2025/2026 Season Trade Rumours and Speculation Thread

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Yup I know that. That's different from "announcing it".
And I'm not defending the Flames messaging from Maloney. It's a mess.
It was just that these things inaccurately stated, and become mis-truths. Like that the Canucks have announced they are willing to trade their vets.

That is how teams “announce” it unless you are the NY rangers.

The Canucks are not looking to retool but more of a rebiggle from what Rutherford has stated recently n

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

That is how teams “announce” it unless you are the NY rangers.

The Canucks are not looking to retool but more of a rebiggle from what Rutherford has stated recently n

Except that some posters want exactly that - a NYR announcement. Even though that’s the only example.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Except that some posters want exactly that - a NYR announcement. Even though that’s the only example.

I think the fans would be equally as pleased to hear reports the flames are shopping veterans similar to this Canucks report. I don’t think anyone is demanding a formal letter.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

I think the fans would be equally as pleased to hear reports the flames are shopping veterans similar to this Canucks report. I don’t think anyone is demanding a formal letter.

I don't even need them to be shopping them TBH

Just a "Flames have indicated they are unhappy with how the season has gone, see the need to get younger, and are willing to move anybody for the right offer"

Instead we get media reports of "They will only move Kadri and Coleman if those guys ask to be moved" and then whatever the hell Maloney was trying to achieve last week.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

I think the fans would be equally as pleased to hear reports the flames are shopping veterans similar to this Canucks report. I don’t think anyone is demanding a formal letter.

I think there are examples in this very thread of desires for “honest” statements directly from ownership and management that they are in a rebuild.

Most fans are content to let the actions speak for themselves, but there’s certainly a contingent who believe that unless it’s directly stated, there is no rebuild.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Most fans are content to let the actions speak for themselves, but there’s certainly a contingent who believe that unless it’s directly stated, there is no rebuild.

Based on all the media attention and online response to this I disagree with your “most fans comment”. There is some belief that internet fans are a small subset of the fanbase and I disagree with that.

I am chatting with you all on here more because my friends who follow the flames have pretty much stopped watching them. My group chats with friends dedicated to Flames discussion had a lot of action in previous years goes weeks without a comment.

The hardcores are pissed for the most part and the casuals are paying less attention from what I see

[Monahammer]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I think there are examples in this very thread of desires for “honest” statements directly from ownership and management that they are in a rebuild.

Most fans are content to let the actions speak for themselves, but there’s certainly a contingent who believe that unless it’s directly stated, there is no rebuild.

There's a huge amount of distance between "not directly stated" and "stating the exact opposite and ####ting on fans who want a rebuild publicly".

The Flames are activating the second half of that. Maloney was allowed to give 2 interviews on the subject.

[Enoch Root]

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.

Of course teams can send you a formal offer regardless of availability, I understand that completely. But if the Flames were honest with themselves and told teams that they were willing to listen on serious offers, I fully expect they would get some quality ones.

That's my issue currently with the whole situation.

Thank you, that's where I am at as well.

And to take it one step further, it may be that the appetite for rebuilding trades has waned as well. We'll see.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by Groot

I thought this was interesting so went the following season, when they first missed the playoffs after trading Tkachuk for Huberdeau. List below is players that played >5 games for the Flames in the 2022-2023 season. Coronato and Wolf each had 1 game a piece, Philips had 2 and Desimone had 4, didnt included any of them. Bold if they've played a game for the team this season.

Toffoli
Lindholm
Kadri
Backlund
Huberdeau
Dube
Mangiapane
Coleman
Lewis
Ruzicka
Lucic
Duehr
Brett Ritchie
Stecher
Pelletier
Nick Ritchie
Rooney

Andersson
Hanifin
Weegar
Zadorov
Tanev
Stone
Stecher
Gilbert
Mackey

Markstrom
Vladar

6 out of 28 players, so 22 players have been traded/waived/walked over 2 seasons, or 78.6% of the team.

Bonus:
2022 - 2023
The average age of the Flames roster for the 2022-2023 season was 28.39, good for 9th oldest team. They were 0.85 away from 4th oldest, 0.88 from being 3rd oldest.

2025-026
The average age of the Flames roster for this season is 27.27, good for 7th youngest. They are 0.39 away from being 4th youngest, 1.1 from being 3rd youngest.

In the past 3 drafts ('25, '24, '23) the Flames had 24 draft picks.

In the 3 drafts preceeding that ('22, '21, '20) the Flames had 19 draft picks.

In the 3 drafts proceeding that ('19, '18, '17) the Flames had 15 draft picks.

So 78% player turnover and more draft picks. Moving from amongst the oldest to youngest teams in the league. From maxed cap, to 5th highest available cap space. Currently sitting 2nd last in the league.

But clearly the Flames haven’t picked a direction and need to commit to rebuilding.

lol

"nOt RebUilDinG!!"

*derp*

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Based on all the media attention and online response to this I disagree with your “most fans comment”. There is some belief that internet fans are a small subset of the fanbase and I disagree with that.

I am chatting with you all on here more because my friends who follow the flames have pretty much stopped watching them. My group chats with friends dedicated to Flames discussion had a lot of action in previous years goes weeks without a comment.

The hardcores are pissed for the most part and the casuals are paying less attention from what I see

I think there is tendency to reframe the frustrated fans opinion as extreme. I don’t know if I’ve seen anyone ask for a NYR style letter. If so, I bet it’s less than 5 people. And the desire to argue about the word rebuild seems pointless. Surprised everyone hasn’t tired of that yet.

I think the crux is that some fans would like to accelerate the teams approach and take actions that get you more young players and more at the top of the draft. It’s really as simple as that.

[NewFan]

I understand that the team is kind of rebuilding, but keeping the team as is - like keeping tradable players and drafting mid firsts are prolonging the process for sure. I think this team needs to find 2-3 elite talents to have a good core to build a team around, but by this pace it may take 3 more years just turn the corner if we get lucky.

[dammage79]

Monahan gets a bum rap a little bit but he was found gold at 6oa. We wouldn't have had the excitement of the Gaudreau era without Monahan. We need another Monahan hit in the draft.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by dammage79

Monahan gets a bum rap a little bit but he was found gold at 6oa. We wouldn't have had the excitement of the Gaudreau era without Monahan. We need another Monahan hit in the draft.

Coronato is looking like a hit at 13.

Only really Johnston and Knies ahead of him through the entire rest of that draft.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

Coronato is looking like a hit at 13.

Only really Johnston and Knies ahead of him through the entire rest of that draft.

Fun fact. Coronato was actually the 12th player drafted in 2021 because the 11th pick that belonged to the Coyotes was stripped due to something that Chayka did at the time. He is listed as 13 but there was no player selected at 11

[MrButtons]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Fun fact. Coronato was actually the 12th player drafted in 2021 because the 11th pick that belonged to the Coyotes was stripped due to something that Chayka did at the time. He is listed as 13 but there was no player selected at 11

Huh, I had no clue. That is a fun fact.

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nhl/...e11otk3uwg8ngu

The governing body for major junior hockey in Canada, which is composed of the WHL, OHL and QMJHL — accused the organization of conducting predraft physical fitness testing of more than 20 prospects prior to the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. It was later reported by The Athletic ($) that the United States' top junior league, the USHL, also had players tested by the Coyotes.

This testing is illegal when it's conducted outside the NHL's scouting combine window, which is usually late May or early June when the combine takes place in Buffalo. Testing did not occur in 2020, or 2021, because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to The Athletic, Arizona reportedly didn't think it broke any rules when it asked prospects during pre-combine interviews about their eating habits, supplement use and workout regimens. The NHL, however, was concerned that a strength and conditioning consultant, Tommy Powers, was involved. The Coyotes also reportedly requested that draft prospects attend interviews wearing T-shirts and shorts so team staff could "eyeball" their bodies.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Fun fact. Coronato was actually the 12th player drafted in 2021 because the 11th pick that belonged to the Coyotes was stripped due to something that Chayka did at the time. He is listed as 13 but there was no player selected at 11

You’re right, didn’t even notice that/totally forgot.

That was such a weird draft with the CHL shut down that year. Kind of amazing the hits weren’t more spread out than they were.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by MrButtons

Huh, I had no clue. That is a fun fact.

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nhl/...e11otk3uwg8ngu

I think it was pretty shady of the Coyotes to do that. That said, teams sure do a lot worse with no repercussions: side door tampering, cap shenanigans, cozy termination deals where the disgraced player suddenly settles and signs with a new club.

[CalgaryFan1988]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I think it was pretty shady of the Coyotes to do that. That said, teams sure do a lot worse with no repercussions: side door tampering, cap shenanigans, cozy termination deals where the disgraced player suddenly settles and signs with a new club.

Yeah, the Oilers have gotten away with a lot over the years.

To add, player(s) up and retiring with term left on their deals....

[calculoso]

Originally Posted by CalgaryFan1988

To add, player(s) up and retiring with term left on their deals....

How is this shady or wrong? It’s the way things used to be, before the cap and before the concept of LTRetirements.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by calculoso

How is this shady or wrong? It’s the way things used to be, before the cap and before the concept of LTRetirements.

Well there's a cap now, and it's shady when a player retires and then comes off the cap only to be hired as a "player development coach".