2025/2026 Season Trade Rumours and Speculation Thread

[Rhett44]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

So Robertson, with most of his playoff points coming in the highest pressure games, can’t step up in the playoffs, and is simultaneously dependent on the talent around him (which the Flames apparently don’t have) but will lower our draft pick even FURTHER (which puts us in the playoffs, which is bad) because of… ?

Makes sense.

The concept is pretty simple. If you are adding him, you are going to get more points in the regular season. We are not near ready to contend. We need to be building through the draft.

So yes, finishing 9th instead of 14th actually does hurt our future a lot. Especially when Kadri and Huberdeau and all those players will be retired by the time we are a contender.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

The concept is pretty simple. If you are adding him, you are going to get more points in the regular season. We are not near ready to contend. We need to be building through the draft.

So yes, finishing 9th instead of 14th actually does hurt our future a lot. Especially when Kadri and Huberdeau and all those players will be retired by the time we are a contender.

Yes I think people understand the problem, we must lose for the rest of the decade to end up like Detroit so that we can lose next decade.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

The concept is pretty simple. If you are adding him, you are going to get more points in the regular season. We are not near ready to contend. We need to be building through the draft.

So yes, finishing 9th instead of 14th actually does hurt our future a lot. Especially when Kadri and Huberdeau and all those players will be retired by the time we are a contender.

Yes I think people understand the problem, we must lose for the rest of the decade to end up like Detroit so that we can lose next decade. For that reason getting Robertson makes no sense.

[Bonded]

People who want a late first over Robertson are crazy. The Flames could trade for him and flip for more than that at the deadline. It would be an all time blunder for the Stars and would be the Hamilton trade 2.0.

[Rhett44]

Originally Posted by Aarongavey

Yes I think people understand the problem, we must lose for the rest of the decade to end up like Detroit so that we can lose next decade.

Thank you. Finally someone gets it!

[ForeverFlameFan]

If Dallas offers Robertson for Andersson straight up I will personally fly to Calgary and drive Andersson to the airport before Dallas changes their mind.

[Goriders]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

The concept is pretty simple. If you are adding him, you are going to get more points in the regular season. We are not near ready to contend. We need to be building through the draft.

So yes, finishing 9th instead of 14th actually does hurt our future a lot. Especially when Kadri and Huberdeau and all those players will be retired by the time we are a contender.

How many of the Florida Panthers were drafted by them?

Bennett no
Tkachuk no
Reinhart no
Marchand no
Boqvist no
Foote no
Gadjovich no
Greer no
Luostarinen no
Nosek no
Rodrigues no
Studnicka no
Verhaeghe no
Balinskis no
Forsling no
Jones no
Mikkola no
Petry no
Bobrovsky no
Tarasov no

They had 4 players on their roster that they actually drafted.

Flames could start this season with 9 or 10. Maybe even 11.

How many do we need to have? 23?

[Wolven]

Originally Posted by saillias

I thought the Flames were going to follow the Dallas model? That actually means holding your picks and using them. Acquiring more even. If Jim Nill burnt his 1st rounders picking up 25 year old stars he doesn't find Harley Stankoven Robertson Hintz Johnston Oettinger. Do we trust our scouts or not?

This management group has been pretty good at finding value with their picks. I think we should just let them work. That requires some patience. I don't see the value in picking up a bonafide star 25 year old winger and playing him with the elder millennial centers or Morgan Frost.

Dallas only has 1 first round pick in the next 3 drafts and is missing 2nd and 3rd round picks as well. They are spending futures to get what they need.

Also, Dallas has been crazy lucky in the second round. Robertson, Hintz Stankoven were all 2nd round picks. Johnston was a late 1st that 2/3 of the league missed on.

I don't think it is their scouting.... I think their development program is doing a better job of making space for young players to get to their ceiling instead of being stifled out.

Anyway, I am all for letting the scouting team do their thing, but I am not for sitting around and doing nothing with other avenues of asset management under the guise of "being patient". If a trade can be had to acquire a young C that fits the organizational need (and the Wolf timetable) then I think any of our picks outside of the next few 1st rounders should be on the table as trade chips to support the bigger trade chips (Andersson, Coleman, etc).

[Sofa GM]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

If Dallas offers Robertson for Andersson straight up I will personally fly to Calgary and drive Andersson to the airport before Dallas changes their mind.

Zero chance Calgary gets Robertson straight up for Andersson. Probably would have to add Zary and a pick (maybe even Vegas 1st)

[Paulie Walnuts]

Wolf doesn’t have a timetable. He hasn’t even reached his peak years. The last goalie to win were 33 35 and 36

[All In Good Time]

Originally Posted by Aarongavey

Yes I think people understand the problem, we must lose for the rest of the decade to end up like Detroit so that we can lose next decade. For that reason getting Robertson makes no sense.

First
We need to trade everyone not named Coscto so that we can get picks to have a chance of maybe getting better young players

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by Goriders

How many of the Florida Panthers were drafted by them?

Bennett no
Tkachuk no
Reinhart no
Marchand no
Boqvist no
Foote no
Gadjovich no
Greer no
Luostarinen no
Nosek no
Rodrigues no
Studnicka no
Verhaeghe no
Balinskis no
Forsling no
Jones no
Mikkola no
Petry no
Bobrovsky no
Tarasov no

They had 4 players on their roster that they actually drafted.

Flames could start this season with 9 or 10

So we have too much home grown talent then.

[Bonded]

Originally Posted by Wolven

I don't think it is their scouting.... I think their development program is doing a better job of making space for young players to get to their ceiling instead of being stifled out.

I disagree, they are too consistently good for it not to be a scouting advantage. Development matters but they are getting the players right a lot.

Originally Posted by Sofa GM

Zero chance Calgary gets Robertson straight up for Andersson. Probably would have to add Zary and a pick (maybe even Vegas 1st)

Probably more realistic but then swings back to the don't bother for me

[Sandman]

A few youngsters of interest if we're trading with the Habs:

-RHC Oliver Kapanen (6'1",183lbs): At 21 years old, he could be a potential replacement for Backlund down the road- he's an excellent two-way performer with skill. A second-rounder from 2021, he made his debut in 2024-25, but only managed 2 points in 18 games. He put up a respectable 6 points in 11 playoff games with the Rocket, though. He put up an impressive 35 points in 36 games in the SHL before coming over.

-RHC Owen Beck (6'0",198lbs): Only 21 years old, he's a well-rounded two-way center with speed and skill. In 2024-25, his first season of pro, he scored 44 points in 64 games with the Rocket, and only 1 assist in 12 games with the Habs.

-RW Alexander Zharovsky (6'1",163lbs): Freshly drafted this summer, he's very raw physically, but has oodles of skill and put up an impressive 50 points in 45 MHL games.

-RHD David Reinbacher (6'2",194lbs): No way they part with this kid. He's near elite in the shut-down department, and shows top-tier ability in the offensive zone.

-LHD Adam Engstrom (6'2",190lbs): 21 years old, and drafted in the third-round of 2022, he's a strong-skating, two-way defender who posted an incredible 27 points in 66 games with the Rocket in his first season in North America.

-LW/C Sean Farrell (5'9",174lbs): A former star in the USHL and the NCAA, he's still cutting his teeth at the pro level, with 44 points in 67 games in his second season with the Rocket. He was once considered to be an elite playmaker, but at 23 years old, time is running out.

-C/LW Filip Eriksson (5'11",179lbs): Just 20 years old, he's put up some nice numbers back home in Sweden- particularly in the Allsvenskan (the second-tier men's league). He's an excellent skater, has good skill, and plays a tight two-way game.

-LW/C Joshua Roy (6'0",192lbs): He's only 21, but has had injury troubles going back to junior. There's never been any doubt about his offensive potential, as he's extremely gifted in that regard, but his skating and defensive game have always been weaknesses. 20 goals and 35 points in 47 games with the Rocket, to go with 2 goals in 12 NHL games (although he had 9 points in 23 games with the Habs in 2023-24).

[Bonded]

Originally Posted by Aarongavey

So we have too much home grown talent then.

I think they will have a lot of home grown depth. The hard part for Conroy will be turning that depth into impact players. Tearing down is easy and building is hard. Hard to see a great path forward until they have some prospects with #1C potential.

[Rutuu]

Originally Posted by Goriders

How many of the Florida Panthers were drafted by them?

Bennett no
Tkachuk no
Reinhart no
Marchand no
Boqvist no
Foote no
Gadjovich no
Greer no
Luostarinen no
Nosek no
Rodrigues no
Studnicka no
Verhaeghe no
Balinskis no
Forsling no
Jones no
Mikkola no
Petry no
Bobrovsky no
Tarasov no

They had 4 players on their roster that they actually drafted.

Flames could start this season with 9 or 10. Maybe even 11.

How many do we need to have? 23?

I see posts like this coming at R44 all the time. Taking a team like St Louis who's in a similar position to the flames executing a retool scenario ( a few years ahead though)...what would you suggest they do?

Let's take the Blues to the Cup...how do they do it?

[Goriders]

Originally Posted by Aarongavey

So we have too much home grown talent then.

If Florida is the model we could have 7 too many.

[Bonded]

Originally Posted by Rutuu

I see posts like this coming at R44 all the time. Taking a team like St Louis who's in a similar position to the flames executing a retool scenario ( a few years ahead though)...what would you suggest they do?

Let's take the Blues to the Cup...how do they do it?

If they can trade for a Bennett and Reinhart they will get a whole lot closer.

[Goriders]

Originally Posted by Rutuu

I see posts like this coming at R44 all the time. Taking a team like St Louis who's in a similar position to the flames executing a retool scenario ( a few years ahead though)...what would you suggest they do?

Let's take the Blues to the Cup...how do they do it?

No team is going to be completely built through the draft. It’s probably a third draftees, a third free agents and a third through trades.

Flames have done a great job of drafting and developing young players the last few years. As well as picking up underutilized value players via trades.

At some point they are going to have to get off their wallet. My guess is it will be next year or the year after.

[dammage79]

There's no single way to build a team to win the cup. It's just as much a crap shoot as anything.

Once upon a time, it was the Chicago model, then the L.A model, and then and then and then and so on and so on.

Honestly I don't know of any standardized ratio of drafted to undrafted players a team has to have to win a cup. I don't think it's quantifiable. Individual chemistry between players is what it takes. And it's nice to have a top pick or two you draft and develop. But it certainly doesn't take 22 home grown players to win a cup. That's a fact. Or 18. I don't think the miners anywhere close to that.

Plus you're going to grind through a few coaches and GMS until you eventually hit the sweet spot. Like Chicago, L.A and FLA. That's how it goes. It's a lottery. And you can only stack the odds so much in your favor.

No, the Flames are going to do this thing their way and we are all along for the ride.