2025/2026 Season Trade Rumours and Speculation Thread

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Wolven

Still June 29th and these reactions are going off the rails.

Seriously, wait until July 2nd (or one day after Ekblad signs) before you go full woe is me.

The craziest part of the reaction coming so early is nothing has materially changed about the situation since Friday, outside of 2025 draft picks no longer being able to be part of the return.

Everything else that is true today was true on Thursday, or a week ago, or a month ago.

People are acting like a page has been turned and the Flames are suddenly in dire straits.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

The craziest part of the reaction coming so early is nothing has materially changed about the situation since Friday, outside of 2025 draft picks no longer being able to be part of the return.

Everything else that is true today was true on Thursday, or a week ago, or a month ago.

People are acting like a page has been turned and the Flames are suddenly in dire straits.

And most people preferred 2026 or 2027 picks anyway because this was considered a weaker draft than those two are expected to be.

He can't even sign a contract extension until Tuesday.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by jg13

Explains why they wanted Andersson. My guess is they may not have been able to extend him based on the cap hit and Conroy wanted a package with an extension to maximize value.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1939408910194249911

I think it’s the opposite
Rasmus would have signed there but they couldn’t put together a futures package for him

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

I think it’s the opposite
Rasmus would have signed there but they couldn’t put together a futures package for him

Or someone wouldn't waive to Calgary.

[jg13]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

I think it’s the opposite
Rasmus would have signed there but they couldn’t put together a futures package for him

I have no doubt Andersson would have signed there. I don't think Vegas could have made it work when it looks like Marner is their priority.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

I'm not making it up. Listen to Conroy interview with Boomer, he literally said a lot of what they end up doing in the future will depend on if they re sign or deal Rasmus. They asked him specifically do you go in for a playoff run or do you rebuild, and this was part of his answer.

It was also short term thinking of a potential playoff run why we didn't entertain trading any vets. When Royle said we could have had a 1st + for Kadri but didn't ask him to waive.

Again, I'm not blaming Conroy specifically. This has been a thing with every GM under Murray Edwards. We think short term instead of long term, in general.

I don't care what spin people want to put on it, but this isn't being made up. Everything I posted is factual.

No it isn't factual.

And no everyone that disagrees with you is not spinning things.

I'm amazed some people can actually exist in the real world ...

[Inferno]

I just watched the interview again where they discuss negotiations and he said it will determine "a little bit" of the path they go on. So not "a lot".

[cam_wmh]

Originally Posted by The Cobra

No first round pick comes unprotected anymore.

Was that a rule change? Just tried some googling, and came up empty.

[flamesgod]

Dallas must have some young players they want ruined. How anyone would hire Gulutzan as head coach again is silly. Maybe he’ll move Johnston to the wing.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by cam_wmh

Was that a rule change? Just tried some googling, and came up empty.

He's just saying no one is going to trade a pick unprotected. I am arguing that we would have to ask for it unprotected if we're acquiring a 1st 3 years from now.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by really?

Having said that, I agree with you that he should be moved asap, and I can envision a number of things occurring that might harpoon a trade the longer he is a member of the team. At this point I imagine that Andersson’s representatives and the team are learning he has value around the league, but it’s as a second pairing guy, which limits his value and may make re-signing with the team a legitimate possibility. This may not be what some want to hear, but at this point the value of retaining the player may outweigh the value in trading him, and if this is the case it’s just part of the cost of chasing a spot this past season.

I think both Andersson's agent and Conroy are valuing him as a top-pairing guy, but the rest of the league don't see him that way. The Athletic did a piece the other day ranking all of the d-corps in the league. The Flames' were ranked 28th:

MacKenzie Weegar is a No. 1 defenseman and the team’s leader from the back end. But there’s a pretty large gap between him and their next best defenseman, Rasmus Andersson, who looks closer to a No. 4. Andersson is solid offensively, but gives a lot back the other way. He’s also reportedly a trade candidate.

Either way, the gap between Weegar and Andersson leaves a pretty large hole in Calgary’s top four. The Flames are missing a No. 2 and No. 3.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/644...-ranking-2025/

Andersson doesn't think he's going to get the kind of contract he wants unless he shows last season was an anomaly. And maybe it was. But if he does have another season like last, his value - both in contract terms and in what teams are willing to trade Conroy for him - will drop further.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

I think it’s the opposite
Rasmus would have signed there but they couldn’t put together a futures package for him

Interesting. If you’re right and if Friedman is accurate, there was a team with a trade package the Flames liked but Rasmus wouldn’t sign. And Vegas could sign him but wouldn’t give up enough.

Not ideal for the Flames but makes me think the right deal will be out there. Although Rasmus not likely to change his mind this summer so would have to be team like Vegas sweetening the pot for a deal to get done before camp.

[Ped]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Andersson doesn't think he's going to get the kind of contract he wants unless he shows last season was an anomaly. And maybe it was. But if he does have another season like last, his value - both in contract terms and in what teams are willing to trade Conroy for him - will drop further.

I don't think Andersson is as good as people want him to be, but I also think there is a limited number of RHD on the market, and it only takes one GM to want that badly enough to overpay.

[Ped]

Originally Posted by cam_wmh

Was that a rule change? Just tried some googling, and came up empty.

Not a rule change. I believe the Cobra is just saying that's what the Flames should demand from now on.

[Vinny01]

If we get through Stampede and Andersson is still a Flame I start to worry that he will begin the season on the team. I suppose there is the off August deal or training camp trade but I think a team likely steps up if they swing and miss on Ekblad. I can see a deal happening between the 1st and 5th of July

[All In Good Time]

The whole “didn’t ask Kadri to waive” position bewilders me

“I know we made a deal for me to buy your car, and we completed it, and I’ve driven it for a year, but, I see a better deal now. Would you agree to me not honouring our deal now?”


Sounds to me like a good way to develop a bad reputation

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by Ped

Not a rule change. I believe the Cobra is just saying that's what the Flames should demand from now on.

They can demand it, but likely not get it, especially if the draft pick is 2 or more years out. Atb the trade deadline a team who is a contender my deal the next years draft pick unprotected because their record is largely cemented. But if its 3 years out? Lotsa luck getting that unprotected.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

I think both Andersson's agent and Conroy are valuing him as a top-pairing guy, but the rest of the league don't see him that way. The Athletic did a piece the other day ranking all of the d-corps in the league. The Flames' were ranked 28th:



Andersson doesn't think he's going to get the kind of contract he wants unless he shows last season was an anomaly. And maybe it was. But if he does have another season like last, his value - both in contract terms and in what teams are willing to trade Conroy for him - will drop further.

Ya, because I am going to buy into what an article says that has the Oilers ranked #1. Sometimes the thing The Athletic writes is absolute garbage.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

I think both Andersson's agent and Conroy are valuing him as a top-pairing guy, but the rest of the league don't see him that way. The Athletic did a piece the other day ranking all of the d-corps in the league. The Flames' were ranked 28th:



Andersson doesn't think he's going to get the kind of contract he wants unless he shows last season was an anomaly. And maybe it was. But if he does have another season like last, his value - both in contract terms and in what teams are willing to trade Conroy for him - will drop further.

Same article.....the writer demonstrates their deep understanding of what constitutes a good defencemen with this banger right off the top.

1. Edmonton Oilers
Current quality: 99th percentile
Looking for: None
One of the reasons the Oilers were able to march back to the Stanley Cup Final was a defensive group so deep it was able to survive an injury to Mattias Ekholm, a top-pair star. That was made possible by the addition of Jake Walman, a lower-lineup luxury who gave the Oilers a heavy advantage in easier minutes.
Edmonton’s group is a strong mix of offensive mobility and defensive suppression throughout, led by Evan Bouchard — a no-doubt franchise defenseman. This is a huge position of strength, one that could be parlayed into fixing an area of need elsewhere.

That same article has the Panthers as the 14th best group of defencemen. It states that they would squeak into the top ten of both Ekblad and Schmidt were both re-signed but it implies they would be nowhere near as great as the NHL best Edmonton Oilers backend.

[Sandman]

Edmonton has THREE defensemen on their team who are among the worst in the league in the defensive zone. Whoever wrote that article should be tarred and feathered.