2025/2026 Season Trade Rumours and Speculation Thread

[Macho0978]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

Igniting the fan base should not be the goal. Winning a Championship should be.

Team success in this league is driven by star players. Flames need 'em. They also, alongside driving success, ignite the fan base as well.

Star players ignite the fan base if you have a true superstar. Draft McKenna and tickets will be hard to get.

Oilers might not win a cup with Mcdavid, but I'm sure watching him for 13 years was almost as a good as a cup.

I still miss the Iggy and Kipper days, no cups but it was fun watching them play even though the only had 1 year of playoff success.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Jason14h

And I stand by it . Depth players in a sense you need good 4th liners or 6-7-8 Ds is not important at all. Or at least it is the least important thing in hockey to win a cup

Stars
#1 C
#1 D
Goaltending
Coaching
Chemistry
Travel Distance
Quality of Meals
Facilities
Masseuses Quality
Equipment Manager


Depth Players

Now if you are a deep team who is playing stars or top 3 D in your bottom 6 / bottom 3 D that’s different . That’s building depth through acquiring as many stars as you can . Florida has depth , but they don’t have what I would call depth players .

Collecting 10-15 goals guys who once in their career got 20 goals is going to have no effect on winning a cup . These guys are a dime a dozen and everywhere

Absolutely ludicrous.

In order to win, you need a great TEAM. Yes, you need stars, obviously, as you aren't building a great team without them. But you also need depth.

Colorado has as much star power as any team in the league (arguably the most), but only won the year their depth was solid. And they have struggled to replenish that depth every year since.

The Oilers have been unable to win, even with the best 1-2 punch since Gretzky-Messier, because they don't have the depth.

Tampa has had a tremendous core for the better part of a decade, but they won when their depth was off-the-charts good. And once they had to start paying those depth players, they couldn't afford to keep them all, and have been unable to win since.

The Islander dynasty had more depth than maybe any team ever - except for the late 70s Habs, which had the most depth ever.

The Hawks had Kane and Toews, but they also had an incredibly deep lineup (while they were the most dominant).

The Panthers have so much more depth throughout their lineup than the Oilers, it isn't funny.

Vegas' stars aren't at the level of EDM or COL, but they have really good depth - arguably the best depth, with a very strong D core and and a really strong bottom 6, the year they won.

I could go on, but I think the point is made: stars don't win without depth, the playoffs are a marathon and you can't rely on just a few or even a handful of players.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Macho0978

I don't know what people get so offended by "told you so"

Really if you have a discussion with people who have different opinions, nothing wrong with circling back and seeing how things end up. Not a personal attack, just a debate on what everyone thinks this team should do.

Told you so's are everywhere too, just go look the PGT after the Oilers game. Loaded with told you this team isn't bottom 5.

Nobody is offended, but it is funny that people do it so prematurely.

What makes you think zukes’ comment doesn’t apply equally to “told yas” after 1 game as it does after 5?

Both are embarrassingly premature. Which is fine if you’re doing it for an lol, but if you’re actually thinking “I knew it, I was right!” after a few games it might be time to touch a little grass.

[Bonded]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Do you think this is the correct time for it? Or perhaps premature?

I have thought the Flames would regress this season even when they were chasing playoffs last year and I agree it is too early. Let's see where they are at by American Thanksgiving.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

What's scorched earth at this point though?

Andersson, he's likely getting dealt.

Coleman and Kadri don't fit the window as they're already aged out/ageing out.

So if scorched Earth = trade Weegar and Huberdeau, yeah I agree - that's not happening.

I do see a world where in the next 12 months, all of Coleman, Kadri, and Andersson are out the door...and in my eyes, that is scorched earth.

The problem is though they've already drafted well enough to keep them mushy middle as you go through the transition longer term.

Leaning into sucking this season and next year are your best bet to be able to get a top 5 pick IMO. But that's only possible if they get off to a bad start this season I think. If they are .500 or better by Dec 1 it's tough to convince ownership to punt on the season.

But if they continue on the slow start, you can move out veterans like Andersson, Coleman, Kadri, etc.

And its' before guys like Parekh, Gridin, etc are guys that are potentially impactful players or full time NHLers.

[Macho0978]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Do you think this is the correct time for it? Or perhaps premature?

After 5 games saying I told you so or after 1 game saying I told you so and that 1 game was as fluky of a win as they get.

2 groups of people saying I told you so

There is at least one poster who said I told you, so this team isn't a bottom 5 and then said a week later 2 points for McKenna after a loss.

I think this team can be bottom 5 this year and did think it going into the season. Some of these rebuilding teams are starting to look much better. Young players starting to put up numbers. Flames don't have much hope for huge breakout season from young players until they move some players out.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by zukes

I can agree with this. The panic level after 5 games and the "told you so's" are crazy. 1-4 can easily be .500 very quickly. 1-4 happens any time later in the season and it is a mild concern.

They could have easily won the two home games...after 20 games or so we can start to see how things are shaking down

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

The problem is though they've already drafted well enough to keep them mushy middle as you go through the transition longer term.

Leaning into sucking this season and next year are your best bet to be able to get a top 5 pick IMO.

You can move out veterans like Andersson, Coleman, Kadri, etc.

And its' before guys like Parekh, Gridin, etc are guys that are potentially impactful players or full time NHLers.

Yep, now is the time - and it's good timing. 2026 looks to be a strong draft, and while I don't know much about the 2027 one, general thoughts seem to be pretty positive on it?

[Bingo]

I've been on the "don't think they can sustain that level of commitment two years in a row so they'll slide" wagon, but I'm not calling it or doing a victory lap after 5 games.

Too premature

And I don't actually want to be right!

[Lewis_D]

I don't see why a 'I told you so' even necessary. We all know this team getting 96 points last year was an outlier for this roster mostly based on Wolf's great season, so going into this year it's not really a bold prediction to think this team could completely falter or finish somewhere in that murky middle again. We'll let the 82 game season be the judge of that.

It's easier to win internet points by simply just posting a funny, well-timed gif.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I've been on the "don't think they can sustain that level of commitment two years in a row so they'll slide" wagon, but I'm not calling it or doing a victory lap after 5 games.

Too premature

And I don't actually want to be right!

LOL - I am in exactly the same boat...

I expect a regression, but I am not going to say I told you so after 5 - or even 20 - games.

And most pertinently, I also don't want to be right - but I also do, which is why sucking sucks!

[Macho0978]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

Nobody is offended, but it is funny that people do it so prematurely.

What makes you think zukes’ comment doesn’t apply equally to “told yas” after 1 game as it does after 5?

Both are embarrassingly premature. Which is fine if you’re doing it for an lol, but if you’re actually thinking “I knew it, I was right!” after a few games it might be time to touch a little grass.

Or you could do it now because you believe that this is how it will play out. It's a bold statement sure, circle back if you like.

I've been on here for 14 years, go weeks without posting and 99.99% of my posts are my opinion on what the team should do, opinions on rumours or trades or just bashing the Oilers. If someone posts something I disagree with I comment with my opinion. If it's crap like this I usually don't respond.

You seem to have no ability to walk away from this stuff and half your posts are saying you can't think this or that with no opinion. Maybe try and not comment once in a while?

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

The Flames hope they're two years away from contending. In reality, those next two years have to be MASSIVE from a drafting and player acquiring perspective for that to come to fruition.

They need to draft two top tier forwards between now and then, and one more top tier defenceman (maybe Mews is that).

Free agency is pretty much a barren wasteland at this point, not that Calgary was a priority destination anyways.

The tier of player we'd be after also rarely gets dealt.

Finishing at or near the bottom this year is critical to hitting that "we're contending in the new building". If they don't bottom out this year, I just don't see the path forward to contending in 2 years time. That's not a long runway, and this team doesn't have what they need in the system yet. They're not in a bad position, but to say "they're 2 years away from contending"...you only contend based on the players you have in the fold, and we're not there yet. While we're doing a good job, we don't have a system that is going to launch us into that Florida/Colorado/Tampa Bay etc. tier.

I agree with most of this. I see zero chance this team is contending by the new building but if they can open that season with realistic hope for a playoff spot with the best years coming shortly after that.

The Habs have had an incredible rebuild so far. They had some pieces in place before it started with Cauflied and Suzuki. Their top young player was a 2nd rounder but they have several other very intriguing pieces. They made the playoffs and made their first big acquisition of Dobson this summer.


Calgary has some pieces already in Wolf and Coronato. They have do get another high end forward in the draft but I am pretty high on their group depth wise and potential wise but they sure need a McKenna or top C prospect with first line upside.

This year they lean into the bad year and move out some veterans. Maybe next summer they are strategic and add an RFA or they wait another year? I think they want to be able to sell hope in Scotia Place with contention in the first 5-10 years.

[the-rasta-masta]

It's not hard to look at the next 6 games the Flames play and think at best we come out with 2 wins. I'd like to see this as the bottom out year.

[Macho0978]

Originally Posted by the-rasta-masta

It's not hard to look at the next 6 games the Flames play and think at best we come out with 2 wins. I'd like to see this as the bottom out year.

I recommend waiting 6 more games before you make a premature statement like this!

[Macho0978]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

I agree with most of this. I see zero chance this team is contending by the new building but if they can open that season with realistic hope for a playoff spot with the best years coming shortly after that.

The Habs have had an incredible rebuild so far. They had some pieces in place before it started with Cauflied and Suzuki. Their top young player was a 2nd rounder but they have several other very intriguing pieces. They made the playoffs and made their first big acquisition of Dobson this summer.


Calgary has some pieces already in Wolf and Coronato. They have do get another high end forward in the draft but I am pretty high on their group depth wise and potential wise but they sure need a McKenna or top C prospect with first line upside.

This year they lean into the bad year and move out some veterans. Maybe next summer they are strategic and add an RFA or they wait another year? I think they want to be able to sell hope in Scotia Place with contention in the first 5-10 years.

Habs are loaded but they also have a major issue at center. They are in position to trade for one now though. They need an upgrade there but the cap situation they have created looks very good for 5 years.

[dino7c]

First month is BRUTAL...tough teams, 3 back to backs.

Then its lowest number of back to backs in the league, substantially lower than most teams in a compressed schedule and an easier strength of schedule.

Its so unbalanced I think this year especially you will need to wait 20-25 games to even get a read.

[TheIronMaiden]

Originally Posted by dino7c

First month is BRUTAL...tough teams, 3 back to backs.

Then its lowest number of back to backs in the league, substantially lower than most teams in a compressed schedule and an easier strength of schedule.

Its so unbalanced I think this year especially you will need to wait 20-25 games to even get a read.

You're right, a bottom five finish is too hopeful. We will have to settle for 17th.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Macho0978

Or you could do it now because you believe that this is how it will play out. It's a bold statement sure, circle back if you like.

I've been on here for 14 years, go weeks without posting and 99.99% of my posts are my opinion on what the team should do, opinions on rumours or trades or just bashing the Oilers. If someone posts something I disagree with I comment with my opinion. If it's crap like this I usually don't respond.

You seem to have no ability to walk away from this stuff and half your posts are saying you can't think this or that with no opinion. Maybe try and not comment once in a while?

Or you can call it premature, which is also an opinion. Couple guys are injured, rookies playing their first games, Wolf is off. Lots happening in five games that could look a lot different in 20.

Acting offended and trying to make it personal because there are people who don’t think five games is a big enough sample size to judge a season is crazy dude. Lighten up lol.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by dino7c

First month is BRUTAL...tough teams, 3 back to backs.

Then its lowest number of back to backs in the league, substantially lower than most teams in a compressed schedule and an easier strength of schedule.

Its so unbalanced I think this year especially you will need to wait 20-25 games to even get a read.

That is the concern is that the hole will be too big to dig out of but the Flames will do their best to make it interesting enough to not really threaten for a spot but pull themselves out of the bottom 5 and into the more mushy middle of picking 8-13. I can see that happening especially if Huberdeau is able to come back and make a difference. It shows how much the team needs him with how terrible their offense has been to start.