2023/2024 Trade Rumors and Speculation Thread

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Royle9

Lekkerimaki to start.

They also just lost Soucy for 3-4 weeks, likely need another D as well.

As a thought exercise let's assume Lekkermaki is off the table. We can all say we want him to be, but let's assume he's not. Teams rarely trade their top prospects even for quality players. Canucks own both 1sts in 2024 and 2025. I wouldn't mind going for the '25 pick with less protection, given the variability the Canucks have shown in the last few years. There could be a little bit of protection but if it kicks to the '26 pick nothing.

So I go for:
Tom Willander + 2025 1st (limited protection)
For Retained Elias.

[Blaster86]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

Makes a lot of sense on both sides.

Yep, I agree. There has been a solid pipe line between the two teams for about 7/8 years now, so they're familiar trade partners. He fits what the Canucks need and the Canucks do have assets that the flames would covet in a deal.

Originally Posted by genetic_phreek

What would the Nucks give?

Well, any deal is starting with money going out. Mihkeyev or Kuzmenko are the two guys who the Canucks look to move. Kuzmenko for well documented reasons and Mihkeyev because of how much be makes and the fact his performance is suffering due to the lack of a center with the Lotto Line together. I see the Flames asking for and the Canucks preferring to move Kuzmenko. I am with Rutherford, he is going to score a lot of goals in the NHL. Realistically it's probably not with the Canucks. Flames realize that and will take him, hoping to build him up to at the very least flip him again the following year. That is obviously not the core of the deal the Flames want, but it has to happen. Canucks are not looking to move non-pro prospects. So Lekkerimaki and Willander are not on the table (right now). Podkolzin, Raty, Sasson and those style of players are all available.


You're looking for "The Horvat" for Lindholm, but Lindholm is having a much worse year than Horvat was having in the trade year. So Kuzy/Mihkeyev and a 1st are the two pieces that are mandatory from both sides and the the Flames are just angling for the quality of the 3rd piece. If a deal did come together, I wouldn't be shocked to see Podkolzin go the other way. Hoglander has LEPT past him on the depth chart to a point where I don't think the Canucks entertain moving Hoggy for a rental.

Originally Posted by Royle9

Lekkerimaki to start.

Lekkerimaki is not on the table for a rental.

Originally Posted by Royle9

They also just lost Soucy for 3-4 weeks, likely need another D as well.

Juulsen will just walk into the Soucy spot. Tocchet has already said that he didn't want to pull Juulsen from the line-up when Soucy was healthy, but you're not dressing 7 dmen so someone has to sit. 3-4 weeks for Soucy comes at an ideal time with the All-Star break and the Canucks by-week coming in this time.

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

So I go for:
Tom Willander + 2025 1st (limited protection)
For Retained Elias.

Tom Willander is also not on the table for a rental.

[Matty81]

Assuming the flames are going for the 1st, prospect, depth roster player model - Their 1st is going to be real late/not much different from a high end 2nd so makes sense they'd move it this year. The younger roster forward, a depth forward with some tread left on his tires like Aman would be a good fit.

The prospect piece is the key return if you're getting a bad 1st and a low end roster player.... they only have two and it's tough to see them moving Lekkerimaki or Willander.

Raty doesn't look like a very good prospect as time goes on and the dman they drafted from the O in the 3rd round this past year looks great offensively but not the level of prospect you bank on as your main return in a deal like this, someone else will surely offer something better.

I initially thought the money would be a big deal, but they have 332k in cap space, so if they were to send one 850k contract back and the flames ate half the Lindholm deal maybe it could work at the deadline? Checked and Lindholm's remaining cap hit is 2.2 so 1.1 with retention, and ticking down every day. Might still be tight unless Soucy hits LTIR

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

As a thought exercise let's assume Lekkermaki is off the table. We can all say we want him to be, but let's assume he's not. Teams rarely trade their top prospects even for quality players. Canucks own both 1sts in 2024 and 2025. I wouldn't mind going for the '25 pick with less protection, given the variability the Canucks have shown in the last few years. There could be a little bit of protection but if it kicks to the '26 pick nothing.

So I go for:
Tom Willander + 2025 1st (limited protection)
For Retained Elias.

I have a tough time seeing them moving Willander (Friedman even speculated this morning that Vancouver isn't interested in moving either Lekkermaki and Willander).

If something like a Willander + 1st comes through on a Lindholm trade, I think that's an absolute homerun by Conroy.

[Toonage]

If the prospects are middling and the picks are a wash between say the Canucks and the Devils, I'd trade him out of the division. Canucks want him, there should be a premium here that wasn't there for Zadorov.

[Blaster86]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

r (Friedman even speculated this morning that Vancouver isn't interested in moving either Lekkermaki and Willander).

It's not speculation. Rutherford straight up came out and said they are not looking to move non-pro prospects at this deadline.

Originally Posted by Toonage

If the prospects are middling and the picks are a wash between say the Canucks and the Devils, I'd trade him out of the division. Canucks want him, there should be a premium here that wasn't there for Zadorov.

Doubt the Canucks pay a premium and just move on to working on Guentzel or another player on their list.

[Matty81]

Yeah Willander and Lekkerimaki will both be NHLers, just seems like a question of how good they will be. If either of those players is on the table I also see it as a huge win for the flames, and if one isn't included you're better off not trading with the Canucks.

The rest of their futures are junky, late late firsts, prospects struggling to break through into the NHL and a few former mid round picks. Unless you really want to gamble on their 2025 1st being better than this year but seems super risky. I'd be really surprised if one of those two prospects was included though.

[Toonage]

Originally Posted by Blaster86

It's not speculation. Rutherford straight up came out and said they are not looking to move non-pro prospects at this deadline.

Doubt the Canucks pay a premium and just move on to working on Guentzel or another player on their list.

Probably for the best, for both teams really.

[Blaster86]

Originally Posted by Matty81

I'd be really surprised if one of those two prospects was included though.

They will not be. I think if you expect any team to part with their top prospects for Elias Lindholm as well as a 1st round pick, you're going to be severely disappointed with his return.

[Jiri Hrdina]

OK so no Willander either. And Blaster is probably right that Kuzmenko probably needs to move, which i don't mind. The guy has talent.

So Kuzmenko+1st+lesser prospect.
It's slim pickings. Not sure how the org feels about Raty but they didn't draft him so maybe he's a possibility.
Or how about Hunter Brzustewicz

[Ozy_Flame]

I feel like Vancouver is not the best trading partner here.

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

OK so no Willander either. And Blaster is probably right that Kuzmenko probably needs to move, which i don't mind. The guy has talent.

So Kuzmenko+1st+lesser prospect.
It's slim pickings. Not sure how the org feels about Raty but they didn't draft him so maybe he's a possibility.
Or how about Hunter Brzustewicz

I think Kuzmenko also allows Conroy to play both sides of this, which is what seems like the goal.

1st + Kuzmenko + depth pick/prospect still seems like a good return to me.

[Blaster86]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

OK so no Willander either. And Blaster is probably right that Kuzmenko probably needs to move, which i don't mind. The guy has talent.

I truly believe the Canucks are going to get clowned for moving him, like Chicago and Panarin. But it's just super unlikely to work here. It sucks, because he's a personality and the talent is there but he just isn't able to do what Tocchet wants him to do. I'd make the case that this isn't Kuzmenko's skill set and as a coach it's your job to find a way to make it work with a talented player but it's impossible to argue with his results with the rest of line up.

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

So Kuzmenko+1st+lesser prospect.
It's slim pickings. Not sure how the org feels about Raty but they didn't draft him so maybe he's a possibility.
Or how about Hunter Brzustewicz

Hunter is in that "Non-pro prospect" umbrella. It's gonna be Podkolzin I think.

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

I feel like Vancouver is not the best trading partner here.

In going through this with Horvat and Miller over the last two years, you learn very quickly that it's not about finding the "best" trading partner, but the trading partner willing to pay your price.

[Monahammer]

I think we could get better than 1st+Kuzmenko+Raty, but that's sort of the minimum I'd want to trade lindy to vancouver. IMO that is his value without retention though. How much is 2 mil + retention worth?

[Monahammer]

I frankly don't care if Vancouver wins or loses anything, they'll always be losers in my books. So, to me it doesn't matter if we're loading up Vancouver for a run. Anyone we can load up to humiliate edmonton is a benefit. I don't even feel much care or rivalry towards vancouver these days. They're meh.

[Matty81]

Originally Posted by Blaster86

They will not be. I think if you expect any team to part with their top prospects for Elias Lindholm as well as a 1st round pick, you're going to be severely disappointed with his return.

Their 1st is the 32nd pick right now... I don't think it has that much value to be the centerpiece in a big rental acquisition. Maybe enough to get Tanev.

And I agree, not expecting one of those two prospects to be coming to Cgy. Bottom line is that the canucks don't seem like a great trading partner. Beyond those two they don't have many appealing assets that fit this deal.

I would guess Flames are more likely to end up trading with a team that has a pick or recent draftee from the 10-25th range they are willing to move or for a younger NHLer as they surely won't land a top 10 level pick or prospect for Lindholm and a late first as the centrepiece isn't enough

Also, Kuzmenko is a UFA end of next year... he makes zero sense for the rebuilding flames unless they see him as another rental for next year they can build value in, but certainly not a key part of the return

[stemit14]

Originally Posted by Toonage

If the prospects are middling and the picks are a wash between say the Canucks and the Devils, I'd trade him out of the division. Canucks want him, there should be a premium here that wasn't there for Zadorov.

Another reason to go with the Devils (if they are in on Lindholm) is because their first round pick right now is sitting at 13th overall… that pick likely drops out of the top 15 if the Devils make the playoffs but still a much more valuable first round pick than what the Canucks have.

Would not surprise me if the Devils would put more protection on their first round pick than the Canucks. The Devils might make it so they have the choice to push the first round pick to next year if they don’t make the playoffs.

Either way, their pick would still be worth more than the Canucks first round pick because the Devil’s pick next season would likely have no protection in that scenario.

[Toonage]

Devils just looked to have an identical set of 1st & 2nd round picks available as Vancouver. So i used them as an example. No idea if they are in on Lindholm.

Guess what I'm saying is if all things are equal, don't move him to a division rival.

[dissentowner]

The Flames won't trade Lindholm to Vancouver. Not worth discussing.

[Heavy Jack]

Podkolzin is a strange one, 79 games 2 years ago and a solid rookie showing and then followed by the dreaded sophomore slump of which he’s seemingly been unable to overcome as he hasn’t been recalled since. What’s the story here Blaster?

He is only 22 and bringing in him along with Kuzmenko and a 1st seems like pretty good value for an underwhelming Lindy.