2025/2026 Season Trade Rumours and Speculation Thread

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

Sometimes people reveal their nature in the most surprising and unexpected ways. I can't get my head around this statement.

? Because someone says they don’t like California? It’s not THAT desirable of a place to live. Not for me at least. Highly populated, high taxes, and don’t even get me started on traffic. I had traveled there plenty of times when I lived in Arizona, but only for vacationing purposes. The cost of living is just insane, my brother lived there for a bit and couldn’t stand it. It’s not for everyone.

[The Yen Man]

Yah, maybe I am a yokel. Having visited Florida and California, I would not want to live there. I understand I'm in the minority, but the traffic, density, and crime is a huge turn off for me. For Cali it's the high taxes and living, for Florida, it's more the crazies. Plus, I'm not a fan of mass shootings being a regular thing. Did Rasmus ever play for Stockton? Maybe that was a huge eye opener for him.

[D as in David]

I 100% can guarantee that whopper of a deal from LA wasn't on offer from Holland at the TDL. It would be nice to get that whopper now but you're setting yourself up for pain if you imagine this what was lost at that time. No one hear knows what was offered back then.

[Winsor_Pilates]

A player who has enjoyed their life in Calgary, not wanting to live in LA if actually refreshing.
Maybe not everyone looks for the fake life and wanna celebrity status of LA.

Sucks for trade leverage but I can appreciate his position on the lifestyle basis.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

And IMO that's a mistake, but they are fine to come to that conclusion. My frustration with what Royle9 said is more the "With that said his value would have been highest 2 seasons ago, but Flames were busy trying to compete and it wasn’t even a thought back then I’m certain."

Even 2 seasons ago the team was not contending, they have admitted as much publicly, there should be very few players on this roster they aren't willing or thinking about moving.

And it's not to say you have to trade them all, but you should at least be thinking about the potential return and long term outcome of every player on the roster.

That includes the benefit of keeping them, anticipated trade value of them now vs in the future, and the risks of keeping them too long into the last season of their deal.

I get frustrated when I hear things like "it wasn't even a thought" or "they didn't even consider trading Kadri" because in the situation the organization is in right now they should only really have three untouchables- Parekh, Wolf, and Future 1sts - everything else should be available and part of active discussions.

And you believe the bolded is the case? I don't.

And with Kadri I think they had many conversations about approaching the player or not. What he does for the room. What it means for future players on UFA deals that get no moves.

To assume otherwise is a pretty big reach in mind.

I don't buy into the media quotes to the same level.

[Bonded]

Originally Posted by D as in David

I 100% can guarantee that whopper of a deal from LA wasn't on offer from Holland at the TDL. It would be nice to get that whopper now but you're setting yourself up for pain if you imagine this what was lost at that time. No one hear knows what was offered back then.

I read it as a whopper of an offer in the last few days

[Lewis_D]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

? Because someone says they don’t like California? It’s not THAT desirable of a place to live. Not for me at least. Highly populated, high taxes, and don’t even get me started on traffic. I had traveled there plenty of times when I lived in Arizona, but only for vacationing purposes. The cost of living is just insane, my brother lived there for a bit and couldn’t stand it. It’s not for everyone.

I wouldn't read too much into it, I would assume CALI Panthers Fan just holds a high level of affection for California - similar to how many of us would react if someone said they didn't like the city of Calgary.

Plus Cali is a nice dude

[Matty81]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

I see this stated a lot.
NTC are not handed out. They are key parts of the negotiation with players increasingly wanting them.

The Flames aren't "handing them out".

And as I stated above, I don't think it's a known that now is the right time to trade Coleman. I don't think teams are rushing to have term remaining on a guy like that - but as you approach a trade deadline where he is a pure rental, his value could actually climb.

Thats really just semantics... handing them out vs using them as a negotiating lever, either way the flames seem to have done it fairly often to the point where it has impacted our trading strategy is what I'm saying.

On coleman, I agree with you there that there's actually no true right time to trade him. But it seems pretty likely to be the case that it's right now. He's about to turn 34 and the risk of a decline this year is fairly significant... the flames have loads of cap room to retain if thats needed and are years away from needing ut. It's the point in the season when most clubs are roster building and have cap space. you're right maybe the flames gamble and it pays off at the deadline. But there's a more likely chance that a 34 year old struggles or has his spot taken, that the flames are back in 17th spot and decide not to move veterans again or that teams don't make an offer for him due to term as deadline rentals are more usually cheaper acquisitions on 1 season contracts. Then you have a now 35 year old who is probably declining rapidly.

A lot of opinion on my end but I personally think it's highly likely that if you can move him for value nows the time

[Ba'alzamon]

Originally Posted by The Yen Man

Yah, maybe I am a yokel. Having visited Florida and California, I would not want to live there. I understand I'm in the minority, but the traffic, density, and crime is a huge turn off for me. For Cali it's the high taxes and living, for Florida, it's more the crazies. Plus, I'm not a fan of mass shootings being a regular thing. Did Rasmus ever play for Stockton? Maybe that was a huge eye opener for him.

Ha, he did (two seasons) and you know what, that might be what turned him off. That and the Kings constantly getting embarrassed by the Oilers.

To be fair though, my understanding is Stockton is... particularly bad.

[Bonded]

Originally Posted by Matty81

Thats really just semantics... handing them out vs using them as a negotiating lever, either way the flames seem to have done it fairly often to the point where it has impacted our trading strategy is what I'm saying.

The Flames are competing in a league where they are regularly used. Carolina has 11 ntcs/nmcs on their team and they are considered tough on contracts. If the team takes a mandate to not use them then they will either pay more or not sign players.

[ICRed]

If we can’t move Ras out, maybe we shift focus on clearing out a veteran forward or two. We have too many forwards. My vote is for Coleman.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Disappointed he didn’t accept but a whopper of an offer can be anything. Everyone values things differently.

I value picks more. Some posters value different prospects.

[Geeoff]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Why the hell would Andersson say no to LA?

I would say that the Kings have been one of the Flames' top rivals during Andersson's tenure, so he probably just doesn't like the team or Drew Doughty

[kyuss275]

Originally Posted by Winsor_Pilates

A player who has enjoyed their life in Calgary, not wanting to live in LA if actually refreshing.
Maybe not everyone looks for the fake life and wanna celebrity status of LA.

Sucks for trade leverage but I can appreciate his position on the lifestyle basis.

You’re assuming it’s because of lifestyle. It could be that he knows Vegas is interested and they have the better chance of winning cup in next year or 2.

The best thing that could happen for flames fans is Ekblad goes to market and signs with Vegas. That could get Anderson camp to potentially think of other teams to extend to.

[dissentowner]

You have all been played by some random poster. Looking into this I can find no evidence Dreger ever said such a thing and I can't connect from anybody else this ever actually happened. Look guys, it's going to get done but in the meantime let's not all panic over every tweet by unconfirmed sources.

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by Lewis_D

If I were making NHL money I'd gladly live in LA - I recall hearing that many of the pro athletes in LA live in the Manhattan Beach area, I could get used to living there!

I'd also take playing for the Gulls and living in San Diego

It's okay. You can see the refineries to the north though, which I never liked.

It's a hellish 32 km commute. I hate the 1 in that area.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by The Yen Man

Yah, maybe I am a yokel. Having visited Florida and California, I would not want to live there. I understand I'm in the minority, but the traffic, density, and crime is a huge turn off for me. For Cali it's the high taxes and living, for Florida, it's more the crazies. Plus, I'm not a fan of mass shootings being a regular thing. Did Rasmus ever play for Stockton? Maybe that was a huge eye opener for him.

It’s OK to be a yokel. As long as you don’t start playing “Dueling Banjos” or tell anyone to squeal like a pig. Ashasx definitely plays a banjo.

[GullFoss]

Originally Posted by Bingo

And the bid up rental probably starts to get closer to, but not at, the extension level.

This isn't worth whining about.

The highest value for Rasmus would be a sign and then trade with retention. If Rasmus is worth $8m and you can retain for 5-6 years and have him be priced at $4m per year...that's worth a truck load.

[kyuss275]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

You have all been played by some random poster. Looking into this I can find no evidence Dreger ever said such a thing and I can't connect from anybody else this ever actually happened. Look guys, it's going to get done but in the meantime let's not all panic over every tweet by unconfirmed sources.

What else are we suppose to do on a Monday in the off season.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

California has one of the highest tax rates, and worst affordability issues in all of the league. Also the population of the area is a massive 'no' from me, I don't like cities/areas with that level of population.

...not sure how that reveals my nature? Certainly didn't mean to offend my favourite Panthers fan, but it's just not a spot I'd choose if I was in Andersson's situation.

Not offended, just honestly surprised.

You listed the few things that are negatives about California. You negated everything that is wonderful about living there, and quite frankly, there are far too many things I could mention.

It was one of the greatest periods of my life living there. The main reason we moved was for family reasons, and a little bit of a cost concern as you mentioned. It's still a fantastic place to live.