt the worst thing to happen unless there is a big drop in his play next season.

The likelihood that they replace him with a $4-5M/ year player on average over the remainder of his contract is pretty slim.

At worst they break even over the term retaining $3M + get the assets.

[Harry Lime]

There are a few teams that could fit Kadri into their cap situation with no problem, and are motivated to trade for him. I highlighted LA, for this reason. They have the cap because of the Fiala injury, and also have the cap to pay both Panarin and him, next year, with the retirement of Kopitar.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by Harry Lime

Hey! This isn't a 'whicha whatcha wonka' thread, this is an unhinged trade thread. Pull your #### together! You can't just say 'George Pamplemousses'. It's George Pamplemousses for what! for where! for who! Am I the only one here on crazy pills?

Pachal to Detroit for a 2026 5th
Coleman to Utah for Rangers 2026 2nd and Gabe Smith
Kadri to LA for Columbus 2nd, Kristian Epperson and Alex Turcotte
Popisil to Tampa for Nico Huutanen and a 2026 2nd

Those are the four guys that I see moving. One roster player coming in (Turcotte), three rough and tumble players with upside to second line level, three 2nds and a 5th. Not an overwhelming return, but I think realistic.

Hard to see Conroy trading Coleman and Kadri for a bunch of spare parts. He has not done that in the past, hard to see him trading two quality assets for such a low return. Alex Turcotte is the Kings John Beecher, he is not good at hockey.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by metroneck

The likelihood that they replace him with a $4-5M/ year player on average over the remainder of his contract is pretty slim.

At worst they break even over the term retaining $3M + get the assets.

OK...never said anything different.

Im saying they might be willing to eat 5M over 3 years if the return is good enough. IE: a young C....no idea what that player may be earning.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Bonded

https://x.com/NHLRumourReport/status...64138610045085

Now no idea if that’s a fake summary lol. So could be a nothing burger and rumours are spinning around that

Here's the link: https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article...olympic-break/

There is always a need for centres around the league, and Kadri would seem to hit a lot of the right notes. He’s still productive, leading Calgary in scoring, he’s got plenty of playoff experience, and he’s won the Stanley Cup. The complicated part of this is that his contract goes on for another three seasons, and teams are cautious about taking on that full freight.

Meantime, the Flames do not want to eat any of the remaining money and, for now, that’s the only thing keeping him in Calgary. Kadri has a 13-team no-trade list, but he’s willing to waive that if it means taking a run at another Cup. On Monday, Kadri was addressing trade rumours and our own Eric Francis wrote how a Kadri trade feels inevitable now. Calgary has been playing hardball on this the whole time and now we're down to the final days for them to make a call. There are six teams believed to be in on this, including Dallas, Carolina and Montreal.

[Harry Lime]

Originally Posted by Aarongavey

Hard to see Conroy trading Coleman and Kadri for a bunch of spare parts. He has not done that in the past, hard to see him trading two quality assets for such a low return. Alex Turcotte is the Kings John Beecher, he is not good at hockey.

Pachal to Detroit for a 2026 5th
Coleman to Utah for Rangers 2026 2nd and Gabe Smith
Kadri to LA for Columbus 2nd, Kristian Epperson and Alex Turcotte
Popisil to Tampa for Nico Huutanen and a 2026 2nd

Gabe Smith is a late bloomer LHC, 6'4 208lbs. He was noted for his compete level, fitness, and physical play. The worry with this player when he was drafted, was that he had to raise the level of offense (now 63pts in 49gms in his D+1 year), and get much better with his edging and pivoting on skates. Taken mid 4th round in 2024, easily worth an late 2nd in a strong draft, based on forward progression.

Kristian Epperson, absolute buzzsaw of a player, has a reputation of doing anything to get the puck under team control. Character guy. Strong OHL season at 80pts in 58gms, and then used the new rules to move to the NCAA this year. Taken in the mid 3rd round in 2025, probably still around that spot's worth now, but the kind of guy you win with.

Alex Turcotte, the patron saint of injury. I don't know if anyone remembers, but this guy ruled the WJC. He has all of the skill in the world, but breaks in a stiff wind and needs reps to build his confidence back up. Played in 68 last year, and 49 so far this year, so may turn a corner. Coach in LA doesn't know what to do with him. Still only 24 years old and picked 5thOV in 2019.

Nico Huutanen, 6'3 200lb power forward. Played a full season of Liiga against men in his D+1, and was getting close to a point per game before he came over. Nobody knew exactly what he was going to be when he was drafted, and right now he's a guy whose skill is apparent, but he's working to fit it into a power game. Drafted into the 'a scout really likes this guy' 7th round in 2023. I screwed this one up. He was dissatisfied with icetime in Tampa, and they mutually cancelled his contract. Good thing I'm not GM.

But Epperson and Smith are really tough to play against, and that is who I would target, other than draft picks. Players that could sit and produce in the middle six, and make the other teams life hell. That leaves room for the Gridin and Coranato's of the world to work magic in the top six.

[Jay Random]

If neither Kadri nor Coleman will get you a 1st, there is no earthly way Pospisil is getting a 2nd.

[InternationalVillager]

I don't think Kadri gets moved prior to the next home game. Coleman is up in the air. I think by Monday.

[InternationalVillager]

Originally Posted by Bonded

https://x.com/NHLRumourReport/status...64138610045085

Now no idea if that’s a fake summary lol. So could be a nothing burger and rumours are spinning around that

This is correct. As I posted here yesterday, Kadri is tricky because of $$$.

[BigThief]

Originally Posted by InternationalVillager

This is correct. As I posted here yesterday, Kadri is tricky because of $$$.

lol, who hasn't said that?

[McG]

Originally Posted by taxbuster

So…waiving a player has…”value”? How so, except to ownership (less $$ outflow if claimed). If no one wants the player, like it or not, he has no value in the moment. Might later…might not. Nothing happens.

Hmm…I have an old (and good) camper I haven’t been able to sell…will you buy that?

Waiving a player can have value. You might need the roster spot for a returning player from IR. You might need it for cap reasons. You might need the contract space. And yes, you might even just want to get rid of the player for the waiver fee.

Waiving players is not really a great use of a player especially if you think the player has value, but sometimes there’s no choice and the transaction itself is the value. For example, you have a star player coming back from IR and you need the roster spot.

Look at it this way; that player is getting paid by someone. They are an asset until they are worth nothing or are a liability. In your scenario, the team holds them to the end because the team’s hands are tied. I’m suggesting that the player has value. It doesn’t have to be a first round pick. It could be 7th.

Your camper? Maybe you sell at a loss because you need the space or you just want rid of it. Is it free? Or is it something of value. That’s asset management and that’s the point.

[Jay Random]

That's all very well, but if (for instance) nobody will offer you anything of value for Lomberg, you don't waive him just for the sake of making a transaction. The more good players that get moved before the deadline, the more value there is in keeping someone like Lomberg till the end of the year, because both the NHL and AHL teams still have to ice a legal roster.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by InternationalVillager

This is correct. As I posted here yesterday, Kadri is tricky because of $$$.

Flames don't want to retain (and don't blame them for that) but are they willing to take a contract back to get the deal done?

I also wonder if teams like LA (Fiala injury), Colorado (Girard trade), Carolina, and Detroit might be more willing to make the deal as they don't actually require retention.

[flamesgod]

Originally Posted by BigThief

lol, who hasn't said that?

Do you have little man syndrome?

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by Harry Lime

Pachal to Detroit for a 2026 5th
Coleman to Utah for Rangers 2026 2nd and Gabe Smith
Kadri to LA for Columbus 2nd, Kristian Epperson and Alex Turcotte
Popisil to Tampa for Nico Huutanen and a 2026 2nd

Gabe Smith is a late bloomer LHC, 6'4 208lbs. He was noted for his compete level, fitness, and physical play. The worry with this player when he was drafted, was that he had to raise the level of offense (now 63pts in 49gms in his D+1 year), and get much better with his edging and pivoting on skates. Taken mid 4th round in 2024, easily worth an late 2nd in a strong draft, based on forward progression.

Kristian Epperson, absolute buzzsaw of a player, has a reputation of doing anything to get the puck under team control. Character guy. Strong OHL season at 80pts in 58gms, and then used the new rules to move to the NCAA this year. Taken in the mid 3rd round in 2025, probably still around that spot's worth now, but the kind of guy you win with.

Alex Turcotte, the patron saint of injury. I don't know if anyone remembers, but this guy ruled the WJC. He has all of the skill in the world, but breaks in a stiff wind and needs reps to build his confidence back up. Played in 68 last year, and 49 so far this year, so may turn a corner. Coach in LA doesn't know what to do with him. Still only 24 years old and picked 5thOV in 2019.

Nico Huutanen, 6'3 200lb power forward. Played a full season of Liiga against men in his D+1, and was getting close to a point per game before he came over. Nobody knew exactly what he was going to be when he was drafted, and right now he's a guy whose skill is apparent, but he's working to fit it into a power game. Drafted into the 'a scout really likes this guy' 7th round in 2023. I screwed this one up. He was dissatisfied with icetime in Tampa, and they mutually cancelled his contract. Good thing I'm not GM.

But Epperson and Smith are really tough to play against, and that is who I would target, other than draft picks. Players that could sit and produce in the middle six, and make the other teams life hell. That leaves room for the Gridin and Coranato's of the world to work magic in the top six.

Gabe Smith is D+2 fwiw. And Epperson getting 80 points playing with Misa when Misa got 134 points is not a huge accomplishment. Either way I would much rather they aim higher with their top two assets than C level prospects on other teams. Both guys are marginally better prospects than Abram Wiebe imo.