2023/2024 Trade Rumors and Speculation Thread

[Toonage]

Just don't make moves to appease Lindholm if you're Calgary. He still may move on regardless

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by devo22

nah. After last season, I fully understand Lindholm when he wants to take some time to think this over and see if he's comfortable committing for 8 more years. New GM, new coaching staff, lots of potential moves ... I understand if he wants to see whether the team is competitive. I don't want any passengers who just sign for the money, I want those long-term, high AAV players to really want to be here. Let him think about it. It's the beginning of July, it's not like there's any sort of rush to this.

What exactly do you expect to change in the next two months?

[Flamesfan05]

Originally Posted by Aarongavey

One can hope you are correct. Much like when a credit card company turns down an application for further credit and forces someone to get their house in order, a forced rebuild would be a welcome event for Flames fans.

Most people just apply for another one

[Psytic]

It's a long time life decision he's potentially locking in to. I dont automatically believe it means no. Does he want to spend his prime years on a team that's a fringe bubble team? It would take some time to decide a long commitment like that to a team that half your buddies have already left.

[Flames_F.T.W]

Originally Posted by devo22

nah. After last season, I fully understand Lindholm when he wants to take some time to think this over and see if he's comfortable committing for 8 more years. New GM, new coaching staff, lots of potential moves ... I understand if he wants to see whether the team is competitive. I don't want any passengers who just sign for the money, I want those long-term, high AAV players to really want to be here. Let him think about it. It's the beginning of July, it's not like there's any sort of rush to this.

The problem is that the Flames can't make any moves until they know what Lindholm's decision is. If he stays, they likely move Hanifin in a hockey trade for some scoring depth. If Lindholm doesn't want to extend, they likely move Hanifin for futures.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by devo22

nah. After last season, I fully understand Lindholm when he wants to take some time to think this over and see if he's comfortable committing for 8 more years. New GM, new coaching staff, lots of potential moves ... I understand if he wants to see whether the team is competitive. I don't want any passengers who just sign for the money, I want those long-term, high AAV players to really want to be here. Let him think about it. It's the beginning of July, it's not like there's any sort of rush to this.

Not exactly sure I'm getting the vibe of a player that really wants to be here going back to his comments after the season and weeks of mulling over the Flames offer without making a decision. Sounds more to me that he may consider staying a Flame if they over compensate him but otherwise he and his agent are likely stringing the Flames along as the best outcome for him is to play out his final season as a Flames and choose his next destination via free agency. If his dream is to win a cup then we already know the answer as that's not going to happen in Calgary.

[Poe969]

Originally Posted by Flames_F.T.W

Hallelujah! I'm sick of being stuck in limbo as a fan, not knowing what direction things are going. A Lindholm answer would be really nice right about now

We know what direction they're going in though. The tea. Isn't good enough to be a playoff team, let alone a contender. They're scrambling to keep their best player so the others don't jump ship. They're struggling to stay relevant and "competitive" but even with their best players, they're a bubble team at best.

Not bad enough to draft high, not good enough to be taken seriously. This teams direction is sideways.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by Toonage

Just don't make moves to appease Lindholm if you're Calgary. He still may move on regardless

Something something appeasement doesn’t work Godwin’d, out.

[Saqe]

Originally Posted by devo22

nah. After last season, I fully understand Lindholm when he wants to take some time to think this over and see if he's comfortable committing for 8 more years. New GM, new coaching staff, lots of potential moves ... I understand if he wants to see whether the team is competitive. I don't want any passengers who just sign for the money, I want those long-term, high AAV players to really want to be here. Let him think about it. It's the beginning of July, it's not like there's any sort of rush to this.

Well, from Lindholm's perspective there is zero urgency to rush a decision. But with the draft gone and free agency winding down, Flames just have fewer options if he decides not to stay, that's all.

[devo22]

Originally Posted by Saqe

Well, from Lindholm's perspective there is zero urgency to rush a decision. But with the draft gone and free agency winding down, Flames just have fewer options if he decides not to stay, that's all.

sure, and the Flames will need to put a deadline on this at some point. Lots of moves and decisions to make, and Lindholms decision might be the first domino to fall, so they'll need an answer at some point. But with the draft and the first UFA wave over, it doesn't seem to me like a few days of mulling it over will change anything. This is obviously different from Tkachuk, where there was a clear deadline with the arbitration case coming up.

[Burning Beard]

The timing of course stinks for trading these guys but that just seems like the Flames luck doesn't it? Even when we have guys to sell off the market tanks. It's kind of why I'm not one who wants to bottom out for the hope of a generational talent. Not a snowballs chance in h### that the Flames get the lotto luck to land one. Just not the way the hockey God rolls with this franchise.

That's why I think they keep Lindholm as he is an adequate first line center and then build around him with quality draft picks.

[Fighting Banana Slug]

So long as the Flames aren't negotiating against themselves (a big assumption), I don't have a major problem with Lindholm taking his time. I don't see much happening until around training camp, or perhaps the second buyout window (when is that?).

It seems like most 2024 UFAs are not signing early and are waiting it out until next summer when the cap goes up. Add to that the number of one year deals this summer for similar reasons, and you should have an absolutely bonkers July 1, 2024. I am sure many will cash in for ridiculous numbers, but I can't help but think some may have overplayed their hands and will find that there isn't that pot of gold next year. Not sure it would be Lindholm, but I think there is a decent chance that many mid-tier free agents might be left with lower, short term deals.

[Sylvanfan]

By all accounts it seems a 5% increase is all but a foregone conclusion. But given how many players need new deals and the quality of these guys needing deals, I don't know if these guys that wait it out will get the streets of gold they expect. If you take your slice early you likely make out quite well. 12 months from now I expect every team is lamenting how close to the cap they are and how hard it is to sign all the players they want to sign.

As much as everyone likes to crap on the Flames nearly every team now has 7 or 8 year commitments to players about to enter their 30's. Cap flexibility is going to get tighter and tighter in coming years.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by Fighting Banana Slug

It seems like most 2024 UFAs are not signing early and are waiting it out until next summer when the cap goes up. Add to that the number of one year deals this summer for similar reasons, and you should have an absolutely bonkers July 1, 2024. I am sure many will cash in for ridiculous numbers, but I can't help but think some may have overplayed their hands and will find that there isn't that pot of gold next year. Not sure it would be Lindholm, but I think there is a decent chance that many mid-tier free agents might be left with lower, short term deals.

None of which helps the Flames, as that means we simply walk Lindholm and possibly the others to UFA.

Sure the market stinks now, but are choice are to trade in a stinky market, wait until the trade deadline and hope things improve or walk players to UFA.

There are other teams like Toronto who need to shed cap without taking anyone back. It seems they need to move Nylander without taking cap back in a deal where if he signs an extension it will be for huge money with a team of his liking. The number of teams with available cap that would want to trade futures and commit to a contract is few or, maybe, none.

I'm interested in seeing how that plays out.

And trade between Calagry and Toronto helps neither team solve their problems.

[OutOfTheCube]

Originally Posted by tremorchrist

I think I liked you better before the gif riddles.

I'm on same gaming message boards and you see this a lot with the 'insiders'. Someone will come out with a straightforward info leak and it be correct, then they get a big following and it goes to their head and they turn every further 'leak' into gifs and riddles and cryptic tweets and images to keep people guessing and nothing ever really comes of any of it.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

By all accounts it seems a 5% increase is all but a foregone conclusion. But given how many players need new deals and the quality of these guys needing deals, I don't know if these guys that wait it out will get the streets of gold they expect. If you take your slice early you likely make out quite well. 12 months from now I expect every team is lamenting how close to the cap they are and how hard it is to sign all the players they want to sign.

As much as everyone likes to crap on the Flames nearly every team now has 7 or 8 year commitments to players about to enter their 30's. Cap flexibility is going to get tighter and tighter in coming years.

It's already extremely difficult to make trades right now and it's only going to get tighter. Treliving clearly didn't do it on purpose but the Flames situation of having 6 key players hit free agency at the same time is not ideal at all as it's hard to envision the Flames coming out of this situation winners when all is said and done as injuries, poor trade deadline market, players waffling on staying, etc are going to likely lead to some of these players leaving for nothing or fetching a mediocre return. Not to mention they will have to replace some of these players somehow and free agency isn't the place you want to do that.

[Fighting Banana Slug]

Originally Posted by The Cobra

None of which helps the Flames, as that means we simply walk Lindholm and possibly the others to UFA.

Sure the market stinks now, but are choice are to trade in a stinky market, wait until the trade deadline and hope things improve or walk players to UFA.

There are other teams like Toronto who need to shed cap without taking anyone back. It seems they need to move Nylander without taking cap back in a deal where if he signs an extension it will be for huge money with a team of his liking. The number of teams with available cap that would want to trade futures and commit to a contract is few or, maybe, none.

I'm interested in seeing how that plays out.

And trade between Calagry and Toronto helps neither team solve their problems.

I am not arguing that it is particularly helpful, but the Flames don't have to walk everyone to free agency, but they would need to make rental deals only. Otherwise, I think Conroy will need to walk back his comments and live with the idea that they do walk some/all to free agency and accept that cap space is the only thing they gain. May be good, may be bad.

Totally agree on the Toronto angle. Two teams looking to shed cap makes it almost impossible to make a deal that makes sense.

[SoulOfTheFlame]

Beginning to worry Lindholm will walk for nothing. We've seen this movie before...

[ClubFlames]

If you have info you would like to share then say it instead of these stupid cryptic gifs and riddles. If you would rather not share then don't. Either way if something comes to fruition we will all come to know one way or another.

From what I remember reading no one has verified who Sec214 is or who his sources are so he could just be taking all of us on a ride posting a gif every 2-3 days with no relevant info. It's getting tiresome.

[Jiri Hrdina]

The ignore feature is there for you if you find it tiresome.