2025/2026 Season Trade Rumours and Speculation Thread

[Poe969]

Kerins! Has to get a call up, he's a future #1C anyway.

[Yeah_Baby]

Originally Posted by Poe969

Kerins! Has to get a call up, he's a future #1C anyway.

how are those rose colored glasses treating you today?

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

They also seem due for some regression to the mean here.

54.06% xGF ranks 6th in the NHL. 0.939 PDO ranks last with their .837 save percentage by far being the worst in the NHL.

They are probably much better than their record indicates right now.

yeah but so are the Flames and suggesting anything other than they are the most terrible worst team in NHL history is met with a lot of pushback.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by dino7c

yeah but so are the Flames and suggesting anything other than they are the most terrible worst team in NHL history is met with a lot of pushback.

Flames are due for some regression for sure but likely more to .500.

They are 47.6% xGF which sits 25th, and PDO is .963 which sits 31st.

I expect both save percentage and shooting percentage to improve a little.

Save Percentage is .887 which is 20th, I'd guess that becomes closer to .900.

Shooting Percentage is 7.65% which likely gets into the 8.5% to 9.0% range over the longer term.

But the problem really is that even getting to .500 more consistently doesn't help this team.

If they finish .500 the rest of the way they would finish with 76 points. Which means a pick in the 5-10 range.

Which is why people would rather they sell sooner rather than later. The team likely doesn't make the playoffs based on this start, no need to finish better and get a worse pick. Punt on the season, acquire assets for aging pieces / UFAs, and then re-assess next year.

At this point the best thing for them would be a season under 70 points which means playing below .450 for the rest of the season, as that will get them into the top 3 pick range.

[Jiri Hrdina]

I understand that but the idea that the Flames can just make these deals whenever they want is naive. Takes two to tango. If the offers aren't there, then you need patience.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

I understand that but the idea that the Flames can just make these deals whenever they want is naive. Takes two to tango. If the offers aren't there, then you need patience.

Oh I don't think the trades are going to happen right now.

I think the window is Dec 1 - 20 (before the holiday trade freeze), and then Jan 1 - Feb 6 (Prior to Olympic trade freeze).

Those are the windows I think where teams will start taking trade discussions more seriously. I do truly believe that without the benefits of cap accumulation and no cap in the playoffs that teams will have more incentive to make deals sooner.

Especially in the ultra competitive Eastern conference. All 16 teams are above .500, there are 4 teams with 18 points, and then the remaining 12 teams have 13 or 14 points. Those teams will all be jostling to try to get an edge on each other if nobody breaks away from the pack. If teams in the East make it to Dec 1 and the standings are still that tight then it could be a very good year to be a seller.

Those teams trying to break past the old guard in the East will have lots of incentive too (Montreal, Ottawa, Detroit, Columbus, Buffalo) those teams will all want to act before teams like Tampa, Florida, Toronto, Carolina etc that have been controlling the east in the past make their moves.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

Flames are due for some regression for sure but likely more to .500.

They are 47.6% xGF which sits 25th, and PDO is .963 which sits 31st.

I expect both save percentage and shooting percentage to improve a little.

Save Percentage is .887 which is 20th, I'd guess that becomes closer to .900.

Shooting Percentage is 7.65% which likely gets into the 8.5% to 9.0% range over the longer term.

But the problem really is that even getting to .500 more consistently doesn't help this team.

If they finish .500 the rest of the way they would finish with 76 points. Which means a pick in the 5-10 range.

Which is why people would rather they sell sooner rather than later. The team likely doesn't make the playoffs based on this start, no need to finish better and get a worse pick. Punt on the season, acquire assets for aging pieces / UFAs, and then re-assess next year.

At this point the best thing for them would be a season under 70 points which means playing below .450 for the rest of the season, as that will get them into the top 3 pick range.

Playing .635 win percentage teams so far

[Badgers Nose]

If Conroy had received a really good offer combining some of what he actually wants (young right shot centre, young left shot d, 1st round pick) then one/some/all of our old guys would be gone.

We and the media over estimate the demand. Us because we are homers, media because they need something shiny to talk about.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Playing .635 win percentage teams so far

And yet still have the 11th hardest remaining schedule based on points percentage too https://www.tankathon.com/nhl/remain...edule_strength

In the end their are no easy games for this team.

[Macho0978]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Playing .635 win percentage teams so far

What is their win percent taking out all the games vs the Flames?

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Macho0978

What is their win percent taking out all the games vs the Flames?

Pretty sure the Jets, Knights, Mammoth all have good win percentages

[FBI]

Another thing against team tank is the flames have played the most road games out of any team in the nhl. Lots of home games to make up. We won’t be as bad at home.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

And yet still have the 11th hardest remaining schedule based on points percentage too https://www.tankathon.com/nhl/remain...edule_strength

In the end their are no easy games for this team.

its more nuanced than this list...It can say the Penguins are a harder team than the Golden Knights with Stone were but I disagree.

Also, lowest back to backs left while everyone else is in a crazy condensed schedule.

Realistically the November schedule is easier than October...December is mid. Janurary is the easiest month. It doesn't gurantee anything but it makes a difference.

Most people thought the Rangers game signalled the end of the Gauntlet, team is .500 and scoring more since despite 4 of those 5 on the road. Before that they had one shootout win total. Does it matter? who knows but I think all their numbers will continue to improve.

We can compare numbers from October vs. all the other months as the season continues...pretty sure October will be the outlier.

[Aarongavey]

For all the talk about bringing up the kids from the minors and getting them in the NHL earlier I think there is a pretty strong argument around keeping Gridin and Parekh in a situation where they are not on the NHL roster for more than 39 games this year to not burn a RFA year off.

For Parekh that would be January 3rd if he does not go to the world juniors. In any event I would think they would be considering sending him back to junior after the world juniors.

For Gridin it probably means ideally not bringing him back up until sometime after the Olympic break. One would have to think an extra year of team control for both players is worth more than any short term satisfaction that fans would get from seeing them this year.

[flambers]

Originally Posted by Aarongavey

For all the talk about bringing up the kids from the minors and getting them in the NHL earlier I think there is a pretty strong argument around keeping Gridin and Parekh in a situation where they are not on the NHL roster for more than 39 games this year to not burn a RFA year off.

For Parekh that would be January 3rd if he does not go to the world juniors. In any event I would think they would be considering sending him back to junior after the world juniors.

For Gridin it probably means ideally not bringing him back up until sometime after the Olympic break. One would have to think an extra year of team control for both players is worth more than any short term satisfaction that fans would get from seeing them this year.

With Parekh he has already played his 10th game meaning he has burnt 1 year of his contract

They would not have allowed him to play the 10th game if they were going to return him to juniors

I also doubt they will send him to world juniors

Especially after last year

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by flambers

With Parekh he has already played his 10th game meaning he has burnt 1 year of his contract

They would not have allowed him to play the 10th game if they were going to return him to juniors

I also doubt they will send him to world juniors

Especially after last year

Yes he burns a year, but the 40 game deadline is more important as it counts as a year of service towards arbitration and UFA rights.

[flambers]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Yes he burns a year, but the 40 game deadline is more important as it counts as a year of service towards arbitration and UFA rights.

Yep still don't think there is any way he is sent to juniors

AHL if it was possible would be the option

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by flambers

With Parekh he has already played his 10th game meaning he has burnt 1 year of his contract

They would not have allowed him to play the 10th game if they were going to return him to juniors

I also doubt they will send him to world juniors

Especially after last year

Ya the 10 games is meaningless in the grand scheme of things and I am sure they will send him to the world juniors. Doubt they care about last year.

[flambers]

There is no way burning 1 year off his contract is meaningless

As for world juniors I am curious how that will play out

[dino7c]

I'd almost rather get him locked down to 8 years sooner anyway...guy gets another full year at an older age will just give him more leverage on a long term deal