2024/2025 Season trade rumours and speculation thread

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by stemit14

Is McKenna not projected to be a center? He may be playing wing right now because he’s so young but I thought he was projected to be a center.

I think he is a winger going forward but someone like Sandman or Dash Pinched can answer that better.

Is switching someone ranked #1 positions something that has been done before?

[Monahammer]

Originally Posted by TOfan

Great post and par for the course from Monahammer. Same guy said Wolf would demand a trade if he didn’t get 20 games last year.

Good thing we pretty much gave him 20 games last season.

[Wastedyouth]

You guys know you don't actual have to validate Eeyores' moaning?

[Monahammer]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

But to call it a wasted season is foolish. The team went into the season with the second lowest salary cap in the league, was expected to be bad, but due to a potential Calder performance from a Rookie goalie, and strong play from other youngsters they are battling for a playoff spot.

Lots of good things have come out of this season, and honestly the difference between picking 10th and 21st or 21st and 23rd doesn't make it a "wasted season".

Picking 10th means that you could pick top 3. Thats what the flames need more than anything- it really doesn't matter at all what Wolf is if the team in front of him can't sustainably put more than 2 goals in a net per game. It doesn't matter that we have a crop of wingers who are playing passably well at various levels. Our star up and coming d man is a great boon, but he would be performing the same way no matter what was happening up in calgary.

We're only ~7 points out of bottom 10 right now. Jiri, you can't tell me that 15 less games of Rasmus on the back end doesn't likely net us 5 less wins. Especially with Bahl out during the same period. Then we're talking about lottery pick this year. Add that to another high pick next year and we'd have a proper rebuild core with a young goalie, stud young puck moving d, and probably two shots at a top line C, in addition to the glut of middling winger talent we have farmed so well.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

Picking 10th means that you could pick top 3. Thats what the flames need more than anything- it really doesn't matter at all what Wolf is if the team in front of him can't sustainably put more than 2 goals in a net per game. It doesn't matter that we have a crop of wingers who are playing passably well at various levels. Our star up and coming d man is a great boon, but he would be performing the same way no matter what was happening up in calgary.

We're only ~7 points out of bottom 10 right now. Jiri, you can't tell me that 15 less games of Rasmus on the back end doesn't likely net us 5 less wins. Especially with Bahl out during the same period. Then we're talking about lottery pick this year. Add that to another high pick next year and we'd have a proper rebuild core with a young goalie, stud young puck moving d, and probably two shots at a top line C, in addition to the glut of middling winger talent we have farmed so well.

If you are saying that over 15 games, not having Andersson in the line-up would equate to 5 less wins, that would make him one of the most impactful players in the entire league. Over an entire season that equates to him being responsible for about 25 wins.

It is a rather preposterous premise.

[Monahammer]

I also said without Bahl.
Our defense would be:
Weegar-Hanley
Bean-Pachal
Solovyov-Barrie.

[Jiri Hrdina]

So they should have traded Andersson in anticipation of a Bahl injury?

[Jiri Hrdina]

Bahl also only missed 9 games (assuming he returns tonight).

[traptor]

I don’t like it, and it’s definitely not what I would do, but…

The Flames were never rebuilding.

They were retooling—and even that wasn’t by choice. They tried to re-sign their big-name UFAs, but they were turned down. Now, that retool is winding down.

They see what Wolf is doing. They know he’s ready right now and view the next 10 years as their window. It’s not like Frost and Farabee are early career players anymore—they’re both 25, right in their prime. They want to re-sign Andersson.

This team will be a cap team again very soon. If they don’t go after a big-name UFA like Rantanen, they’ll be looking for a blockbuster trade to bring in a player in his prime.

Love it or hate it, the Flames believe their window is opening right now. The back steps are done—unless they’re forced into it again (like if Rasmus refuses to re-sign).

[dammage79]

It needs to be said. The Flames have wanted to sign and keep multiple pending UFAs over the last 5 years, they all left. Save for Backlund. So it's a nice song the Flames are singing in regards to Andersson but let's not pretend their success rate is any good at player retention. In fact I'd still put the odds of the Flames trading Andersson at greater than 70 percent. Simply because Rasmus has many options to put himself out of the Flames availability to retain his his services. Could pull a Lindholm,Hanifin. Could go to the wire like Gaudreau and we get stabbed twice over and get nothing in return for losing.

I just hope with Conroy's previous trades, he has a set deadline for Razz and does not hesitate to pull the trigger if he isn't retained.

Razz in my estimation is gone next deadline. Halving his trade value.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

Picking 10th means that you could pick top 3. Thats what the flames need more than anything- it really doesn't matter at all what Wolf is if the team in front of him can't sustainably put more than 2 goals in a net per game. It doesn't matter that we have a crop of wingers who are playing passably well at various levels. Our star up and coming d man is a great boon, but he would be performing the same way no matter what was happening up in calgary.

We're only ~7 points out of bottom 10 right now. Jiri, you can't tell me that 15 less games of Rasmus on the back end doesn't likely net us 5 less wins. Especially with Bahl out during the same period. Then we're talking about lottery pick this year. Add that to another high pick next year and we'd have a proper rebuild core with a young goalie, stud young puck moving d, and probably two shots at a top line C, in addition to the glut of middling winger talent we have farmed so well.

Sure - still doesn't make it a wasted season.

They tried to suck, they ended up winning, not much they could have done about it short of starting Wolf fewer games.

Even Andersson hasn't been very good the last 20 games - I'm not sure them trading him at Christmas would have tanked their results as much as you think it would have.

In the end everyone would have loved a top 5 pick this year. But it's not like the team didn't try. They went into the season with 2 top 4 d-men, a flawed forward group, a rookie goalie and a goalie coming off hip surgery. Most predictions had them finishing Bottom 5.

Once they got off to a good start it wouldn't be a good move for the organization to start trying to move players in a big rush to try to accelerate a tank. Sends a terrible message to guys like Wolf and the young guys in the org and how you trap yourself in a losing culture.

And in the end the only other move they could have made mid-season was to move Andersson (and I think they should have moved him at the 2024 Draft). But not doing that doesn't make it a wasted season.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Trading Andersson at Christmas probably doens't make a significant difference in the standings. He hasn't been good since November, and sits at a -17.

Trading Andersson has always been about cashing in on what I believe is a declining player that will not age well on his next contract.

[Ped]

Sportsnet adding their thoughts that Rantanen's struggles are more luck than anything else, which others have posited:

lthough Rantanen’s scoring pace is down considerably since coming to Carolina, he has been the Hurricanes’ most dangerous player. He leads the team in scoring chances (26), offensive-zone possession time (6:49), slot-pass completions (21) and one-timer attempts (10) over the past month.

“He has fit in very well to the way we play, creating some tremendous chances around the net for himself and his linemates,” Hurricanes general manager Eric Tulsky told The Athletic. “A couple of posts and some great saves have kept it from showing up on the scoresheet yet, but we can all see that the points will come.”

Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour has tethered Rantanen to fellow Finn Sebastian Aho on the team’s top line. They have generated 62.9 per cent of the expected goals at even strength in almost 90 minutes of shared ice time. Scoring chances are 51-30 in favour of Carolina during those minutes (45-27 at five-on-five).

Despite that territorial advantage, the Hurricanes have been outscored 7-6 at even strength with Rantanen and Aho on the ice. Goals are 4-4 at five-on-five.

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article...th-hurricanes/

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by dammage79

It needs to be said. The Flames have wanted to sign and keep multiple pending UFAs over the last 5 years, they all left. Save for Backlund. So it's a nice song the Flames are singing in regards to Andersson but let's not pretend their success rate is any good at player retention. In fact I'd still put the odds of the Flames trading Andersson at greater than 70 percent. Simply because Rasmus has many options to put himself out of the Flames availability to retain his his services. Could pull a Lindholm,Hanifin. Could go to the wire like Gaudreau and we get stabbed twice over and get nothing in return for losing.

I just hope with Conroy's previous trades, he has a set deadline for Razz and does not hesitate to pull the trigger if he isn't retained.

Razz in my estimation is gone next deadline. Halving his trade value.

They have lost guys, but they have also signed guys like Jacob Markstrom, Chris Tanev, James Neal(puke), Derek Ryan, Blake Coleman to name a few in that time frame. Even had Lucic waive to come here puke again.

[saillias]

even if you ignore the asset management part and don't believe in rebuilding at some point you have to think Andersson just needs a change of scenery. he just hasn't been good for a couple years.

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts

They have lost guys, but they have also signed guys like Jacob Markstrom, Chris Tanev, James Neal(puke), Derek Ryan, Blake Coleman to name a few in that time frame. Even had Lucic waive to come here puke again.

My memory is foggy but I think Ryan may be the only one the has re-signed on your list. The rest were free agent signings which wasn't what I was talking about. I was talking about player retention and their desire to keep players . It's not a good success rate.

[Yeah_Baby]

talking about going after Rantanen could as much about signally things to room more than anything else.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by dammage79

My memory is foggy but I think Ryan may be the only one the has re-signed on your list. The rest were free agent signings which wasn't what I was talking about. I was talking about player retention and their desire to keep players . It's not a good success rate.

I get that, but player retention is getting a player when they are free to sign anywhere is a bit of the same. It's not like players don't want to play here.

Put out a winning product and guys will stay and come here.

A lot of exodus came after a really toxic season, and if they stayed, we would be hooped right now.

Probably why its more important to sign our own players minus Andersson and not try to nickel and dime them to go chasing Rantanen. Not saying they will go after but just an example.

[Tkachukwagon]

According to Friedman, Matias Maccelli may be on the block:

https://www.prohockeyrumors.com/2025...-deadline.html

During the podcast, Friedman was quoted saying, “Maccelli in Utah. He’s been scratched a bit lately. Was scratched Sunday night too against Vancouver. That’s one to watch.” His play this season has invoked questions regarding his future with the organization but Utah would ultimately be selling low on Maccelli should they move him now.

There’s no question he’s had a disappointing campaign. After scoring 28 goals and 78 assists in 146 games with the Arizona Coyotes from 2022 to 2024, Maccelli’s scoring has dropped to eight goals and 10 assists in 52 games this season. That point production equates to a 0.37 decrease in points per game compared to years past and his offensive production isn’t the only worry in his game.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Yeah_Baby

talking about going after Rantanen could as much about signally things to room more than anything else.

I struggle with this myself, the idea of going after big free agents I mean.

On one hand, I get that it isn't usually an efficient use of cap space and things can backfire, especially as the contract ages. On the other hand, I see signing big name free agents as necessary to build a good team.

Let's say the Flames reached out to Rantanen and he was open to playing in Calgary, it would be really hard to not explore that IMO. It's not like Vegas, NY, L.A., Dallas, or Florida, where opportunities like that are more frequent.