2024/2025 Season trade rumours and speculation thread

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Not sure what you're arguing here.

Worse goaltending would make them worse? Of course it would.

But it's not all Wolf when you have a team that has middle of the league metrics in most categories.

#8 in GSAx

Team plays hard every night, bought into the defensive low event hockey system for sure.

Just feels early to change course when goalies are called voodoo and can change year over year.

I don't think Wolf falls off a cliff and is a star goalie, but now instead of 5 years out we are looking at 2.

Can you mantain this style of hockey every year? It's difficult to rely on outworking your opponent every night and not just have a star player take over and win you some games that isn't your goalie every night.

[really?]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I think Wolf is worth a few spots in the standings for sure.

But a team with middling metrics five on five (15th to 20th) may not have been bad enough to be bottom ten with the level of coaching and work ethic this team has put on the ice.

I'd say 20th place team becomes 16th best team with better than expected goaltending.

This sounds about right. Wolf has been outstanding, but not to the tune of a bottom five team to a playoff team. For all their shortcomings the team plays a disciplined game that keeps them in most games, so a lot of cudos go out to the group as a whole and Huska/the coaches.

That being said there is a shelf life on relying on discipline and effort to overcome individual skill sets that alter a game. Clearly, an actual rebuild is off the table, but if the Flames don’t get a high end center or two over the next two drafts they’re in danger of being a donut squad for the next decade. We’ve been watching that for sometime, hopefully management has as well and continues to highly value, if not prioritize the health of this roster 3-4 years from now over this year and next.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I'm not as convinced they are in a consistent range in the league.

This is a tough way to play hockey.

Coaches get tuned out.

Players get older.

Dressing rooms change.

The Flames could easily have a slide next year that a goalie can't save.

Fair it's quite possible because goalies can be inconsistent year to year, but if Wolf is what we all hope he is, then it's not something you can bank on when trying to plan how you're going to build this roster IMO.

Even just looking at this season - the team as a whole has a .899 save percentage which actually ranks 11th.

With Wolf and his .913 they are actually 20-12-3 (.614 point percentage)

With Vladar and his .891 they are 8-10-5 (.456 point percentage).

So even if Vladar played every game this year with his .891 save percentage the Flames still would be just on the top 5 pick threshold.

It's tough to get top 5 picks when you're getting top 15 goaltending...I actually wonder when the last time it's happened and will have to look back.

[Funkhouser]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Wolfs numbers are very good for a rookie but he isnt even top 5. (Top 10?) People (well a couple) are acting like the Flames are the Hawks with Hasek in net.

They just beat the caps on the road with Vladar

The Athletic posted him as 10th in the NHL this week. They use Goals saved above expected as a marker.

We do have a top 10 goalie in the league and he will only get better in the near future.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts

#8 in GSAx

Team plays hard every night, bought into the defensive low event hockey system for sure.

Just feels early to change course when goalies are called voodoo and can change year over year.

I don't think Wolf falls off a cliff and is a star goalie, but now instead of 5 years out we are looking at 2.

Can you mantain this style of hockey every year? It's difficult to rely on outworking your opponent every night and not just have a star player take over and win you some games that isn't your goalie every night.

Totally agree ... and said it in the post right after.

Hard to maintain that level of commitment playing a painful brand of hockey.

[Tbull8]

Originally Posted by HighLifeMan

I could see Conroy sniffing around a guy like Barzal. The Islanders are kind of in no mans land, could use an injection of picks, and are due for a shift in direction.

Underwhelming year, injury issues, etc.. Doubtful, but it would fit the bill of a surprising move.

Barzal is a dream scenario for me. Feels like if he gets out of the isles system he could still take off offensively. Getting up there in age now (going to be 28 this year) but would be so fun to have here

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts

yeah because that is what I said.

Whqt is your problem?

You said "their inability to be bad"... "it's disappointing to hear"...

You have made multiple comments that you are disappointed with the fact that the Flames are winning more games than you want them to. Language matters, and you know exactly what you're saying. So if you're going to say it, own it. Don't go playing the victim afterwards, when you're called out on it.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

You said "their inability to be bad"... "it's disappointing to hear"...

You have made multiple comments that you are disappointed with the fact that the Flames are winning more games than you want them to. Language matters, and you know exactly what you're saying. So if you're going to say it, own it. Don't go playing the victim afterwards, when you're called out on it.

It's clear they have pivoted, it's disappointing to hear on many levels especially Conroy being part of a team that was trying to ride a goalie with a mediocre roster in front of him.

That is what I said, if you have difficulty understanding that it's not my problem and don't comment on my posts.

I didn't say I am disappointed that Wolf is a star I said its disappointing to hear that they have pivoted.

Put me on ignore or don't quote me.

[Bonded]

Wolf is a big part of their success but I am way more surprised Huska took a group of misfit toys ok defense and turned them into a decent unit.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Bonded

Wolf is a big part of their success but I am way more surprised Huska took a group of misfit toys ok defense and turned them into a decent unit.

I think Huska is very undervalued as a hockey coach.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Totally agree ... and said it in the post right after.

Hard to maintain that level of commitment playing a painful brand of hockey.

It's Flames luck isn't it.

You have Kipper and Iggy but can never get that #1 center.

You get star forwards, but you have Mike Smith and Cam Talbot in net.

The one year it feels like you have the right pieces, you get run over by a once in a lifetime generational offensive star in the playoffs.

You find a goalie in the 7th round who is probably going to win multiple Vezina's awards, but his play keeps you from getting him the help he needs up front.

[Royle9]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

Let's go through the list of potentially available names again that fit in this 23-26 age range.

Blues: Kyrou (26)
Sabres: Cozens (24) , Peterka (23), Samuelsson (24), Bryam (23) (Still think Buffalo feels like the most logical fit - Cozens and a LD being the targets)
Columbus: Sillinger (21)
Anaheim: Zegras (23), McTavish (22)
San Jose: Dellandrea (24) , Ferraro (26)
Islanders: Dobson (25)
Utah: Maccelli (24), Hayton (24)
Montreal: Dach (24), Newhook (24), Xhekaj (24)
Seattle: Wright (21)
Boston: Geekie (26) , Lohrei (24)
Colorado: Mittelstadt (26)
New Jersey: Mercer (23), Nemec (21)
Vancouver: Pettersson (26)
New York: Lafreniere (23) , Miller (25) , Schneider (23)
Ottawa: Pinto (24), Greig (22),

Sec / Royle9...blink twice if the person the Flames are looking to acquire is on this list...

There's a number of names on that list I know Craig has called on.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I think Huska is very undervalued as a hockey coach.

He has worked under Bill Peters, Geoff Ward, and Darryl Sutter as an assistant coach here.

I think his experiences with all probably has allowed him to be a modern coach that can relate with the players. Don't be a dink, and don't be too nice.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts

It's Flames luck isn't it.

You have Kipper and Iggy but can never get that #1 center.

You get star forwards, but you have Mike Smith and Cam Talbot in net.

The one year it feels like you have the right pieces, you get run over by a once in a lifetime generational offensive star in the playoffs.

You find a goalie in the 7th round who is probably going to win multiple Vezina's awards, but his play keeps you from getting him the help he needs up front.

I think 26/32 fan bases have the shame schtick.

[Muta]

Would absolutely love to somehow get Mason Lohrei here. Big, young, left shooting defenseman who know how to put up points. Would be a massive part of the core here for years. Boston would be nuts to give him up though.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I think Huska is very undervalued as a hockey coach.

My only concern with him is I think he plays it too safe, and doesn't seem to like taking risks.

But I also understand with this roster that's kind of how they have to play, they aren't build to be a "risky" team.

I just hope he can adjust and adopt to the pieces of the roster as it changes over the next couple years.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

NHL average save percentage is .901 now.

At .913 Wolf is well above that and has played a starters workload. He probably translates to a .920 goalie 5-10 years ago before pad changes and a more offense focused league that phased out its skill-less goons.

10th best goalie sounds about right.

And he'll only get better from here.

Good luck with your dreams of a top 3 pick in front of elite puck stopping.

The team can hardly score as is and it's a coin flip to make the playoffs.

[Monahammer]

Friedman randomly retweeted an old blues post about "cooking something up"...Kyrou is 26, the age Conroy randomly mentioned yesterday...

Kyrou maybe? Always seemed destined to be a flame, was picked with a flames pick traded for (ugh) Brian Elliott.

[SuperMatt18]

I wonder about Thomas too.

If you're trading Binnington, Parayko, and Kyrou...why hang on to Thomas.

Thomas and Kyrou both have NTCs that kick in July 1 and possible they try to move both of them before then.

It's unlikely for sure which is why I left him off my list initially but if you're going full rebuild then you'd probably move him and he'd be your most valuable asset.

[stemit14]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

Friedman randomly retweeted an old blues post about "cooking something up"...Kyrou is 26, the age Conroy randomly mentioned yesterday...

Kyrou maybe? Always seemed destined to be a flame, was picked with a flames pick traded for (ugh) Brian Elliott.

Brayden Schenn has been rumoured to be a target of the leafs. Could see that being what he is hinting at.