2025/2026 Season Trade Rumours and Speculation Thread

[PaperBagger'14]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

And if TT and Dahlin ask out, how do you prevent the dominoes from falling further with others also asking to get out.

It's an utter disaster.

All Buffalo has to do is look at the flames and ask themselves if this is what they want to be like. The situations have some similarities (and some big differences too) that could give the sabres a blue print of what to do or not do.

We lost two star forwards, one to UFA and one asking for a trade and had almost all of the other complimentary pieces ask for trades or overpays on new contracts. While I don’t think Tkachuk and Gaudreau left because of poor results or management, the end result is still similar.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by Flamesfan05

Like who?

For Thompson? It would have to start with Brzustewicz + 1st + Frost, and something else. Maybe even Reschny over Brzustewicz if that had to be the prospect that goes back to them. I think Brzustewicz is someone they'd be looking for as a cornerstone D behind or in front of Kesselring (assuming Dahlin and Thompson are traded)

Originally Posted by Monahammer

Speaking of the BJs, you have to think Cole Sillinger is on the outs there. They have Monahan, Jenner, Fantili and now Coyle all taking centre reps away from him.

Not sure what we could trade but I really want him still. He wasn't given the right start there.

I've no interest in Sillinger unless he becomes a UFA down the road. That ship kind of sailed with the acquisition of Frost.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

Speaking of the BJs, you have to think Cole Sillinger is on the outs there. They have Monahan, Jenner, Fantili and now Coyle all taking centre reps away from him.

Not sure what we could trade but I really want him still. He wasn't given the right start there.

Yeah they are a good fit, and with the relationships Rasmus has with some folks there, perhaps he would be open to re-signing there.

But they need to have a good year such that they would see Rasmus as an important addition.

Sillinger+1st would be a nice little bit of business.

I would also take Sillinger + LDBB
or LDBB+1st

Lindstrom off the table for sure.

[Macho0978]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Tough sell to the fan base to see their best players traded for futures, when they are already at 14 years out of the playoffs.
If they strip it down again, they are 5+ years away.

I guess going for 20?

If Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin want out, they will get to 20+

I'm not suggesting they strip it down. When they traded Eichel, they had a a young Thompson who was ready to take over with Cozens coming behind him that looked to be good as well.

Buffalo will always have a problem attracting free agents and trading for veterans as they all have Buffalo on their no trade list.

If they traded for picks and prospects, they have options to make a move for the right player who does not have trade protection becomes available.

Why limit your options when moving these high-profile players? Most teams are limited to what they can offer Buffalo due to NTC issue. Flames were rumored to be after Byram, but Buffalo wanted players. Players the Flames would give up had NTC with Buffalo on their list and the players Buffalo wanted in return, the Flames wanted to keep. Similar story in all their trades since the Eichel deal. Navigating a possible trade with all the NTC issues would limit Buffalo's return dealing with 1 team. Take the best assets and wait for the right player to be available and they could have been good as they have signed their young guys to long term deals pretty consistently. Problem is they haven't turned the corner in time for the new core to be happy to stay as the team isn't having success.

Winnipeg is supposed to be similar to Buffalo, no issues when you are a good team. The Americans are even staying in Winnipeg.

Edmonton too.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Macho0978

Eichel did not have trade protection. Krebs was a highly rated prospect, but Vegas 1st was destined to be late. Clearly Buffalo valued Tuch in that deal.

Flames didn't have much better to offer.

But they could have traded Eichel who had 5 years left on his deal to any team in the league. That trade was a head was bad from day 1 and it was because they limited their options by valuing the players over the picks.

The reporting was pretty well known about who was in on Eichel, and it wasn't the whole league. There were maybe 4 teams.

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

The Sabres even lucked out in getting a franchise center in Eichel.
And they f'd that up.

That's the tipping point. Eichel was a guy to build around on and off the ice, including to draw other players there.

Them pushing him out, including by not allowing him to have some say in how to handle his health issues, pushed them to this point.

It doesn't get talked about enough in terms of how BAD that screwed that up. The trade was meh. But the issue isn't the trade, it's what led to the trade.

I'm not sure you can call finishing last, and getting lotteried by Edmonton for McDavid "lucky". And Eichel's a good player but in a redraft I'm not sure he goes top 3. Marner, Rantanen, Kaprizov probably go ahead. Aho and Connor aren't far behind either.

[Macho0978]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

The reporting was pretty well known about who was in on Eichel, and it wasn't the whole league. There were maybe 4 teams.



I'm not sure you can call finishing last, and getting lotteried by Edmonton for McDavid "lucky". And Eichel's a good player but in a redraft I'm not sure he goes top 3. Marner, Rantanen, Kaprizov probably go ahead. Aho and Connor aren't far behind either.

Eichel trade situation went on for months. Maybe 4 teams in the end, but way more in the beginning. No way only 4 teams were interested. Asking price and the surgery options had teams bow out early.

That was a bad deal from day one.

[NegativeSpace]

Originally Posted by Aarongavey

It is definitely a potential outcome of any rebuild. Committing an organization to losing raises the distinct possibility that you perfect being a loser. It had pretty much happened in Edmonton as well until they lucked out and got McDavid.

It is also much harder to escape being a perennial loser.

[Monahammer]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

The reporting was pretty well known about who was in on Eichel, and it wasn't the whole league. There were maybe 4 teams.



I'm not sure you can call finishing last, and getting lotteried by Edmonton for McDavid "lucky". And Eichel's a good player but in a redraft I'm not sure he goes top 3. Marner, Rantanen, Kaprizov probably go ahead. Aho and Connor aren't far behind either.

Sorry- but in the make believe redraft scenario everyone would also know that Eichel led his team to a Stanley cup. Add that he's a natural centre and he's still better than the three you listed.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

Speaking of the BJs, you have to think Cole Sillinger is on the outs there. They have Monahan, Jenner, Fantili and now Coyle all taking centre reps away from him.

Not sure what we could trade but I really want him still. He wasn't given the right start there.

I would rather pry Kent Johnson out of their hands if doing a deal with the Jackets.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

Sorry- but in the make believe redraft scenario everyone would also know that Eichel led his team to a Stanley cup. Add that he's a natural centre and he's still better than the three you listed.

Meh. I just don't think he's that good. He's a tier below the elite players, and I put Kaprizov in that category. He's a career PPG guy who still tends to miss big chunks of the season.

It's Mark Stone's team, and when he's not healthy, they crap the bed in the POs.

[blankall]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Meh. I just don't think he's that good. He's a tier below the elite players, and I put Kaprizov in that category. He's a career PPG guy who still tends to miss big chunks of the season.

It's Mark Stone's team, and when he's not healthy, they crap the bed in the POs.

Eichel brought it in the playoffs. Not only was he consistently getting points, but he was physical and part of a leadership group that had his whole team going. Zero chance that you take Marner, who is noted for disappearing in large games.

There could be a case for Rantanen. He was dominant in the early playoffs last year, but disappeared against Edmonton.

Kaprizov, I'd say the jury is still out on.

[Tkachukwagon]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1978238136867254615

[Matty81]

It's a long shot right now but a team I am hoping shows signs of life and comes after rasmus hard is the sharks. Their prospect cupboard is overflowing, they have tons of young forward talent in the nhl already and they are desperate for veteran leadership and right shot dmen to move towards respectability. I could see them actually paying rasmus what he thinks he is worth unlike 90% of the league. But obviously would need to show signs they are moving towards contention before he'd sign there.


Right now their top 2 rhd are orlov playing the wrong side and john klingberg who is a shadow of hsi former self and 100% will be injured within a couple months

I look at a player like Cam Lund and think that is exactly the kind of young center the flames should be going after. Celebrini, smith and misa are all centers, although maybe one of smith or misa is a winger long run. But he's probably never going to get much of an opportunity there and the flames are absolutely desperate for a young center who has some size and skill. Bystedt as well is another young center in their system who would be a top 3 prospect in most organizations

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by Matty81

It's a long shot right now but a team I am hoping shows signs of life and comes after rasmus hard is the sharks. Their prospect cupboard is overflowing, they have tons of young forward talent in the nhl already and they are desperate for veteran leadership and right shot dmen to move towards respectability. I could see them actually paying rasmus what he thinks he is worth unlike 90% of the league. But obviously would need to show signs they are moving towards contention before he'd sign there.


Right now their top 2 rhd are orlov playing the wrong side and john klingberg who is a shadow of hsi former self and 100% will be injured within a couple months

I look at a player like Cam Lund and think that is exactly the kind of young center the flames should be going after. Celebrini, smith and misa are all centers, although maybe one of smith or misa is a winger long run. But he's probably never going to get much of an opportunity there and the flames are absolutely desperate for a young center who has some size and skill. Bystedt as well is another young center in their system who would be a top 3 prospect in most organizations

Bystedt is a player that a few other posters and myself have mentioned as a C who the Flames should target.

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by Tkachukwagon

https://twitter.com/user/status/1978238136867254615

Man, there was a time when Lapierre was almost as "blue chip" as a prospect can be- but his injuries have taken a big bite out of him. I would definitely take a chance on the kid, but I wouldn't be willing to pay a big price to acquire him at this point.

[Matty81]

Originally Posted by Sandman

Bystedt is a player that a few other posters and myself have mentioned as a C who the Flames should target.

It seems like Lund has a bit more offence but if bystedt learns to use his size his upside is a really good two way 2c.


I'd be really happy to see the flames add a player with either of their profiles... especially with this draft coming up looking pretty slim on centers and more likely to land the flames a scoring winger

[gvitaly]

Originally Posted by Sandman

Man, there was a time when Lapierre was almost as "blue chip" as a prospect can be- but his injuries have taken a big bite out of him. I would definitely take a chance on the kid, but I wouldn't be willing to pay a big price to acquire him at this point.

He looked so good during the Helinka Gretzky cup. I remember the Flames having a couple of chances to grab him before they traded down and got Zary. Which seems like great asset management now. Unfortunately, I think we only got Poirier and Boltman out of it.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I would rather pry Kent Johnson out of their hands if doing a deal with the Jackets.

So would I, but a soon to be 23 year old centre with his production last year likely has more trade value than any player on Calgary except Wolf.

[cam_wmh]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Yeah they are a good fit, and with the relationships Rasmus has with some folks there, perhaps he would be open to re-signing there.

But they need to have a good year such that they would see Rasmus as an important addition.

Sillinger+1st would be a nice little bit of business.

I would also take Sillinger + LDBB
or LDBB+1st

Lindstrom off the table for sure.

Lindstrom, is an interesting one. Columbus has to sign him by Jun 1, 2026. He could wait that extra 1-2 months post Michigan's last game, and sign anywhere.

Or post Final 4, Columbus retains him, likely looking at needing to sign him with a <7 day window, so as to dress him for a game, with the incentive of burning his first year of his ELC. (if BJ's miss playoffs)

There is a bit of risk there. Jiri, is that part of your reason to not wanting him?

[Sandman]

I think Jiri is saying that there's no way CBJ lets Lindstrom slip through their fingers, he's far too valuable.