2025/2026 Season Trade Rumours and Speculation Thread

[Rhett44]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

I agree.

I think I'll put it even further - not only do they need to be a bottom-5 team, they need to do everything they can from a management perspective to guide this thing into maintaining their current bottom-3 finish.

They need to give themselves the best odds possible.

They need to trade players like Kadri, Coleman and Andersson ASAP.

We are winning way too often lately and we are trading towards not being a bottom 3 or even 5 team. These players are actively hurting our future by being on the roster, they were great players for us but we need to get value for them and trade asap.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

They need to trade players like Kadri, Coleman and Andersson ASAP.

We are winning way too often lately and we are trading towards not being a bottom 3 or even 5 team. These players are actively hurting our future by being on the roster, they were great players for us but we need to get value for them and trade asap.

I would rather get solid returns for the vets than get garbage and bottom out. Let a team step up and make a good offer. There needs to be some patience here.

Once Andersson, Kadri and maybe Coleman go this team will struggle to not be the worst in the league.

[Geeoff]

Originally Posted by robertsfanatic

oh boy, only 56 more games of this discussion...and it will continue up to the lottery...and continue until draft day - can't wait.

also, can someone remind me what place the Islanders finished when they won the lottery?

I think unfortunately, at the moment it is more interesting to talk about the future of the team rather than the present, which see us in 31st

[YyjFlames]

Love to see Brock Nelson having a game against Montreal. Two goals, two assists already.

He’s not exactly the same player as Kadri, but they have some similarities—and both can provide veteran leadership and +skill as second line centres—and it’s showing Montreal first hand what they’re missing.

Montreal may be on Kadri’s no trade list but I love the trade fit for both teams.

[robertsfanatic]

Originally Posted by Geeoff

I think unfortunately, at the moment it is more interesting to talk about the future of the team rather than the present, which see us in 31st

i agree that the future is more exciting but this back and forth is killing me!

[howard_the_duck]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

Frost and Farabee at this point with how they are playing likely return you a first each if they are dealt. That trade wasn’t so much trying to jump the timeline as it was a well duh of course we will take your two good young players for pennies on the dollar.

If there were similar deals available for that price I would make them again.

I don’t disagree they’re more valuable than what the Flames paid, but I highly doubt they’re worth a first each.

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Here are the lottery odds

https://www.tankathon.com/nhl/pick_odds

Last place you get a 25% chance of 1st

Islanders somehow won with 3.5% chance.

Or chances go up if you have a suffering franchise and a large brown bag full of...

[Rhett44]

I've seen a few scouts saying that this draft class after the top 3 has been disappointing so far. And that this is a great year to get a top 3 pick but might not end up being a great year to have a 4 to 10 pick.

If that is the case I really hope they start selling vets soon. Interested in what Sandman sees as this is just a couple scouts.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

I've seen a few scouts saying that this draft class after the top 3 has been disappointing so far. And that this is a great year to get a top 3 pick but might not end up being a great year to have a 4 to 10 pick.

If that is the case I really hope they start selling vets soon. Interested in what Sandman sees as this is just a couple scouts.

Do they have links to any of the comments?

[Ped]

Originally Posted by Aarongavey

Do they have links to any of the comments?

Wheeler wrote this in The Athletic, for example:

Ethan Belchetz, who has impressed a lot of folks over the course of this season, wasn’t at his best and was moved off the top line after two periods in Game 1. And I don’t think Ryan Roobroeck is even in the “big names” conversation anymore. He hasn’t had a good year in Niagara, frequently leaving scouts wanting him to be more involved, and he was barely noticeable over the two games, and didn’t play much. I wonder if he’s a little banged up, but it’s also become par for the course with him.
Three of the big names on Team CHL’s defense didn’t help their stock, either. Chase Reid and Daxon Rudolph each made a couple of plays but also coughed up a lot of pucks and had some tough moments in their own zone (which is a little uncharacteristic of Rudolph, who typically has more polish than the rawer Reid). Xavier Villeneuve had his moments — including a big one to make it 4-3 on the power play late in Game 2 — but was also scrambly and careless at times over the course of the two games. I did appreciate that he didn’t seem to back down from the fight, though.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/680...hl-draft-2026/

[Jiri Hrdina]

I still think it’s an above average draft
Some have taken a step back but on the other hand two centres are looking better and could move into the top 10 (Lawrence and Suvanto)
And I think by the end of the year Lawrence will have a lot of hype around him.
All the rankings will likely change based on the wjcs

[Fan69]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

I still think it’s an above average draft
Some have taken a step back but on the other hand two centres are looking better and could move into the top 10 (Lawrence and Suvanto)
And I think by the end of the year Lawrence will have a lot of hype around him.
All the rankings will likely change based on the wjcs

Most seem to have lawrence in the top five. Top ten for sure, but i think he will climb.

Most seem to think this draft is good to very good. While the top ten is comparable to last year ( i think only because it had more centers) this year seems to have a lot more depth. The drop off that happened around 20 last year seems to be more around 40 to 50 in this one.

In my basement opinion of course and still lots of year to go.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Sorry yeah Lawrence has always been in the top five ish
I meant Malhotra and Suvanto as the two moving up higher than where they were ranked to start the year

[Monahammer]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

I would rather get solid returns for the vets than get garbage and bottom out. Let a team step up and make a good offer. There needs to be some patience here.

Once Andersson, Kadri and maybe Coleman go this team will struggle to not be the worst in the league.

I agree with this in theory, but in practice there is a measurable delta here... the potential value of getting a top 3 pick (secured by being last in league standings) vs getting a 5-10 pick and slightly less return as we hold the players longer towards deadline.

Im not saying sell for whatever just to tank, I am just highlighting the "trade" we make by holding longer to try and obtain more value for the current performing roster players. The reverse is that theres no guarantee trading them tanks us. Also fair but less likely.

[Rhett44]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

I agree with this in theory, but in practice there is a measurable delta here... the potential value of getting a top 3 pick (secured by being last in league standings) vs getting a 5-10 pick and slightly less return as we hold the players longer towards deadline.

Im not saying sell for whatever just to tank, I am just highlighting the "trade" we make by holding longer to try and obtain more value for the current performing roster players. The reverse is that theres no guarantee trading them tanks us. Also fair but less likely.

If we traded Kadri and Rasmus for futures, we would see a significant drop in wins. You don't just trade your best center and best dman and not see a big drop in play.

That is why this needs to happen and fast.

[Inferno]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

That is why this needs to happen and fast.

It needs to happen when they get the right offer. Which probably isn't happening until atleast mid to late January like last season.

[Monahammer]

Originally Posted by Inferno

It needs to happen when they get the right offer. Which probably isn't happening until atleast mid to late January like last season.

But what is "the right offer?"

Its not what the flames ask is, and its probably not what the current offer is. How far in between the two is the debate of everyone. I hope not too far towards our ask, because I fear that the delta between pick 1-3 vs 5-10 is higher than the delta between our ask and the soon to be offer.

[Sandman]

I really like the first round of this draft, and the second round is shaping up to be good too. Like Jiri said, there are some centers who have come out of nowhere (Suvanto, Shilov,Morozov, Williams, and Malhotra to name a few), plus there’s some nice wingers in Klepov and Belchetz to be had.

The real surprises have come from the backend- Piiparainen, Reid, and Carels are starting to overtake Rudolph on lists for D, then there’s dynamic offensive defensemen like Lin and Villeneuve that could also occupy the top-15. Coming up later in the round are two-way marvels in Gustafsson, Hakansson, and Schairer. Of course, Verhoeff will go in the top-two.

I think to say that this draft is “disappointing” would be way off base. Just my opinion.

[Inferno]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

But what is "the right offer?"

Its not what the flames ask is, and its probably not what the current offer is. How far in between the two is the debate of everyone. I hope not too far towards our ask, because I fear that the delta between pick 1-3 vs 5-10 is higher than the delta between our ask and the soon to be offer.

An offer that doesn't have to be exactly what Conroy wants but close enough where he feels it's fair and unlikely to get better before the deadline.

Fans can argue what they think is good enough but they're not Conroy.

[Rhett44]

Originally Posted by Inferno

It needs to happen when they get the right offer. Which probably isn't happening until atleast mid to late January like last season.

Vancouver put their players on the market and it is reported that tons of teams have a lot of interest. The only reason there is no interest for Coleman or Kadri are because we have not made them available (according to trade insiders).