2023/2024 Trade Rumors and Speculation Thread

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

The team is resurgent because of young players.

Re-signing the UFAs would nullify that.

Its a combination

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

The message and mandate can stay the same but with these players the team is on the bubble so I do t see how giving Hanifin a 2.5M raise and Lindholm a $4+M raise keeps them competitive with a chance to win? I think Backlund signed here for legacy and family reasons as much as he did for chasing a cup.

Signing those 2 guys to 8 year deals at 27 and 29 when you have almost 30 Weegar for 7 more years, 30 year old Huberdeau for another 7 and 33 year old Kadri for another 5 is a recipe for disaster.

I truly hope what you are saying is opinion and not fact because it is a horrible decision that will do nothing by continue to cap out and age this team. If the direction changes and Bscklund wants to move I am sure they will oblige but I also don’t think they are looking to go scorched earth and would rather retool. Having cap flexibility and picks is the easiest way to do that and they have the assets to make it happen with their UFA’s. According to Sec214 Lindholm and his camp want a change anyway and Hanifin walked away from the $60M deal so the flames might not have a choice.

Conroy also said he will not lose these guys in free agency so I tend to believe that is still the plan.

It totally is my opinion, not anything I have heard. Like I said, I am on board with selling them all, I just don't think they will for the reasons I mentioned. Prove me wrong Conroy.

[howard_the_duck]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

That's great and for the most part I agree but they are not going to do that for a couple of reasons. First, the mandate from ownership was to try and win now, as long as they have a chance at playoff revenue Edwards is not going to be on board with selling everyone off. The biggest reason why I don't see it happening though is that mandate is what they sold Michael Backlund to return here. The guy signed an extension after saying repeatedly he wants to win and you think if the team is in a playoff spot they are going to trade away Hanifin and Lindholm as opposed to signing them if they can? That would be a hell of a thing to do to a player who has been with the franchise his whole career. I get it, most of us want to sell, sell, sell but if they are in the playoffs picture I can't see it. I think they will definitely move Zadorov regardless and Vladar as well if they can but that's it. They would probably walk Tanev to free agency and use him as a rental for the playoffs.

That’s nice for Backlund and I’m sure they’re loyal to him, but not at the cost of making bad business decisions.

[Sandman]

Cliff Schrader of LWOS wondered in an article I just read about how much sense Zadorov to Detroit would be, and speculates that the price might be Ben Chiarot, a mid-range prospect like Shai Buium or William Wallinder, and a 2nd.

[Flamesfan05]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

The team is resurgent because of young players.

Re-signing the UFAs would nullify that.

Huberdeau is not young

That said they should get as much as they can for the UFAs

[Poe969]

This team is not good. They should re-sign everyone though!

These are the Flames, I think there is a better chance of them trading away their first round pick instead of getting an additional first round pick.

[Monahammer]

Originally Posted by Sandman

Cliff Schrader of LWOS wondered in an article I just read about how much sense Zadorov to Detroit would be, and speculates that the price might be Ben Chiarot, a mid-range prospect like Shai Buium or William Wallinder, and a 2nd.

Brutal proposal. The prospects mentioned are pretty much worthless. Chiarot is a cap dump, higher priced than Zaddy's next contract, has 2 more years, is much worse, and has an NTC to boot.

So this trade proposal is Zaddy for a 2nd and a bad cap dump. Not worth it. Would rather just take a 3rd or 4th straight up. 1st and Chiarot is worth considering. Maybe Veleno+2nd+Chiarot?

[Roof-Daddy]

How nice would it be if the team could continue to improve under the new coach and system, pull out wins, yet still move these UFA's for futures and graduate more youth?

Really too bad Poirier got hurt, it'd be so nice to pull that Hanifin/Lundell idea off and then graduate a guy like Poirier right away.

[Classic_Sniper]

Craig Conroy has to continue to stay the course. I’m sure the last stretch of games has been fun and enticing, but he cannot lose sight of the big picture.

The Flames based on their current record may need to go 39-25 just to eek into a wildcard position and they still have a ton of difficult teams to face the rest of the way. Think we’ve had one of the easiest schedules in the league up to date.

So, it’s not going to busy the rest of the way and playoffs are still a longshot. It’s good that a lot of our pending UFAs have been playing well recently, but them costing a lot more going forward will not make us better nor will it make us into a juggernaut, so when the offer is right, Conroy can’t hesitate to pull the trigger.

[stemit14]

If Conroy chooses to stick with trading these players… the re-tool/rebuild could happen and the flames stay competitive through the season. Potential trades:

Hanifin for Lindell + 2nd round pick (if extension is in place, it could be a 1st round pick)
Zadorov (50% retained) for Liljegren + 1st round pick + Klingberg
Lindholm for 1st round pick + 2nd round pick + prospect (A-/B+ level)
Tanev for 2nd round pick + 4th round pick
Vladar for 2nd/3rd round pick (depending on if there is a salary dump in the return)

I could be way off on the returns but if Klingberg and Liljegren were healthy, they could potentially bolster the powerplay (Klingberg) and add speed/puck moving to the back end (Liljegren). Lindell would be given Lindholm’s spot… obviously he has a long way to go before he could be considered a Lindholm replacement but, right now, it would mean he acts as the team’s 3rd line center.

Zary-Kadri-Pospisil
Huberdeau-Backlund-Coleman
Mangiapane-Lindell-Sharangovich
Greer-Ruzicka-Dube

Liljegren-Andersson
Weegar-Klingberg
DeSimone-Gilbert

Markstrom
Wolf

That line up is definitely not as strong as the current flames lineup. But if the flames continue to play well and find themselves competing for a wildcard spot with Anaheim/Phoenix/Seattle/St. Louis around the trade deadline when these moves might happen… they could still compete with those teams since those teams have weaknesses of their own.

The flames roll the dice with the remaining vets and the young guys while potentially adding 2-3 first round picks in the draft. If they flounder, it’s a better pick in the draft. If they make the playoffs, it will mean an exciting younger team that gets some great experience for its young players. I wouldn’t expect much from that line upin the playoffs but anything could happen - especially since goaltending is the strongest it’s been in a few years.

[gvitaly]

^ I think you're overvaluing Z's and Vladar's trade value. We're not getting a 1st + Liljergren. It would be either or as a best case scenario.

I'm not sure if Vladar would be claimed off waivers at his current caphit. If we want a 3rd without retention we'd get a goalie like Copley going back, whom we'd burry in the AHL.

[1qqaaz]

Originally Posted by gvitaly

^ I think you're overvaluing Z's and Vladar's trade value. We're not getting a 1st + Liljergren. It would be either or as a best case scenario.

I'm not sure if Vladar would be claimed off waivers at his current caphit. If we want a 3rd without retention we'd get a goalie like Copley going back, whom we'd burry in the AHL.

I think the first would come from taking on Klingberg.

However, it appears Klingberg will likely just go on IR for the season, making it moot.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by stemit14

If Conroy chooses to stick with trading these players… the re-tool/rebuild could happen and the flames stay competitive through the season. Potential trades:

Hanifin for Lindell + 2nd round pick (if extension is in place, it could be a 1st round pick)
Zadorov (50% retained) for Liljegren + 1st round pick + Klingberg
Lindholm for 1st round pick + 2nd round pick + prospect (A-/B+ level)
Tanev for 2nd round pick + 4th round pick
Vladar for 2nd/3rd round pick (depending on if there is a salary dump in the return)

I think that Kingberg is expected to be on LTIR for the rest of the year, so no need to include him.

I think you've got Zadorov bringing more back than Hanifin?

Vladar has no positive value due to his continuing cap hit. Too much for a middling back up when there are cheaper options available.

[stemit14]

Originally Posted by The Cobra

I think that Kingberg is expected to be on LTIR for the rest of the year, so no need to include him.

I think you've got Zadorov bringing more back than Hanifin?

Vladar has no positive value due to his continuing cap hit. Too much for a middling back up when there are cheaper options available.

Didn’t realize Klingberg is on LTIR for the year. That does change the return as the Leafs would not have the urgency to trade the cap hit. The high return for Zadorov was based on giving the leafs cap relief.

Vladar’s return could be achieved if a cap dump that they took back was equivalent or great than Vladar’s cap.

[Hockey_Ninja]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

It totally is my opinion, not anything I have heard. Like I said, I am on board with selling them all, I just don't think they will for the reasons I mentioned. Prove me wrong Conroy.

[Calgary4LIfe]

There is no way that Conroy is going to circle back to re-signing the UFAs. Why would he? Nobody is offering him a good deal, and nobody on that list is someone that you can point at and say: "I expect a huge improvement." Lindholm and Tanev are both looking at regression in the upcoming seasons - their best days are both behind them. Maybe you squeeze out another near-career year out of them, but most of their career years are behind them now. Hanifin and Zadorov - not old, but they have been around for a long time. I do think you can legitimately expect some improvement, but to lock them up with the dollars and term that they want will guarantee that they don't live up to their deals IMO. They certainly aren't offering team-friendly deals.


So what's the point of re-signing them? This team needs a huge refresh, or facelift. They have been more fun to watch, but are they really an exciting team? No. Are they a winning team? No. Who outside of Calgary is trying to catch Calgary games? Nobody. There really isn't any star power on this team, and they aren't winning either - not where it matters.


Flames haven't been a good team since the 80s. Not consistently, they haven't. What is a good team? A great team wins the cup. A good team consistently makes the playoffs, and even gets out of the 2nd round once in a while. Most teams that win the cup do that. Calgary hasn't done this with the same core since the 80's with Lanny, Nieuwendyk, Roberts, Gilmour, MacInnis, etc. Playoffs every year, a few good runs, and a championship (that made them great). Next closest was Iginla's Flames - Stanley Cup finals, then the lockout, then made the playoffs 4 straight seasons. Since that era ended, the Flames have never made the playoffs for multiple years in a row, or had a single deep playoff run. Both times that they made it to the 2nd round they got pushed aside without much of a fight.


I can't imagine that Conroy is going to re-sign these vets and think that they are part of the solution moving forward, especially given their salary and term demands, and considering that they are winning games against predominately bottom-half teams at the moment. He would at least wait until the halfway point of the season to see how this team is stacking up against the top half teams to at least paint a clearer picture, but I don't think that's going to happen.


As it stands right now, I think the Calgary Flames brand has been taking some hits over the last couple of seasons. Top players wanting out. Team hasn't had any real sustained success in a very long time. Small market team that is probably shrinking. US Cable hasn't bothered to pick up any Flames games. They are becoming the most obscure and irrelevant club outside of Canada, and inside of Canada, they are probably competing with the Jets in that regard - and probably losing.



From a business standpoint, that's probably not good. They are going to have to generate excitement somehow. Re-signing the upcoming UFAs to long-term rich deals is going to make exactly 8 people excited - the players themselves, and their respective agents getting their 3 or 5 or whatever percentage. They aren't going to suddenly become a powerhouse in the next couple of years. They also won't be able to inject enough exciting youth to sustain any real excitement either that comes with a rebuild. It would be a blunder to come out with a boring, non-competitive team when that new building opens it doors. What an embarrassment it would be if they had trouble selling out. Probably would sell-out for the first couple of seasons regardless, but considering the increased ticket prices, maybe it wouldn't last very long without an exciting product to watch. I think that's the target that this team has to be building towards.


As for the Markstrom rumours, i do hope it happens. I like Markstrom, but as soon as Hanifin-Tanev-Zadorov are traded, this team will end up having a bottom 5 defence, quite easily. I like the pieces in the pipeline, don't get me wrong, but in terms of capable top 4 defencemen, the Flames will be down to exactly 1. Maybe they grab another young up-and-comer from a Lindholm deal, but that would be difficult. Teams are trying to load up for their runs, without subtracting. Maybe an over-the-hill top 4 guy who is regressing comes back and helps prop-up the backend somewhat as a cap-dump. Flames aren't exactly a tight team defensively (but they are improving), so imagine what it would be like without capable defencemen. Don't have to imagine - just look up north to see. If Markstrom is ever going to be traded, it will probably have to happen before, or at least, shortly after the D move, or his value will plummet.


That's ok, since the Flames will plummet in the standings as well once that happens, and will grab a higher pick. It isn't doom and gloom - it is probably a good thing that happens. Andersson, "X - player received in return from a trade", Gilbert, Desimone, Solovyov, Oesterle, and then some reps from Kuznetsov, as well as Poirier when he returns from injury and gets into game shape again - that's not a good and experienced defence, but it certainly has good young pieces (plus Morin coming up). Flames will probably sign a vet or two to in the off-season to help prop-up the defence - you don't want to Oiler it up after all. However, the defence will make it tough to be better than 10th overall in the standings for the next two seasons, most likely.


I expect a fairly short turn-around. Flames are a well drafting team, the returns should be decent, and they aren't starting with nothing in the pipe. Players like Lundell (if that's the return) won't be first-line players, but they are important supporting pieces to winning. Just ask Edmonton how good things are with two superstars and a lot of junk. Depth is important, and having great depth allows you to become a great team. Flames have been drafting and developing really good players deep into drafts too, which really helps. I still argue that only bad drafting teams (or toxic/mismanaged teams) stay in the bottom of the standings for 5 years or more, or have waited too long to do a big retool/rebuild. Calgary is in a good spot right now to do this.

[NegativeSpace]

I'm curious what information is out there that suggests any change from the team or Conroy. The Flames have not suggested that they are instantly going to re-sign everyone, which is appears that some people are reacting to. Dissentowner was just offering his opinion - which is fair.



The team got off to a terrible start while contract negotiations were ongoing. So, reasonably, the Flames told all parties involved that they were putting a freeze on negotiations - in other words to the players, just focus on hockey. Team has started to play better, so there is some life in this roster yet. Conroy can start to piece together how he sees this team moving forward.



Personally, I see Lindholm as over-priced and unable to mesh with many of the other, less moveable, players on the team. He's a good player, but the lack of chemistry with other players seems like he doesn't fit. Big Z is also short on time with the team given his trade demand. I suspect that Hanifin is up in the air and Tanev will be dependent on where they are in the standings come trade deadline.



So, the situation seems about the same as last week to me.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

I think people are over-reacting. I don't think Conroy is going to walk all these guys to free agency. No way.
And I don't think any of them are going to want to re-sign now.

They would be fools to sign at this point.

I’m sure Conroy is well aware they can’t be here past the deadline. The improvement of several players, notably Lindholm is helpful to boost their value, not shape the destiny of the team.

“Congratulations, you still remember how to hockey at a middle Six level, how bout $72M?”

Craig and Jarome don’t need these jobs - they’re doing this because they care about the team and they love it.

I don’t believe for a second they got into this to hitch it all to Elias Lindholm and Noah Hanifin.

They’ll do the right thing.

[MrMike]

With Florida being the top landing spot for Kane and only having 500k in space, I think we trade Zadorov to Toronto with nothing retained (Klingberg makes 4.2m a season and putting him on IR makes that happen) for about a third with no cap coming back. We then use that space opened up to retain half on Hanifin in a trade with the Panthers ( now have 7.7m space) to take Lundell and whatever else they need to make space for signing Kane.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by MrMike

With Florida being the top landing spot for Kane and only having 500k in space, I think we trade Zadorov to Toronto with nothing retained (Klingberg makes 4.2m a season and putting him on IR makes that happen) for about a third with no cap coming back. We then use that space opened up to retain half on Hanifin in a trade with the Panthers ( now have 7.7m space) to take Lundell and whatever else they need to make space for signing Kane.

If Jake McCabe in all his glory when combined with two 5th round picks and a 4th line plug in Sam Lafferty is worth a 4th line plug in Joey Anderson, a 1st round pick and a 2nd round pick then Zadorov can fetch a bit more than a 3rd. I sure hope he can.