2025/2026 Season Trade Rumours and Speculation Thread

[Jiri Hrdina]

Ottawa and Buffalo?

[SuperMatt18]

Probably 2 of Ottawa, Buffalo, or Detroit if I had to guess

[Yeah_Baby]

I really think he's going to be on the opening day roster, but I'd rather not have Ras be the distraction. Alas.

[getbak]

That would be funny, if true, that he has a 6 team NTC and 2 of the 3 teams that were interested in him are on the list.

[Sandman]

Watch for Rasmus' 6-month injury in the first 10 games of the season.

[TOfan]

Maybe not the thread for it but trade rumors and speculation seem to tie into everything anyway, the Athletic started their pipeline rankings this week, 8 teams/day. Flames ranked 17th

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/648...rankings-2025/

Needless to say, some work left to do on their rebuild/retool efforts.

[Heavy Jack]

That’s the lowest I’ve seen the flames prospect pool ranked this off-season, I’ve seen it as high as 5th so it’s honestly subjective though I’m not surprised the athletic has us ranked so low lol. Of course there is still work to do but the Flames have built a very solid base and continue to be competitive; if you could include 25 and under/current young roster players the Flames have a very bright future ahead especially if Parehk and Wolf play to their projected pedigrees!

[Badgers Nose]

Originally Posted by TOfan

Maybe not the thread for it but trade rumors and speculation seem to tie into everything anyway, the Athletic started their pipeline rankings this week, 8 teams/day. Flames ranked 17th

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/648...rankings-2025/

Needless to say, some work left to do on their rebuild/retool efforts.

Dude, mid is this team’s speciality. They are exactly where they want to be on that ranking. Front office should get a big bonus: Case of Fireball Whisky and some stale popcorn, maybe.

[Bonded]

Originally Posted by Heavy Jack

That’s the lowest I’ve seen the flames prospect pool ranked this off-season, I’ve seen it as high as 5th so it’s honestly subjective though I’m not surprised the athletic has us ranked so low lol. Of course there is still work to do but the Flames have built a very solid base and continue to be competitive; if you could include 25 and under/current young roster players the Flames have a very bright future ahead especially if Parehk and Wolf play to their projected pedigrees!

Pronman has always had some interesting takes but if he sees the Flames pipeline as mostly non-stars and depth then it’s a fair rating. I also don’t think he is as high on Parekh as others.

We will need some pleasant surprises in the forward picks or some bad seasons to get a chance at some stars in the forwards

[Macho0978]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

That’s nice but the conversation is whether there is currently a logjam stopping a rookie from making the team this year and I’m the one suggesting that they have room to give rookies plum minutes by moving other guys down the lineup who would probably have lesser roles on better teams anyway, OR, by changing the way certain lines are deployed.

Hoping you agree and this isn’t just a precursor to another one of your meltdowns. Your first sentence gives me pause that you’re just gearing up for the latter.

But the argument is that some of us don't believe that a rookie will make it as we need to have a look at guys like Zary, Frost, Farabee, Klapka and we need guys like Sharangovich to bounce back.

Huberdeau and Kadri will not be 4th liners.

I'm also saying anyone who says Backlund gets demoted to the 4th line is dreaming. He would have to drop off in play dramatically.

Coronato should not be losing ice time.

Coleman might drop, but he like Backlund is way better than 4th line and playing him and Backlund on the 4th line would also drop their value.

So why not trade 1 player before the season starts?

Deploying lines differently means what? Playing guys that normally gets 19 and 18 a night way less? That has consequences too as of right now I think Kadri and Backlund land us a 1st if the maintain their play for 1 more year.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by Heavy Jack

That’s the lowest I’ve seen the flames prospect pool ranked this off-season, I’ve seen it as high as 5th so it’s honestly subjective though I’m not surprised the athletic has us ranked so low lol. Of course there is still work to do but the Flames have built a very solid base and continue to be competitive; if you could include 25 and under/current young roster players the Flames have a very bright future ahead especially if Parehk and Wolf play to their projected pedigrees!

It's just not a prospect pool as it includes players 22 and under who have played NHL games, regardless of how many.

So Coronato was included.

But if you included players 23-25, it doesn't move the needle. You would include guys like Bahl and Zary, but most teams would have similar inclusions

I think Calgary's prospect pool is fine, where they lack skill is more at the NHL level where their best players are for the most part older players.

Calagry is lacking elite younger players which is why they are in the middle.

What they really need is for some of those good prospects to become very good NHL players. A few surprises that turn out elite would fit the bill.

[Monahammer]

Originally Posted by TOfan

Maybe not the thread for it but trade rumors and speculation seem to tie into everything anyway, the Athletic started their pipeline rankings this week, 8 teams/day. Flames ranked 17th

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/648...rankings-2025/

Needless to say, some work left to do on their rebuild/retool efforts.

This is a sober assessment of our current/future situation. We are building to be a 15-19 place finisher in the league. I think probably worse once weegar, kadri, and huberdeau begin their inevitable age declines.

[Hackey]

The lack of elite talent has always been my biggest issue with how this team is being built. Where are these elite players going to be coming from? The idea that we're going to draft multiple stars late in the draft is very wishful thinking. It could happen but statistically the odds are under 1%. And the teams success last year I think has created a false impression of where they actually are. The team was lead by aging vets for one but it also could have been a one off season. If they're unwilling to take a few steps back before going forward I honestly see them heading straight back to a bubble team who occasionally gets bounced round one. And thats if a few prospects actually pan out because the vets won't be here that much longer.

[edslunch]

Originally Posted by The Cobra

Calagry is lacking elite younger players which is why they are in the middle.

Calgary is lacking elite younger players because they are in the middle.

[Royle9]

Ottawa was definitely one, and I do believe Buffalo was the other but I cannot confirm yet.
3rd was LA, but that one's been public for a while.

[Bingo]

We can worry ... it's a lot of fun for sure.

But to me it's just not that hard a thought exercise.

Make good asset management decisions. Continue to draft well. Rinse. Repeat. And likely get to where you want to go.

[Bingo]

That Athletic article ...

Calgary with 12 player write ups before the "Has a chance to play ..." section. And Calgary had Basha in that category.

Edmonton had 3 before tipping into long shot.

[Toonage]

The Athletic loves the Flames, always have.

Thats why the beat writer for the team lives in Ottawa.

Maybe why Dom L likes to take numerous shots at the team on their hockey podcast while former Flames beat reporter Haley cackles about it.

Sorry. I like the Athletic but their Flames coverage irks me.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Macho0978

But the argument is that some of us don't believe that a rookie will make it as we need to have a look at guys like Zary, Frost, Farabee, Klapka and we need guys like Sharangovich to bounce back.

Huberdeau and Kadri will not be 4th liners.

I'm also saying anyone who says Backlund gets demoted to the 4th line is dreaming. He would have to drop off in play dramatically.

Coronato should not be losing ice time.

Coleman might drop, but he like Backlund is way better than 4th line and playing him and Backlund on the 4th line would also drop their value.

So why not trade 1 player before the season starts?

Deploying lines differently means what? Playing guys that normally gets 19 and 18 a night way less? That has consequences too as of right now I think Kadri and Backlund land us a 1st if the maintain their play for 1 more year.

Totally understood, we’re just going around in circles here as I’ve already fully responded to all of this. We’re not going to see eye to eye on things like line usage and deployment, oh well.

As it stands we don’t have 12 legitimate full-time NHL forwards signed (and that’s assuming Zary is signed). There’s plenty of room for a rookie to make the team, and no reason to trade anyone yet. That can be addressed if needed in a few months when things like whether a rookie makes it, who ends up dropping down, and what holes open on other teams are answered.

I get wanting trades for the sake of trades or to maximize value on guys but wanting trades to just leave a hole on the second line and expect a rookie to make the team and fill it is not how any NHL team does business, and for good reason.

[Badgers Nose]

‘Make good asset management decisions.’

All we have to do is the one thing this team has been bad at for a few generations now.

Flames never really have a plan, that or they don’t stick to it, because for every 4 correct things they do (big or small) they will always do or try to do one really bad thing.

Even CC had his near miss, trying to sign Elias and Noah. That mistake failed because the other party backed out, not because of some realization on CC’s part.

This team will always be mid, and will never figure it out, and we just have to be happy with that. It’s better than no hockey team.