2025/2026 Season Trade Rumours and Speculation Thread

[Rhett44]

Originally Posted by kehatch

It also ignores that Dallas hasn't got passed the conference finals, or that their roster is littered with top picks. Calgary isn't a destination spot. We can't rely on getting players drafted and developed by other teams. We need to draft and develop our own.

I don't know why people even use the Stars as a model? What have they won?

You already know going into the year they will make the playoffs but have 0% chance of winning the cup. I don't want to be a Dallas Stars.

[SuperMatt18]

I know it's brought up every time but the Flames tried to re-build and get a top 5 pick last season.

It didn't happen but that roster had no first line forwards, 2 proven top 6 dmen, a rookie goalie, goalie coming off hip surgery, and a bottom 3 salary cap in the league.

Much like 14-15 this team just refuses to be bad when they have no business being good.

The tough part now was probably that it's tough to then go to ownership and say "we need to sell off even more"

But if they have a bad first 20 games this season I think that becomes easier to move the Kadri and Coleman's

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

I don't know why people even use the Stars as a model? What have they won?

You already know going into the year they will make the playoffs but have 0% chance of winning the cup. I don't want to be a Dallas Stars.

How can you say they have 0% chance of winning the cup? Based on what.

ESPN has them with the 6th best odds:
https://www.espn.com/nhl/futures

CBS 5th best:
https://www.cbssports.com/nhl/news/2...ts-attractive/

Fanduel 5th best:
https://sportsbook.fanduel.com/navig...ab=stanley-cup

Athletic 4th best:
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/643...ers-avalanche/

As others have reference they've made the conference several times. In terms of being a contender, they are one. In a world where 1 team wins the cup every year, if your definition of a contender or successful model is only winning the cup it's far too narrow.

[Roof-Daddy]

Stars last three seasons...

108 points
113 points
106 points

6 playoff series wins
29 playoff wins

lol

Yeah, they're garbage.

Not every contender wins the cup. You just have to build a legit sustainable contender and hope things break your way against all the the contenders at least once.

[Rhett44]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

What's your over/under for how many years until they are a top contender.

Also i would appreciate a reply to the question I posed earlier.

This one:

The Sharks I believe will be a contender within 4 years from now. Maybe 3. They have the forwards and goalie, and need a dman.

I would tell Kadri we are trading you as things have changed and unfortunately we are not a contender like you signed up for. What teams would you consider.

And then trade Kadri, Coleman, Backlund. Get the tank rolling. I'd also see if anyone would take Huberdeau if we retained.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

Stars last three seasons...

108 points
113 points
106 points

6 playoff series wins
29 playoff wins

lol

Yeah, they're garbage.

As much as why Rhett expresses frustrations with people not being open to other opinions, this is why others are frustrated with him. When confronted with facts he doesn't engage or finds arbitrary reasons to dismiss that information.

Rhett says he wants discussion, but he doesn't actually.

[saillias]

I do not believe that Dallas has a 0% shot at winning the cup at all or that there is any merit to trashing their model. Jim Nill gets extremely good value out of the draft with late 1sts and 2nds.

We're desperate for a #1 C and they have two. And Duchene or Seguin would both immediately be the second best centers on the Flames maybe neck and neck with Kadri? They have two #1 defenseman as well. And a ppg, goal scoring winger in Robertson, Rantanen is a top 10 fwd. Whatever problems they have in the playoffs seem more like something else, maybe intangibles, matching up poorly with the Oilers, goaltending, coaching, but you can't discount their model or drafting.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

The Sharks I believe will be a contender within 4 years from now. Maybe 3. They have the forwards and goalie, and need a dman.

I would tell Kadri we are trading you as things have changed and unfortunately we are not a contender like you signed up for. What teams would you consider.

And then trade Kadri, Coleman, Backlund. Get the tank rolling. I'd also sew if anyone would take Huberdeau if we retained.

And I would tell the Flames eff you. I have a NTC. So if you are going to trade me here is the one and only team I will maybe accept for. You aren't trading me unless I say so.

And guess what. My agent is going to the press to make sure everyone knows.

Good luck getting a return for that.

Going to him with that type of ultimatum, for a guy that is signed here for term, and has all the control right now, would likely damage the relationship with him, the rest of the team, potential future free agents - and create a situation where it would be impossible to extract real value.

The Flames have to operate in the real world.

Also I think you are wildly optimistic on the Sharks. I love their prospects but they are a LOOOONG way from being a contender, even to achieve the lowly levels of those 0% Stars.

[Rhett44]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

Stars last three seasons...

108 points
113 points
106 points

6 playoff series wins
29 playoff wins

lol

Yeah, they're garbage.

Not every contender wins the cup. You just have to build a legit sustainable contender and hope things break your way against all the the contenders at least once.

Oilers have had more playoff wins and most people here call them trash. It is one thing to always make playoffs like the Leafs and Stars.

It is another to build a cup contender.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Who are the #1C on Dallas ? That is one of their issues. Hintz isn’t that guy. Johnston could be. He had a disaster of a playoff but they now need to put him in that role and see if he can carry them.

They just chose a terrible coach for young talent. I guess we will see. For Dallas hopefully Gulutzan doesn’t turn Johnson into a 4th line winger.

[Rhett44]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

And I would tell the Flames eff you. I have a NTC. So if you are going to trade me here is the one and only team I will maybe accept for. You aren't trading me unless I say so.

And guess what. My agent is going to the press to make sure everyone knows.

Good luck getting a return for that.

Going to him with that type of ultimatum, for a guy that is signed here for term, and has all the control right now, would likely damage the relationship with him, the rest of the team, potential future free agents - and create a situation where it would be impossible to extract real value.

The Flames have to operate in the real world.

Also I think you are wildly optimistic on the Sharks. I love their prospects but they are a LOOOONG way from being a contender, even to achieve the lowly levels of those 0% Stars.

That's fine trade him where he wants then. He is more valuable to us being traded as our 1st round pick gets much better.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

Oilers have had more playoff wins and most people here call them trash. It is one thing to always make playoffs like the Leafs and Stars.

It is another to build a cup contender.

The Oilers are called trash because they are no good. But that's the Flames fans in us talking. Obviously they are a good team because they lucked into McDavid. You don't make it to the Finals twice in a role as a trash team.
But they are unquestionably no good.

The Leafs and the Stars are a weird comparisons. The Leafs haven't made the conference finals since the early 2000s. The Stars have made the conference finals 3 straight years. How can you put those two teams in the same sentence?

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

That's fine trade him where he wants then. He is more valuable to us being traded as our 1st round pick gets much better.

OK so back banging your head on the tank strategy and refusing to accept anything else. As long as we are making the team worse for a higher pick that's your plan right?

So they should trade Wolf? That will also help our 1st round pick get much better. Moreso than trading Kadri.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by kehatch

Right now it appears to me like the Flames are so excited by almost making the 8 spot that they made a deadline move to improve the team and tried very hard to make a big addition this summer.

What moves were these? The Flames have made precisely one trade in the last 12 months, and that wasn't at the deadline or near it. It was a hockey trade in January to improve their strength at centre, which was their greatest weakness. They haven't signed any new free agents except Prosvetov and Cicek, and I haven't heard that they were particularly close on any bigger names.

[Rhett44]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

The Oilers are called trash because they are no good. But that's the Flames fans in us talking. Obviously they are a goo team because they lucked into McDavid. You don't make it to the Finals twice in a role as a trash team.
But they are unquestionably no good.

The Leafs and the Stars are a weird comparisons. The Leafs haven't made the conference finals since the early 2000s. The Stars have made the conference finals 3 straight years. How can you put those two teams in the same sentence?

The Stars match up well with the Avalanche, that is the only reason. With this stupid playoff format it kills the Avs chances every year. They lose to the one team who can beat them.

I just can't see that Dallas team winning a cup. Rantanen helps, but they need another game breaker.

[Rhett44]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

OK so back banging your head on the tank strategy and refusing to accept anything else. As long as we are making the team worse for a higher pick that's your plan right?

So they should trade Wolf? That will also help our 1st round pick get much better. Moreso than trading Kadri.

No, we should not trade Wolf.

I want to trade the veterans. Only the Veterans who are hurting the tank, while at the same time aging and losing value.

By the time we are a playoff team they will be dust. Get value for them now.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

The Stars match up well with the Avalanche, that is the only reason. With this stupid playoff format it kills the Avs chances every year. They lose to the one team who can beat them.

So they made the third round all those years by beating the Avalanche? That's only one series win. I guess the other series in each of those years doesn't count because reasons.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

The Stars match up well with the Avalanche, that is the only reason. With this stupid playoff format it kills the Avs chances every year. They lose to the one team who can beat them.

I just can't see that Dallas team winning a cup. Rantanen helps, but they need another game breaker.

Exhibit A in you taking information and minimizing it because it doesn't support your stubbornly held view.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

What moves were these? The Flames have made precisely one trade in the last 12 months, and that wasn't at the deadline or near it. It was a hockey trade in January to improve their strength at centre, which was their greatest weakness. They haven't signed any new free agents except Prosvetov and Cicek, and I haven't heard that they were particularly close on any bigger names.

According to Friedman was it they had Miller in the bag until Carolina jumped in.

They have been linked to Byram all summer as well.

Does seem like they have tried to make a bigger move. They expressed interest at deadline for Rantanen.

It was Dreger who reported about Miller. I’d trust our Assisyany GM cousin isn’t making up lies n

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

No, we should not trade Wolf.

I want to trade the veterans. Only the Veterans who are hurting the tank, while at the same time aging and losing value.

By the time we are a playoff team they will be dust. Get value for them now.

I think you consider trading him when either
- When you have a great deal and specific team to present to him AND if he's expressed openness to a change. And that could come if/when the team has a bad start
- Or when his NTC becomes a modified NTC.

But right now I see it as this.

After ALL the players that engineered leaving here, and wouldn't re-sign. And after ALL the players who won't accept a trade here. You are going to go to a guy who DID sign here, and has said he WANTS to stay and say "no man, we need to trade you because you are hurting our tank. And we will trade you wherever you want to go, for whatever return, because we need those L's!".

I see that as a brutal strategy that will lead to a Buffalo style endless cycle at the bottom.
The idea of trading good players because they are "hurting the tank" is the wrong attitude IMHO.