2025/2026 Season Trade Rumours and Speculation Thread

[Rhett44]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Are they though?

Playoff success has always haunted the Flames, but the Sabres for the last 20 years barely got in the playoffs to even give it a try?

Flames in the last 20 years 16th overall at .555
Buffalo in the last 20 years 30th overall at .499

I just looked at playoff series wins in the past 20 years. The Flames have 3 and the Sabres have 4.

So we are actually less successful as an organization than Buffalo over the past 2 decades. Fans deserve better.

[Robbob]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

How can we know that there is low ball offers only if we haven't made the players available. According to multiple media sources, we haven't even made Kadri or Coleman available.

This is absolutely bananas that the message is we will essentially not trade any vets unless they ask out. Like what kind of plan is that?

Friedman said as much. Lebrun is saying that Calgary and some teams were keeping in contact. Why keep in contact and discuss if a player is not available.

At the end of the day we need to fast forward 45 odd days before I think we really start to see where the Flames stand and what direction they truly are going.

[stemit14]

Originally Posted by Robbob

Friedman said as much. Lebrun is saying that Calgary and some teams were keeping in contact. Why keep in contact and discuss if a player is not available.

At the end of the day we need to fast forward 45 odd days before I think we really start to see where the Flames stand and what direction they truly are going.

Exactly. This is pretty much the only scenario that can run its course at this point. Teams need the pressure of deadlines as well as more clarity in where they will finish before that take big swings at trades.

Tough part is that in 45 days, the flames might be 4 points out of a playoff spot and the players will have “earned the chance to see it through”.

[gvitaly]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

I just looked at playoff series wins in the past 20 years. The Flames have 3 and the Sabres have 4.

So we are actually less successful as an organization than Buffalo over the past 2 decades. Fans deserve better.

It's actually 2 series wins + 1 play in round to get into the playoffs.

[Rhett44]

Originally Posted by stemit14

Exactly. This is pretty much the only scenario that can run its course at this point. Teams need the pressure of deadlines as well as more clarity in where they will finish before that take big swings at trades.

Tough part is that in 45 days, the flames might be 4 points out of a playoff spot and the players will have “earned the chance to see it through”.

O God don't even put that into existence. It is bad enough that Kadri and Coleman have apparently earned the right to decide whether they will or won't be traded.

Let's just let the players run our team at this point.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Roko

He alsoooo mentioned no vets have asked out. The players asking out would change things. Which shows me they are reactive and not proactive. Afraid of anyone wanting out and the image there.

I think that’s a bit of a reach. From what we’ve heard there’s been a lack of quality offers but there have been conversations and check ins both from other teams and from the Flames’ side.

I think it’s more likely that a player actually asking to be traded would add some urgency, not that they’re basing their entire approach on who wants out and who doesn’t. You could just as easily shipping Kadri/Coleman/Andersson right now for the best offer available would be reactive instead of proactive.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

Did you not watch the Maloney interview?

They are not doing a rebuild. They are being forced into moves they don't want to make/ don't believe in.

There has been about 30,000 words spilled on this topic ...

No one will defend the delivery or the panic that the Flames brass seems to feel internally.

But their actions suggest they've been rebuilding for years. The man even tripped on the word itself.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by PaperBagger'14

Hard disagree there, a first round flop is still a disappointment no matter the context. The benefit to a hypothetical upstart team is that you hope the players improve and grow into a stronger team the next season, something the flames have been incapable of for literal decades.

How is an upstart team making the playoffs for the first time in say 6 years losing in 6 games to a top team in the conference a flop?

[PaperBagger'14]

Originally Posted by Bingo

How is an upstart team making the playoffs for the first time in say 6 years losing in 6 games to a top team in the conference a flop?

Easy, winners win and losers don’t. 50% of the teams make the playoffs every year, so celebrating being at the mean isn’t for me and I have higher expectations than being average. If a team like the flames doesn’t have a reasonable chance at making the 2nd round or above (like last season) you pull the trigger and rebuild until you feel you do have that chance.

I’ve thought about if I was GM and what metric I would use to gauge that. One thing I would look at is divisional standings. If the team is in a divisional spot and playing well at the deadline you can look at adding. If you’re in a wildcard spot or worse, you’re sellers (to varying degrees, the worse your record the more open to selling you should be). Being top 3 out of 8 teams in a division isn’t a huge ask. If your players are giving you a real shot at post season success you bring in your complimentary pieces at the deadline. If (like last year) they’re struggling to even crack the playoffs you need to put a bullet in the team because they aren’t good enough despite their best effort.

[Tbull8]

Dreger was talking about how he was surprised that the Bruins didnt get something back for Beecher, and that was largely because teams didnt know they were going to waive him. I wonder if the flames would look to flip him for a free mid-late round pick. Would be a pretty savvy move imo

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Tbull8

Dreger was talking about how he was surprised that the Bruins didnt get something back for Beecher, and that was largely because teams didnt know they were going to waive him. I wonder if the flames would look to flip him for a free mid-late round pick. Would be a pretty savvy move imo

maybe at the deadline...give him some runway here

[Tbull8]

Originally Posted by dino7c

maybe at the deadline...give him some runway here

Ya exactly, unless someone REALLY wanted to give 3rd/4th today

[Toonage]

^^ For sure. I thought he looked pretty good last night for his first game at C with a new team no practice time either. Run with him a bit, see how he does. Maybe alternate between him and Morton etc.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by PaperBagger'14

Easy, winners win and losers don’t. 50% of the teams make the playoffs every year, so celebrating being at the mean isn’t for me and I have higher expectations than being average. If a team like the flames doesn’t have a reasonable chance at making the 2nd round or above (like last season) you pull the trigger and rebuild until you feel you do have that chance.

I’ve thought about if I was GM and what metric I would use to gauge that. One thing I would look at is divisional standings. If the team is in a divisional spot and playing well at the deadline you can look at adding. If you’re in a wildcard spot or worse, you’re sellers (to varying degrees, the worse your record the more open to selling you should be). Being top 3 out of 8 teams in a division isn’t a huge ask. If your players are giving you a real shot at post season success you bring in your complimentary pieces at the deadline. If (like last year) they’re struggling to even crack the playoffs you need to put a bullet in the team because they aren’t good enough despite their best effort.

Not sure how you're supposed to complete a rebuild if you consider the first step back into prominence as a flop.

Life is a dimmer switch man, don't get caught up int he off/on only debacle!

[dino7c]

Morton and Lombo can swap for now

[Calgary4LIfe]

I don't think there is any reason to rush out and trade anyone right now. The Flames need the market to ripen. It just isn't there yet.


I don't understand the Maloney interview in relation to the trade market itself - I don't see it as the Flames giving anything away. They are last (or were last), and the season is over. Everyone knows this. Everyone can see that Andersson needs to be traded this year. Everyone can see that Kadri and Coleman have term.


I don't think much happens this year until after the Olympics. I think the market will go bonkers then, especially since you can count on key players getting injured. Teams won't want to punt a season. I bet this trade deadline's prices will be high, especially given the lack of lousy rebuilding teams.


Things were going along 100% fine until Maloney did his thing. Now the fan base is all riled up and worried. I worry about the long-term approach, but to me, this is a textbook rebuild. I also think there is never a better opportunity to ship out vets for prospects than at the deadline when the value of vets is at the highest, and the value of picks is the lowest. The draft always seems like the opposite to me.


I am just glad that Andersson is having a really good start to the season (though he did last year already, so I am knocking on wood), Kadri hasn't noticeably regressed (and the minute he does, I think his valuation flips from positive to negative instantly), and Coleman is his usual consistent self. These are all positives that make me relax.

[dino7c]

Ras being the NHL #1 star of the week is probably relevant to this thread

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Royle9

This point, from what I've heard on the inside is a bit misleading which bother's me slightly.

They aren't getting a lot of quality calls because they haven't formally made any player available, teams have no sense that these guys are 100% available right now.

Yes, this is the issue. Teams don’t make serious offers until a player is put on the market. Real trade offers mean 7-9 experts (GMs, AGMs, presidents of hockey ops, pro scouts, amateur scouts, capologists, analytics guys, often the owner) on both teams need to do an analysis and weigh in. It’s a huge draw of resources. At that stage you’re also guaranteed leaks that get back to the player, agents get involved, and things can get really messy.

So teams rarely make real offers until a player is placed on the market by his team and everyone involved knows it’s serious. By all accounts, the Flames have not done this for Kadri or Coleman.

[Toonage]

I've yet to receive any serious offers on my car. Haven't put an ad up for it yet though.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Robbob

Friedman said as much. Lebrun is saying that Calgary and some teams were keeping in contact. Why keep in contact and discuss if a player is not available.

Other GM: “Are you interested in moving Kadri?”

Conroy: “Not at the moment. We want to see how things play out.”

Other GM: “Okay, then keep me in the loop. Because I’m interested in a centre.”

Conroy: “Will do.”

That’s keeping in contact.