2025/2026 Season Trade Rumours and Speculation Thread

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by Cleveland Steam Whistle

Not directed specifically at you Mr. Coffee, but when we talk about wanting to scorched earth re-build around here, we all need to stop asserting the strategy is to "go after McKenna, or even go after 1st overall". That is not a strategy, that is a hope and a prayer. The team has zero control over whether they get that 1st overall pick, and it isn't even close to the mostly likely outcome, no matter how bad we might be.

The scorched earth supporters need to be comfortable with that strategy, assuming we won't get Mckenna, and be comfortable that this is the right strategy assuming we never get that first overall pick, and that we can build effectively from simply being in the top 5 (which btw, I'm not saying isn't a good strategy).

I think it's a good strategy because the team and prospect pool is not completely barren. The prospect pool is deep. Really deep with future NHLers IMO. And I think there is a 2 or 3 future stars in there as well.

Plus we have a 24 year old goalie to build out from.

Two things we didn't have in the last rebuild.

Throwing our hat into the McKenna sweep stakes certainly doesn't guarantee getting him, but increases the chance that we will get a top 5 pick and add another elite prospect into the cupboard who has future superstar potential.

[Igottago]

Originally Posted by Cleveland Steam Whistle

Not directed specifically at you Mr. Coffee, but when we talk about wanting to scorched earth re-build around here, we all need to stop asserting the strategy is to "go after McKenna, or even go after 1st overall". That is not a strategy, that is a hope and a prayer. The team has zero control over whether they get that 1st overall pick, and it isn't even close to the mostly likely outcome, no matter how bad we might be.

The scorched earth supporters need to be comfortable with that strategy, assuming we won't get Mckenna, and be comfortable that this is the right strategy assuming we never get that first overall pick, and that we can build effectively from simply being in the top 5 (which btw, I'm not saying isn't a good strategy).

Better to have a hope and a prayer, with the backup prize being access to a top 5 pick, than the continuous mushy middle and no way to access legitimate star players for god knows how long. Sign me up.

[FanSince'01]

Originally Posted by kehatch

Average player salary is about 4 million. Sam Bennet just signed for 8. Tavares just signed for 4.4.

Kadri cap hit isn't bad, but its not value. Factor in age, term, and Kadri likely being very selective on where he would accept a trade and you aren't getting a huge return.

I am not saying you get nothing for Kadri, but it's one of those trades where the return would seem underwhelming until the shock wears off.

You can change that by retaining salary or taking back a bad contract.

Oh totally agreed on the retention bit, I guess my point is more that Kadri would still be considered a top-tier #2 centre in the league at this point in time (or at least a top half #2 centre) and the going rate for those now is around what Bennett just signed for.

So, despite his age, his contract is fair-to-good value for a #2 centre and that's only going to increase next year and the year after.

Agreed though that if he only wants to go to the Leafs and we're trying to move him now with his NMC that that does severely limit his value. Though I guess never put it past The Wizard to overpay in a trade like this when no-one is forcing him to.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Originally Posted by Igottago

Better to have a hope and a prayer, with the backup prize being access to a top 5 pick, than the continuous mushy middle and no way to access legitimate star players for god knows how long. Sign me up.

Again, I'm not saying building through the draft, and specifically high draft picks isn't a good strategy. The bolded above though needs to be what everyone is comfortable with in the strategy, because it is by far and away what going scorched earth likely means. Agreed, a fun little bonus would be to hit, but it's just that, a bonus.

I actually think most of the scorched earth crowd is likely comfortable with building through high draft picks, but the romanticizing of hitting on that #1 pick seems to get a lot of focus and seems to get overvalued around here: "the chance of hitting it big".

[kehatch]

Originally Posted by Cleveland Steam Whistle

Not directed specifically at you Mr. Coffee, but when we talk about wanting to scorched earth re-build around here, we all need to stop asserting the strategy is to "go after McKenna, or even go after 1st overall". That is not a strategy, that is a hope and a prayer. The team has zero control over whether they get that 1st overall pick, and it isn't even close to the mostly likely outcome, no matter how bad we might be.

The scorched earth supporters need to be comfortable with that strategy, assuming we won't get Mckenna, and be comfortable that this is the right strategy assuming we never get that first overall pick, and that we can build effectively from simply being in the top 5 (which btw, I'm not saying isn't a good strategy).

Rebuilding isnt about targeting a first overall. It is a simple acknowledgement of 1) We arent good enough to win right now, and 2) We don't have the pieces to win in the near future.

Once you acknowledge that then trading win now resources to stockpile futures makes sense, and the bi product of that is you draft higher.

The issue with the Flames is that they have chronically failed to acknowledge points 1 and 2. And in trying desperately to shortcut we build a perpetually middle team that lacks the top players needed to contend.

[Bonded]

Originally Posted by Cleveland Steam Whistle

Again, I'm not saying building through the draft, and specifically high draft picks isn't a good strategy. The bolded above though needs to be what everyone is comfortable with in the strategy, because it is by far and away what going scorched earth likely means. Agreed, a fun little bonus would be to hit, but it's just that, a bonus.

I actually think most of the scorched earth crowd is likely comfortable with building through high draft picks, but the romanticizing of hitting on that #1 pick seems to get a lot of focus and seems to get overvalued around here: "the chance of hitting it big".

The Flames did pretty well on their last round of high picks

[Rhett44]

It makes perfect sense to trade Kadri now. In a couple years he will likely have negative trade value.

Hope we can get a 1st for him.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Originally Posted by Bonded

The Flames did pretty well on their last round of high picks

100% agree:

IMO the Flames under BT failed to push it over the line (not going to get into the why), but the version of the Flames that ended when Johnny and Matt chose not to resign IMO was a great example of a team that was well build, first through the draft, then enhanced with some pretty good trading by the GM (I know that last part won't be popular with many, but I think it's true). But it all started with the pieces we got through the draft after struggling in the post Iginla / Kipper era.

[Lewis_D]

If the Leafs want Kadri I'd tell Tre to get a 3rd team involved or kick rocks. I don't like anything they have to offer.

[InternationalVillager]

Winning is essentially a 20 year window if you land the right pieces and requires around a 5 year sacrifice. It's a no brainer in my books.

[Roko]

Need some movement here. Let’s go CC

[traptor]

I think ideally you scrap bottom for a couple years and get ~3 top 5 picks. Then you also hit a couple in the later rounds.

We have some nice pieces in Parehk, Coronato, Wolf and the last prospects of the last few drafts. If we could hit one or two top 5 picks, we would be in amazing shape. It really does feel like we're just lacking that one or two key pieces, and then we can build it backup again.

Although there's always risk.

The Red Wings hit Zadina (6), Seider (6), Raymond (4) and Edvinsson (6), 4 years ago and they were loaded with other picks too.

It just hasn't paid off yet and doesn't feel close. These weren't even big misses either, outside of Zadina.

[stemit14]

My hope (again just a hope) is that if the flames do finish near the bottom of the league, the recent years of prioritizing drafting and development will help in making it a faster rebuild. There are lots of rebuilds that kick off quickly before there is any kind of established base of prospects. Chicago was an example of this - they drafted poorly for years and had poor prospect development. When they hit bottom in the 2023 draft, they had virtually nothing in the cupboards when they got Bedard. He is still somewhat on an island but there are more pieces now because they have been bad for years. It’s making it a long rebuild.

The flames, on the other hand have been drafting and developing well for years and have lots of young players on the cusp of being NHL-ready. Ones that have not been rushed into the NHL. If they got McKenna, his route to the NHL would be much shorter of course than the current players in the system but the timing would work well. Guys like Zary, Coronato, Wolf, Bahl, Parekh, Brz, Honzek, Klapka, Frost and Posposil have been developing for years and are now either established NHLers or are likely to become that this season. And then there are players like Gridin, Basha, Reschny, Mews, Morin and Potter that are in the system that will be another wave of players coming in. And the flames also have vets like Weegar, Huberdeau, Coleman, Backlund and Kadri to mentor the young players. Even if they traded 2-3 of those players, there would still be decent veteran leadership. Getting a top 5 pick in a good draft this season could be perfect timing.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

It makes perfect sense to trade Kadri now. In a couple years he will likely have negative trade value.

Hope we can get a 1st for him.

Wouldn’t it make more sense when he has less trade protection which occurs after this upcoming season?

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Wouldn’t it make more sense when he has less trade protection which occurs after this upcoming season?

Unless this is Conroy lead in an aim to make more certain that the team is a bottom 10 club this coming year.

If that's the case, then the Flames value the differential in 2026 draft pick more than the differentiation of Kadri return with less restrictions.

[Ashasx]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Wouldn’t it make more sense when he has less trade protection which occurs after this upcoming season?

I think there is risk that Kadri's play could decline significantly which could offset that potential boon.

[Vinny01]

3 way deal

To Toronto: Kadri
To Calgary: Rossi, Benoit
To Minnesota: Laughton, Cowan

[TheIronMaiden]

Trading Kadri for the right return makes sense. But I am not stressed about how his contract will age within the context of the team. In the 2026 season only Kadri, Huberdeau, Coleman and Weegar will be over 30. Some veteran presence, especially for a cup champion wont be hurtful to the rebuild.

[traptor]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

3 way deal

To Toronto: Kadri
To Calgary: Rossi, Benoit
To Minnesota: Laughton, Cowan

I'd do it.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

I think there is risk that Kadri's play could decline significantly which could offset that potential boon.

Kadri's perceived value is probably at an all time high right now also. All the "contenders" want to emulate the Panthers secret sauce, and to them:

Kadri = Bennett (plus Kadri was fantastic last year)

Obviously the deal needs to be right for Conny, but could be the right timing.