2025/2026 Season Trade Rumours and Speculation Thread

[NewFan]

In my opinion the trade value for Andersson or other our players will not increase much closer to deadline. Because of increase in available similar players on the market from more sellers after the new year. Also the price of 2026 draft picks will be valued higher.
Anyway I expect low returns regardless, so I think our draft picks and the development experience of our young players are more important during this time.

[Suave]

I still think Flames are positioned to get max value for Anderson. Looking at the defenseman traded over the past year the max any team was willing to give up is two firsts and a prospect and that was in the Dobson trade. But that was a for 25 year old who signed an extension. Next would be the Miller trade, again young dman who signed an extension. Closest comparable would be the Jones trade: 1st and goalie “prospect”. If the Flames can secure more than the Jones package, they’ve likely optimized the return. The extension factor is huge—teams pay a premium for term certainty, which Anderson currently doesn’t seem open to.

Miller for Scott Morrow, a conditional 2026 1st round pick, and 2026 2nd round pick
Noah Dobson for Emil Heineman, a 2025 1st round pick (#16), a 2025 1st round pick (#17)
Brandon Carlo for Fraser Minten, a 2026 1st round pick and a 2025 4th round pick
Seth Jones and a 2026 4th round pick for Spencer Knight and a 2026 1st round pick
David Jiricek and a 2025 5th round pick for Daemon Hunt, a 2025 1st round pick, 2026 3rd round pick, 2026 4th round pick, and 2027 2nd round pick

[Calgary Highlander]

Think we are going to get a Hanifin type return with Andersson's agent letting teams know ahead of time he won't be extending with them.

We need to hit on the first round picks we get for the veterans. The early returns on Gridin and Reschny look pretty good. If you hit on the first, the other pieces matter a lot less (ironically, Bahl and Brz are pretty good "other pieces" from those deals).

The Bouwmeester and Iginla trades look as bad as they do because those picks were used to select Poirier and Klimchuk. Wouldn't surprise me if that memory has ownership hesitant to let go of assets under contract for magic beans. But if instead of Poirier/Klimchuk, the Flames drafted Shea Theodore and Ryan Hartman, that changes the franchise's trajectory a fair bit in the Gaudreau/Monahan years .

[Finger Cookin]

It's also been suggested that teams will be looking to conduct more business before the Olympic roster freeze than before the usual trade deadline. So, we might be looking at peak demand and activity unfolding in 6-8 weeks, instead of waiting until March.

[Rhett44]

Every day you wait to trade these guys hurts our draft position, and is an injury risk.

The best time to trade them was before the season. But they really should be trading them asap. I would not wait until the deadline.

[looooob]

Originally Posted by Suave

I still think Flames are positioned to get max value for Anderson. Looking at the defenseman traded over the past year the max any team was willing to give up is two firsts and a prospect and that was in the Dobson trade. But that was a for 25 year old who signed an extension. Next would be the Miller trade, again young dman who signed an extension. Closest comparable would be the Jones trade: 1st and goalie “prospect”. If the Flames can secure more than the Jones package, they’ve likely optimized the return. The extension factor is huge—teams pay a premium for term certainty, which Anderson currently doesn’t seem open to.

Miller for Scott Morrow, a conditional 2026 1st round pick, and 2026 2nd round pick
Noah Dobson for Emil Heineman, a 2025 1st round pick (#16), a 2025 1st round pick (#17)
Brandon Carlo for Fraser Minten, a 2026 1st round pick and a 2025 4th round pick
Seth Jones and a 2026 4th round pick for Spencer Knight and a 2026 1st round pick
David Jiricek and a 2025 5th round pick for Daemon Hunt, a 2025 1st round pick, 2026 3rd round pick, 2026 4th round pick, and 2027 2nd round pick

Walman for a first and a 'prospect'- that qualifies, no?

[MrMike]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

Every day you wait to trade these guys hurts our draft position, and is an injury risk.

The best time to trade them was before the season. But they really should be trading them asap. I would not wait until the deadline.

Exactly! How many late round firsts does it take to move up from pick 8 to 3?


That pick will be worth 3 times Anderssons return

[TheIronMaiden]

Originally Posted by MrMike

Exactly! How many late round firsts does it take to move up from pick 8 to 3?


That pick will be worth 3 times Anderssons return

The Andersson paradox, he alone is good enough to move a team up 5 spots in the standings, but is only worth a late first round pick.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by TheIronMaiden

The Andersson paradox, he alone is good enough to move a team up 5 spots in the standings, but is only worth a late first round pick.

Andersson+Kadri+Coleman

[Wolven]

Originally Posted by Finger Cookin

It's also been suggested that teams will be looking to conduct more business before the Olympic roster freeze than before the usual trade deadline. So, we might be looking at peak demand and activity unfolding in 6-8 weeks, instead of waiting until March.

Kinda like how there was supposed to be so much action on draft day last summer???

Definitely taking a grain of salt with these suggestions... However, I do think that a number of teams that have missed the playoffs for long times (Red Wings, Sharks) or teams with pressure to make a splash this year (Senators, Mammoth) are going to push to make moves sooner and try to secure their spots in the playoffs sooner than later.

Teams like the Stars might feel like they can wait for the TDL to make a move as their playoff chances are pretty secure but when they see other teams starting to move they will likely feel the pressure to not miss out on their primary trade targets (Andersson).

It is going to be an interesting watch as everyone works hard to not show their cards early and the clock keeps ticking down.

[Rhett44]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Andersson+Kadri+Coleman

Yes, if you trade them all before the Christmas trade freeze, that would really help us so much.

Praying Maloney and Edwards will approve this.

[GioforPM]

People assume you can just make other teams make a trade.

[mile]

Dad's trip starts after tomorrow's game and goes to the 16th. Holiday roster freeze is on the 19th


Doubt anything happens this month

[BigThief]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

Every day you wait to trade these guys hurts our draft position, and is an injury risk.

The best time to trade them was before the season. But they really should be trading them asap. I would not wait until the deadline.

I don't think the best time to trade Anddrssson was the off season, he's bounced back and proven to be a valuable player again. And no one guy is going to move the needle the the NHL outside of a handful of stars.

[Jason14h]

Originally Posted by MrMike

Exactly! How many late round firsts does it take to move up from pick 8 to 3?


That pick will be worth 3 times Anderssons return

According to https://puckpedia.com/pickvalue which is the "best" tool I see out there, it would take the 16th pick overall to move from 8 > 3 value wise

It would also be the same as sending the 30th and 31st overall

Soooo - 2 late firsts to move from 8 > 3

[MrMike]

Originally Posted by Jason14h

According to https://puckpedia.com/pickvalue which is the "best" tool I see out there, it would take the 16th pick overall to move from 8 > 3 value wise

It would also be the same as sending the 30th and 31st overall

Soooo - 2 late firsts to move from 8 > 3

Yeah, but I would wager everyone on here would think it takes much much more than that.

Combine those and it’s still iffy, 8,16,30,32 for 3

[traptor]

It feels like there's only little windows remaining until trade deadline.

As someone mentioned they have dads trip into roster freeze, so doubtful anything happens then.

Then the window is pretty much the month of January, because Olympics takes over the month of Feb and it's pretty much trade deadline after that.

[traptor]

Originally Posted by Jason14h

According to https://puckpedia.com/pickvalue which is the "best" tool I see out there, it would take the 16th pick overall to move from 8 > 3 value wise

It would also be the same as sending the 30th and 31st overall

Soooo - 2 late firsts to move from 8 > 3

In theory maybe. In reality no team is doing that in a draft year like this where there is a clear ledge at 4.

[Niemo]

Originally Posted by BigThief

I don't think the best time to trade Anddrssson was the off season, he's bounced back and proven to be a valuable player again. And no one guy is going to move the needle the the NHL outside of a handful of stars.

There are 3 factors that don't get brought up enough when it comes to trade value between off season and trade deadline:

1. In the offseason, 1st round pick with very light or no protection are available and 'unknown' in terms of placement. I say unknown because you can trade with a strong team from last year and they could have a bad season. Look at NYR, VAN, BOS from last year and FLA and TOR of this year as an example. It's not guaranteed, but it's a better chance at a better pick that trading for a 1st at the deadline that is pretty much guaranteed to be 25>.

2. Our own picks moving down in the draft. Look at the cost to move up - from say 10th to 4th Overall. Every year we spend the full month leading up to the draft working very hard at moving up to top 5 and every year we hear at the draft that the price is too high. Will we really get that much more at the deadline to make up enough assets to bridge the gap between 10th and 4th overall (arbitrary example)? Not to mention injury risks.

3. There are much more sellers at the deadline and less buyers. In the offseason, there are typically less sellers and more buyers. (supply vs demand).

So pure speculation as an example:

If Rasmus Andersson was worth a 1st + 3rd in the offseason and he is worth a 1st + 2 2nds at the deadline and Nazem Kadri was worth a 1st + 2nd at the offseason and he is now worth 1st + 2 2nds at the deadline.

If having Ras + Kadri = 10th Overall vs starting the season without Ras and Kadri = 4th Overall......

Does 3 2nds (minus a 3rd and the chance at slightly worse 1st rounders) get us from 10th OV to 4th OV? No......it does not. Not even close.

[dino7c]

I have my doubts the Flames are bottom 3 even without those guys...unless you think all the callups and young players suck