2025/2026 Season Trade Rumours and Speculation Thread

[stemit14]

Originally Posted by Tbull8

Just throwing it out there as a potential landing spot. If kadri is rumored to prefer to stay in Canada, would he be interested in Winnipeg? Top goalie, solid contending team, just locked up their top player in Kyle Connor. Yes it’s Winnipeg but it’s Canada, close to family in ontario (or Calgary if some family has moved out here)

Yager and 2026 1st?

I could see that as a good return and even a realistic one. Yager is a good prospect but not really projected to be a top line centre or even really a 2nd line centre. But his two-way game is strong and he is projected to be a centre at the NHL level which is needed.

[stemit14]

Originally Posted by traptor

I think Detroit would be a great landing spot.


It really feels like they need this to be their year out of the playoff drought and strike whole iron is hot.


Center depth of Larkin, kadri and Compher would be great for next few years.




Give us a 1st+Danielson. Feels right in line with what Nelson got.


They still have Kasper and Finnie as young centers going forward.

Would love that return. Big fan of Danielson as a prospect. Not sure if Detroit would do it but that would be a really good trade IMO. Great defensive center with size, speed and tenacity. I think he projects as a Backlund-type center in the NHL. Bedard described Danielson as the toughest opponent to play against in their draft year.

[Tbull8]

Originally Posted by stemit14

I could see that as a good return and even a realistic one. Yager is a good prospect but not really projected to be a top line centre or even really a 2nd line centre. But his two-way game is strong and he is projected to be a centre at the NHL level which is needed.

I also think they’re more likely to move him compared to a player they drafted themselves. Same reason I think Sam Oreilly could be available from Tampa

[stemit14]

Was thinking about the top center prospects that Conroy could potentially target in a trade. I omitted prospects that are either too valuable or on a team that’s not at the phase of moving young players/prospects to win now. Some of these players are likely untouchables to their organizations (eg. Hage and Iginla) but I’m including them as they would be my most preferred targets:

Brad Lambert (Winnipeg)
Braeden Cootes (Vancouver)
Daniil But (Utah)
Noah Ostlund (Buffalo)
Brayden Yager (Winnipeg)
Konsta Helenius (Buffalo)
Michael Hage (Montreal)
Bradley Nadeau (Carolina)
Nate Danielson (Detroit)
Tij Iginla (Utah)

Would be happy to get any of those players in a potential Kadri trade but would be over the moon happy to get Iginla or Hage.

I know virtually all of those players are unlikely to be available but here’s hoping. After all, Callum Ritchie would have been on that list last year and everyone would have likely said he was untouchable as well.

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by traptor

I think Detroit would be a great landing spot.


It really feels like they need this to be their year out of the playoff drought and strike whole iron is hot.


Center depth of Larkin, kadri and Compher would be great for next few years.




Give us a 1st+Danielson. Feels right in line with what Nelson got.


They still have Kasper and Finnie as young centers going forward.

I'm a HUGE fan of Danielson, so I would be delighted with that return. Even if we couldn't get Danielson, Detroit would be a great trade partner as they have a ton of good pieces.

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by stemit14

I could see that as a good return and even a realistic one. Yager is a good prospect but not really projected to be a top line centre or even really a 2nd line centre. But his two-way game is strong and he is projected to be a centre at the NHL level which is needed.

I think that while Yager is suffering some growing pains in his first pro season (4 points in 10 games for the Moose), I think that 3C is his floor, and not his ceiling. I could see him in a second-line C role quite easily in the future.

[Sandman]

If we're trading with Winnipeg, C/LW Kieron Walton is a prospect of theirs I've suggested before. He's 6'6",212lbs, and quite mobile, with excellent skill and vision- he's got a lethal shot too. Since his draft season in 2024, he's really taken off offensively- with 92 points (38 goals) in 66 games in 2024-25, and 19 points (11 goals) in 11 games so far this season.

[Inferno]

Kadri talk from that cmpdave guy.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1986229235275710510

[dissentowner]

I don't doubt at all Kadri's first choice is Toronto, I just don't see them having the assets to get it over the line. Montreal makes entirely too much sense, that would be the smart bet.

[Wolven]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

I don't doubt at all Kadri's first choice is Toronto, I just don't see them having the assets to get it over the line. Montreal makes entirely too much sense, that would be the smart bet.

Montreal does make sense and maybe Winnipeg. Vancouver would be the dark horse option...

If one reads between the lines, it definitely appears that any of those options would be better than "south" for "reasons".

[Fan69]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

I don't doubt at all Kadri's first choice is Toronto, I just don't see them having the assets to get it over the line. Montreal makes entirely too much sense, that would be the smart bet.

Thing with Montreal is as well, young teams fall on their face all the time and getting a first could easily end up in the teens. Some real interesting names in the teens in this draft.

[bluejays]

Recently not many teams giving up lottery picks. I'd be surprised if we get a lottery 1st in this years' draft in a Kadri trade. Can see a team on the hot seat kicking that first down the road (which I wouldn't be opposed to, all things considered).

[stemit14]

Originally Posted by bluejays

Recently not many teams giving up lottery picks. I'd be surprised if we get a lottery 1st in this years' draft in a Kadri trade. Can see a team on the hot seat kicking that first down the road (which I wouldn't be opposed to, all things considered).

Could just use lottery protection or even top 10 protection to mitigate that risk.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by stemit14

Could just use lottery protection or even top 10 protection to mitigate that risk.

Pretty much all current first round picks are lottery protected to some degree.

[Sandman]

Maple Leafs have a few interesting prospects, but nothing really high-end, other than Easton Cowan- who doesn't seem to have many fans in Flames land. I think Danford is "meh", and I don't think they have any firsts in the next few years, do they?

-RW/C Harry Nansi (6'4",190lbs) He didn't have a great draft year last season, but many who watched him (including myself) knew that he was too skilled and smart to not have a big breakout at some point. Right now, in his D+1, he's at 25 points in 18 games with Owen Sound.

C/LW Tyler Hopkins (6'1",183lbs) Reminds me a bit of Matt Lombardi, with his speed and skill. Not having the greatest D+1, with 12 points in 14 games with Kingston.

-RW William Belle (6'4",236lbs) He's never going to be a top-six scorer, but he looks like an offensive lineman on skates, moves well, plays sound defense, and hits hard. No points in 8 NCAA games, but he's racked up 23 PIM for the Irish.

-C/W Easton Cowan (6'0",190lbs) He's still quite young (20), and still figuring things out, but he has everything you want in a second-line winger- skill, speed, smarts, physicality, and two-way acumen.

[Royle9]

Leafs just dont have what dozens of other teams could offer sadly.
I don't see them being a partner.

MTL would be the team I'd keep an eye on, especially if they continue to push here.

[Ba'alzamon]

In Hopkins' defense, he was usurped as Battaglia's C by Kieren Dervin (and also Battaglia's had a slowish start)

[Jiri Hrdina]

How about Ottawa as a possible destination?

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

How about Ottawa as a possible destination?

Do they really need a centre though? That's my only question with the Sens.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

Do they really need a centre though? That's my only question with the Sens.

Good point but I think they could use more jam and someone they plays with a chip on his shoulder