2025/26 season: The Flames' (non)-rebuild

[Enoch Root]

We’re 20 games in – the first of probably many benchmarks, where people will try to assess where we are, and what this season is. I created this thread to discuss the season, and most importantly, how the team should manage it.

After 20 games, we’re sitting 32nd as everyone knows, but only 3 pts back of STL and NSH. That fact concerns some people, who think management is one victory away from discarding the rebuild. But I think that view is paranoid. And wrong. Let’s look at playoff chances:

The Flames are already 9 points out of the playoffs. That is actually remarkable, and really hard to do in only 20 games. As someone pointed out in another thread, no team had fewer than 15 points after 20 games last year. So the Flames’ 13 pts is impressively bad, and no one is going to look at it and say “a couple Ws and we’re right back in this!” There are 9 teams in the west that are at least 4 games above .500, while the Flames are 7 games under. 11 back, after 20 games is – again – impressive and unmistakable. Also, there are 4 teams in the division at least 4 games over, and EDM is +2, so you can’t even make the argument that there is hope because the division is weak.

In other words, after 20 games, the playoffs are done. No chance. Stick the fork in them.

That means there are only two things left to worry about and discuss: where exactly will we finish? And what do we do with the roster, to get there (i.e. trades)? There is already a trade thread, so we don’t need to discuss specific trade proposals, but we can discuss timing and depth.

I will start by saying this: Trading Andersson is a MUST. And I think we need to move at least 2, and preferably all 3 of Andersson, Kadri and Coleman (though if Coleman is kept until next year, that isn’t the end of the world). And Conroy needs to get at least one of those trades done before Christmas. One by Xmas, and another before the Olympics. If they are all still here coming up to the trade deadline, that puts way too much pressure on Conroy and he may be forced to settle for returns he doesn’t like (or not move them at all). He needs to control the narrative, and to do so, he needs to space them out over the next 3 months.

If two are moved before the Olympic break, that will leave Conroy to focus on other players at the deadline, such as Coleman, Lomberg, Pospisil and Hanley. That doesn’t mean moving them all, but he can see what the interest is, and move one or two if the return is there.

To me, that is the perfect scenario: at least two significant moves, and maybe more. And doing so in a controlled manner, over the course of the season.

As for where they finish, I doubt the team will actively chase 32nd. However, I do think they will take the approach that they are not going to do anything to try and push their way up the standings. I think a reasonable goal is bottom 3, with how the standings look right now. And maybe one or two other teams enter the fight along the way, and it becomes a bottom 5 thing. But I don’t think there will be any more than 5 ‘tank’ teams. If we finish 32nd, great! But anything in the bottom 5 is fine, and bottom 3 is great, IMO. And trading at least two of the guys above pretty much guarantees it.

But expecting them to lose every game is foolish. As is hoping or expecting the players to want to finish last. At the start of the season, hardly anyone thought we were bad enough to finish bottom 3. Now it seems almost inevitable. Be happy, and enjoy it. Then we see how the lottery plays out.


TL/DR: I think we finish bottom 3. And I think we should get 1 trade done before Xmas, and another before the Olympics.

[The Cobra]

Other than the trade deadline, I doubt there is any deadline for trades to be done.

Are you suggesting that Conroy should accept a trade he really doesn't like to make sure he hits your before XMas deadline?

[Rhett44]

I think most fans know they need to trade Kadri, Coleman and Andersson by the deadline.

The question really is: will the organization actually be proactive and do it? Will they try to set themselves up for the future, and will Murray Edwards allow it.

I am afraid to find out the answer. But I am hopeful.

[Wolven]

It's a good summary/take of what has already been discussed.

Trading Andersson should happen as soon as a team is willing to meet Conroy's price. That might be before Xmas or it might be at the TDL. There really is not a thing the Flames can do to influence that aside from lower the price...

But watching the teams around the league, the pressure will build up without any action on Conroy's part. There are a number of teams who are in need of upgrades and a number of them are not going to be happy with how the first quarter of their season has unfolded.

Red Wings and Mammoth are two teams to watch right now as they were in playoff spots and are now just outside. Red Wings would like to end 10 years of no-playoffs and Mammoth would like to make their first playoff splash in Utah to try and capture the hearts of the fanbase. Either one of them might blink and make a move to improve before they lose yet another season.

As for the other tanking teams... I thought the Penguins were going to be our biggest competition but they are sitting third in their division right now. The teams hanging out in the basement are the Preds, Blues, Sabres, Canucks, Leafs, and Capitals.

I can see the Preds and Sabres staying in the basement but the rest of those teams I expect will try to keep pushing for playoffs. I think the Sabres are trying too... they just suck at not-tanking after their years and years of practice.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by The Cobra

Other than the trade deadline, I doubt there is any deadline for trades to be done.

Are you suggesting that Conroy should accept a trade he really doesn't like to make sure he hits your before XMas deadline?

No, I am not suggesting that, and never said that. I was proposing what I think would be ideal. But blindly following a schedule is silly.

[Jay Random]

I think injuries to teams that see themselves as contenders are going to influence the timing of trades. This year, putting a player on LTIR during the season gives you a maximum of $3,817,000 in cap relief. That means even a team right up against the cap could fit in Andersson or Coleman as an injury replacement with only a small amount of retention. Kadri will be trickier. The teams most in need of a #2 C can't add that kind of salary without cap going back.

Purely from a business standpoint, the best thing that could happen to the Flames is for a high-flying team to lose an RD for the season, becoming a motivated buyer for Andersson. Of course, we can't make that happen for Christmas; last I heard, Santa Claus does not carry hockey injuries on his sleigh.

[PaperBagger'14]

I would like to see Andersson and Coleman traded unless a brinks truck is backed up for Kadri.

Kadri has value as a placeholder #1C until one comes in through the draft. Kadri is the best center we’re going to have, after him the center depth is grim. Backlund isn’t a spring chicken and not long for the NHL after his current deal and Frost isn’t the guy you want as your #1C unless the goal is straight up tanking.

My guess is Andersson and Coleman will be traded, Anderson as a rental for a late first and junk prospect, Coleman for a 2nd or prospect with some upside. I think the flames will want to hold onto Nazem because trading him would very much signify throwing in the towel and that’s never been this teams MO.

[Badgers Nose]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

No, I am not suggesting that, and never said that. I was proposing what I think would be ideal. But blindly following a schedule is silly.

Yeah, CC and scouting team know what we have to get for each traded player. They know exactly what they are worth, and who wants/needs them. There are probably already multiple suitors for all of them.

So CC will get a team to meet his price, then he will canvas the other interested parties one last time to see if he can get his extra 'sweeteners' and the deal will be done. As he tells it, this is the way CC has done the other deals in past seasons.

Doubtful this was a process that started this season, all of the above takes time. If trades happen this month it won't be some knee jerk trade, it will have been the culmination of a lot of work by hockey people that know way more than us.

I've really liked the Flames game lately, so it will be interesting to see how the trades affect that. I'm also keen to see what creativity CC employs to help some of the potential destinations get around cap issues this season.

Never a dull moment!

[Hackey]

Trade Andersson, Kadri, and Coleman. Retain on them if possible to get the values up.

Get a top 3 pick. Preferably McKenna

Successful year.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Hackey

Trade Andersson, Kadri, and Coleman. Retain on them if possible to get the values up.

The Flames are currently retaining on Markstrom, so they can retain on two more contracts this year. Given a choice, I would offer to retain on Andersson and Coleman; Kadri is just too long a time commitment with three more years remaining.

I'd like to see Kadri traded, but because of his cap hit and contract he may be the hardest one to move. At that point, the only vets left with significant value would be Backlund and Weegar, both of whom are likely more useful as mentors than trade bait.

(But this isn't a rebuild, because Conroy never actually said so to the media.)

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

No, I am not suggesting that, and never said that. I was proposing what I think would be ideal. But blindly following a schedule is silly.

Well, you said Conroy needs to get one done before XMas. That’s more than a suggestion.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

The Flames are currently retaining on Markstrom, so they can retain on two more contracts this year. Given a choice, I would offer to retain on Andersson and Coleman; Kadri is just too long a time commitment with three more years remaining.

I'd like to see Kadri traded, but because of his cap hit and contract he may be the hardest one to move. At that point, the only vets left with significant value would be Backlund and Weegar, both of whom are likely more useful as mentors than trade bait.

(But this isn't a rebuild, because Conroy never actually said so to the media.)

Doubt he will ever say it. But if the Flames trade Kadri they will have a hell of a time making the cap floor in 27/28. Cap floor will be about 84 million dollars. If they trade Kadri they would have 58.2 million committed for 12 players currently. They would have to sign 11 players for at least 26 million dollars.

Presumably Gridin is on that team and he adds a little under 1 million.

So 25 million for 10 players. Maybe Reschny is on the team so he adds 1 million and they have to sign 9 players for 24 million.

I am guessing they may want to keep Cooley and sign him this offseason or let’s say they sign some other goalie to be the backup. Call that 2.5 million. Now they have to sign 8 players for 21.5 million to make the cap floor.

Let’s say they sign Keirns this offseason for 1.5 million or something and he is on that team, now 7 players for 20 million.

With 7 players left and a mandatory 20 million left to spend the Flames signed roster for 27/28 without Kadri would be:

Huberdeau Reschny Coronato
Sharangovich Backlund Farabee
Zary Popisil Honzek
Gridin X Keirns
X X

Bahl Weegar
X Parekh
X X
X

Wolf
Cooley/backup

Only other Flames that need to be signed that offseason of any import is Hunter B and Kuznetsov. If you assume the 2026 1st round pick will be playing for the Flames in their D+2 year that takes another million off and removes a X and they only have to drop 19 million on 6 players on the UFA market. If they sign Kuznetsov and Hunter B to anything approaching market value for a long term contract (assuming they want to make that length of commitment) they probably still have to spend 11-12 million on 4 players.

Flames will have to spend some big bucks on some vets just to make the cap floor, nearly 25% of their cap floor team would be spent on veteran UFAs that are not currently on the roster if they traded Kadri and Coleman/Rasmus are either traded or walk and sign somewhere else.

These lineups with all these kids are as realistic salary cap wise as a lineup with McDavid, MacKinnon, Draisaitl, Kaprizov, Kucherov, Makar, Quinn Hughes, name your all star. Same way a team cannot go above the cap they cannot go below the floor.

[1qqaaz]

Originally Posted by Hackey

Trade Andersson, Kadri, and Coleman. Retain on them if possible to get the values up.

Get a top 3 pick. Preferably McKenna

Successful year.

Two more things:
-Development of young players (they should stop getting injured and benched)
-Oilers lose painfully and miserably

[stemit14]

Originally Posted by Aarongavey

Doubt he will ever say it. But if the Flames trade Kadri they will have a hell of a time making the cap floor in 27/28. Cap floor will be about 84 million dollars. If they trade Kadri they would have 58.2 million committed for 12 players currently. They would have to sign 11 players for at least 26 million dollars.

Presumably Gridin is on that team and he adds a little under 1 million.

So 25 million for 10 players. Maybe Reschny is on the team so he adds 1 million and they have to sign 9 players for 24 million.

I am guessing they may want to keep Cooley and sign him this offseason or let’s say they sign some other goalie to be the backup. Call that 2.5 million. Now they have to sign 8 players for 21.5 million to make the cap floor.

Let’s say they sign Keirns this offseason for 1.5 million or something and he is on that team, now 7 players for 20 million.

With 7 players left and a mandatory 20 million left to spend the Flames signed roster for 27/28 without Kadri would be:

Huberdeau Reschny Coronato
Sharangovich Backlund Farabee
Zary Popisil Honzek
Gridin X Keirns
X X

Bahl Weegar
X Parekh
X X
X

Wolf
Cooley/backup

Only other Flames that need to be signed that offseason of any import is Hunter B and Kuznetsov. If you assume the 2026 1st round pick will be playing for the Flames in their D+2 year that takes another million off and removes a X and they only have to drop 19 million on 6 players on the UFA market. If they sign Kuznetsov and Hunter B to anything approaching market value for a long term contract (assuming they want to make that length of commitment) they probably still have to spend 11-12 million on 4 players.

Flames will have to spend some big bucks on some vets just to make the cap floor, nearly 25% of their cap floor team would be spent on veteran UFAs that are not currently on the roster if they traded Kadri and Coleman/Rasmus are either traded or walk and sign somewhere else.

These lineups with all these kids are as realistic salary cap wise as a lineup with McDavid, MacKinnon, Draisaitl, Kaprizov, Kucherov, Makar, Quinn Hughes, name your all star. Same way a team cannot go above the cap they cannot go below the floor.

I think this could be balanced by retaining on Kadri. I know ownership will likely stop this from happening but I hope the flames maximize value on Kadri by retaining as much salary as possible. Kadri at $3.5 million AAV for 3 years should return a haul. Like you said, the flames will need the cap hit to make the cap floor. And I don’t think Conroy will want to go big game hunting in the UFA market in the next couple seasons (except if Makar goes to free agency).

[Kipper_3434]

Originally Posted by Aarongavey

Doubt he will ever say it. But if the Flames trade Kadri they will have a hell of a time making the cap floor in 27/28. Cap floor will be about 84 million dollars. If they trade Kadri they would have 58.2 million committed for 12 players currently. They would have to sign 11 players for at least 26 million dollars.

Presumably Gridin is on that team and he adds a little under 1 million.

So 25 million for 10 players. Maybe Reschny is on the team so he adds 1 million and they have to sign 9 players for 24 million.

I am guessing they may want to keep Cooley and sign him this offseason or let’s say they sign some other goalie to be the backup. Call that 2.5 million. Now they have to sign 8 players for 21.5 million to make the cap floor.

Let’s say they sign Keirns this offseason for 1.5 million or something and he is on that team, now 7 players for 20 million.

With 7 players left and a mandatory 20 million left to spend the Flames signed roster for 27/28 without Kadri would be:

Huberdeau Reschny Coronato
Sharangovich Backlund Farabee
Zary Popisil Honzek
Gridin X Keirns
X X

Bahl Weegar
X Parekh
X X
X

Wolf
Cooley/backup

Only other Flames that need to be signed that offseason of any import is Hunter B and Kuznetsov. If you assume the 2026 1st round pick will be playing for the Flames in their D+2 year that takes another million off and removes a X and they only have to drop 19 million on 6 players on the UFA market. If they sign Kuznetsov and Hunter B to anything approaching market value for a long term contract (assuming they want to make that length of commitment) they probably still have to spend 11-12 million on 4 players.

Flames will have to spend some big bucks on some vets just to make the cap floor, nearly 25% of their cap floor team would be spent on veteran UFAs that are not currently on the roster if they traded Kadri and Coleman/Rasmus are either traded or walk and sign somewhere else.

These lineups with all these kids are as realistic salary cap wise as a lineup with McDavid, MacKinnon, Draisaitl, Kaprizov, Kucherov, Makar, Quinn Hughes, name your all star. Same way a team cannot go above the cap they cannot go below the floor.

Bring back Frost at 5m aav, sign a top 4D for 5m, add couple of bottom pair D at 2m each. I think we will be okay.

[Goriders]

I really hope Conroy figures out a way to package Sharangovich out of here.

[Itse]

I've changed my mind a bit on the trade issue.

As long as we're already safely in last place, there isn't really a massive urgency to trade anyone... except Andersson because I don't like the idea of being one injury away from losing all returns from him.

I strongly agree that we should retain salary wherever possible. I think even Huberdeau might be tradeable at 50% his current salary.

As things are, we're kind of sitting in a sweetspot of being last without looking like we're actively trying. Getting some wins here and there is probably good for player and fan morale, as is not getting blown out. We lose a lot of games by 1-2 goals, which is kind of optimal.

The rebuild is gonna take multiple years anyway. You should get all the picks you can, but whether we get that extra pick now or next year isn't a deal breaker.

Key question would be whether those vets are helping or hurting development. Are they taking spots from kids that would benefit from NHL playtime, or are the vets sheltering them and teaching them?

Let's say we draft McKenna, who is gonna be his center, if Reschny isn't ready to be #1C? Having someone with skill to play with would probably be good for his development, especially to begin with.

Now, I'm obviously not opposed to trading vets, but I don't think we're in a massive rush to trade everything. I think there's time to look for the best possible trade, even if that moves some trades past this years trade deadline.

...unless the team threatens to move up the standings. Management should put their foot down if that happens. Tank properly, no half-assing.

[Itse]

Originally Posted by Kipper_3434

Bring back Frost at 5m aav, sign a top 4D for 5m, add couple of bottom pair D at 2m each. I think we will be okay.

Yeah, you can always pay someone more money short term to make the floor, that isn't a real problem.

[flame4life]

I think a lot depends on the needs of those who are going to be going after the assets we have. A lot of teams are only an injury away from needing to pull the trigger on any one of the assets we are trying to move.

Like others have said, Anderson is the obvious one that needs to be moved sooner than later since he is like one poster stated, an injury away from getting us nothing in return. If this could be done before the trade deadline, that would be ideal, but as long as Anderson continues to play decently, his stock will remain solid if not go up as the trade deadline approaches. Conroy shouldn't take the first deal that comes across, but his goal is to maximize the return and the market.

Coleman is likely a trade deadline candidate for sure, especially if he continues to lead in scoring and keeps on track for 30+ goals ... that is an awesome piece for some team to add giving them a playoff push and performer.

Kadri is an enigma for me. For one, he is likely the most sought after of the three we are trying trade, but at the same time, has expressed on multiple occasions that he loves Calgary - sometimes hard to find these days (loyalty from a player). Also, we don't have breaking down the door prospect in the AHL ready to take his place - we have our draft picks doing great things, but likely 1 - 2 years away from that.

If Conroy is able to get a prospect that is close to knocking down the door, go ahead and get the best package we can for him. Otherwise, I am cool having him remaining a Flame and providing that leadership and bridge to the young guys getting their opportunities.

We should be able to get some good returns for these assets to further help the rebuild.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by Kipper_3434

Bring back Frost at 5m aav, sign a top 4D for 5m, add couple of bottom pair D at 2m each. I think we will be okay.

Ya but they they cannot afford to trade many more salaries away otherwise the Flames will have serious cap problems. But you are correct, they could easily overpay a number of vets and then just bury young guys like Mews in the minors while those vets play in the NHL.