2025/2026 Season Trade Rumours and Speculation Thread

[Inferno]

Originally Posted by Hackey

The true value you get in trade is guaranteeing a top 3 pick.

Nothing is guaranteed. The chances just increase.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Hackey

Does it really matter? Even if we just assume that's true, the difference in return is probably negligible if anything. GMs know what Kadri and Coleman are at this point. The true value you get in trade is guaranteeing a top 3 pick. A potential star added into the system is vastly more valuable than adding an extra late pick or a slightly higher pick. Especially over the next few seasons. Hanging onto guys to squeeze out a little extra value is stupid.

I’m not advocating “hanging on” to increase value. I’m advocating not panicking because it hasn’t happened yet.

And they could easily trade all three and still not draft top 3. Or keep all three and draft first.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Inferno

Nothing is guaranteed. The chances just increase.

They’ve may not even increase.

It wouldn’t be close to the first time vets were moved and younger players made the most of the increased opportunity.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

June 2023 is false. They entered that season with intentions of competing and re-signing many of their players. The Toffoli trade is not a rebuilding trade. They needed to be cap compliant so traded a 34 goal 73pt forward for a third rounder and a 25 year old player. How is that a rebuilding trade? If they prioritized the rebuild they wouldn’t have settled on a 3rd round pick and would have prioritized futures over a player that would help immediately.

There was absolutely a hope the flames though getting rid of Sutter would have turned things around but once they got off to a terrible start they pivoted and stopped trying to sign Hanifin and Steinberg says they knew in November they were going to trade Lindholm.

November when they traded Zadorov was when the rebuild truly kicked off in my opinion.

I don’t know the point of calling something false and then making stuff up. The Toffoli trade wasn’t a cap compliance trade, they were 2.4M under the cap after signing Sharangovich. Getting younger by 10 years in a single trade is absolutely a rebuilding move, especially when you’re trading a known quantity for a pick and a developing/potential one. I guess that’s just a matter of opinion but it’s odd to try to reframe that move as trying to compete. They could have just kept Toffoli.

They also already knew at that draft that they were going to be moving on from most or all of the 2024 free agent class.

Conroy came in with a plan and started carrying it out. I don’t know why people have to throw these weird little made up stories around like Toffoli being moved for cap compliance lol.

[Bonded]

Originally Posted by Hackey

Does it really matter? Even if we just assume that's true, the difference in return is probably negligible if anything. GMs know what Kadri and Coleman are at this point. The true value you get in trade is guaranteeing a top 3 pick. A potential star added into the system is vastly more valuable than adding an extra late pick or a slightly higher pick. Especially over the next few seasons. Hanging onto guys to squeeze out a little extra value is stupid.

Kadri by all accounts wouldn't waive last year so it doesn't really matter what the Flames wanted to do last season. Coleman can also engineer his NTC to basically be a NMC. It is why I'm not expecting him to be traded this year with a kid on the way.


I'll be content with a Kadri and Andersson trade this season.

[Bonded]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Fans who are frustrated that the Flames don’t seem to be doing 7 aren’t claiming that they’re doing 1 and 2.

Some definitely are and refuse to call this any kind of rebuild. That is why the conversation keeps going in circles.

[Groot]

Trading 30-year old Toffoli = apparently "proof" the Flames weren't rebuilding
Signing 32-year old Toffoli to a $6M x 4 contract = savvy move by the rebuilding Sharks?

Seems backwards, but I cannot keep up with the logical inconsistencies these days,

[Mr.Coffee]

Originally Posted by Bonded

Some definitely are and refuse to call this any kind of rebuild. That is why the conversation keeps going in circles.

Maybe that’s because the Flames and all the insiders keep saying this isn’t a rebuild, though.

And now we’re back to “but we shouldn’t believe them”, or something.

Anyway, I do think eventually they’ll trade Andersson. Just hoping for the other 2, too.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

I don’t know the point of calling something false and then making stuff up. The Toffoli trade wasn’t a cap compliance trade, they were 2.4M under the cap after signing Sharangovich. Getting younger by 10 years in a single trade is absolutely a rebuilding move, especially when you’re trading a known quantity for a pick and a developing/potential one. I guess that’s just a matter of opinion but it’s odd to try to reframe that move as trying to compete. They could have just kept Toffoli.

They also already knew at that draft that they were going to be moving on from most or all of the 2024 free agent class.

Conroy came in with a plan and started carrying it out. I don’t know why people have to throw these weird little made up stories around like Toffoli being moved for cap compliance lol.

https://thewincolumn.ca/2023/06/15/t...lary-cap-work/


This article points out the need for the Flames to clear cap space prior to the draft. The only lie is you saying the flames got 10 years younger not sure where your math is on that one? 6 years difference. Conroy talked about that deal giving them cap flexibility heading into July 1.

The Devils got a 2nd an 3rd for Toffoli that would have been a nicer return for the Flames in my opinion.

Toffoli asked out once he felt it was clear the flames were not going to extend him. I do agree with you it is a matter of opinion and while Conroy said this was about getting younger they prioritized a player that would help immediately over draft picks

[Bonded]

Originally Posted by Mr.Coffee

Maybe that’s because the Flames and all the insiders keep saying this isn’t a rebuild, though.

And now we’re back to “but we shouldn’t believe them”, or something.

Anyway, I do think eventually they’ll trade Andersson. Just hoping for the other 2, too.

Eh, I don't really care about the PR which they are admittedly bad at but I think that is PTSD from almost losing the team and will continue to judge them on what they actually do.
I don't think it's even a question on if they trade Andersson but if they don't then that will be a major failure. I'm also pretty confident they will trade Kadri but keep Coleman but not trading Kadri will definitely deserve some skepticism.

[Inferno]

Originally Posted by Mr.Coffee

Maybe that’s because the Flames and all the insiders keep saying this isn’t a rebuild, though.

The insiders keep saying it's not a teardown rebuild. A rebuild and a teardown rebuild are two different things.

[Groot]

Originally Posted by Mr.Coffee

Maybe that’s because the Flames and all the insiders keep saying this isn’t a rebuild, though.

And now we’re back to “but we shouldn’t believe them”, or something.

Anyway, I do think eventually they’ll trade Andersson. Just hoping for the other 2, too.

So if they trade Andersson (pretty much a guarantee) but don't trade Kadri or Coleman, it negates everything else they've done to prove they're rebuilding?

We should believe what they've done. I can repeat the list if you would like. Even Vancouver said in their memo they were listening to pending UFA's, not all vets. Yet they said the word rebuild once, so apparently their actions dont matter and they're now the beacon for a rebuilding team.

This is why the conversation keeps going in circles, it doesnt matter what is presented, it gets ignored and forgotten and then round we go again.

[united]

December 16 update from The Athletic's model that simulates the remainder of the season 50,000 times.

Median finish: firmly in 32nd place with 73 points, 2 points behind the Blackhawks and Kraken at 75. Blues, Sharks, Predators, Canucks all projected to finish with fewer than 80 points as well FWIW.

Pick first: 12% of simulated seasons
Pick top five: 66% of simulated seasons
Pick top ten: 91% of simulated seasons
Make playoffs: 3% of simulated seasons (90 points to get in)

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

https://thewincolumn.ca/2023/06/15/t...lary-cap-work/


This article points out the need for the Flames to clear cap space prior to the draft. The only lie is you saying the flames got 10 years younger not sure where your math is on that one? 6 years difference. Conroy talked about that deal giving them cap flexibility heading into July 1.

The Devils got a 2nd an 3rd for Toffoli that would have been a nicer return for the Flames in my opinion.

Toffoli asked out once he felt it was clear the flames were not going to extend him. I do agree with you it is a matter of opinion and while Conroy said this was about getting younger they prioritized a player that would help immediately over draft picks

My math is that I mixed up Toffoli’s age with his goal total that year lol

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by RedHawk12

The Flames make trades when players force their hands. The Flames learned from Johnny leaving for nothing. Now they trade expiring deals if it looks like a reasonable extension can't be reached. They also trade disgruntled players with term, like Markstrom. However, nothing they've done suggest they want to trade vets with term who want to be here. In fact, everything from the Maloney interview to the Friedman reports back this up.

My issue with this is that it's a very reactionary approach. We're not proactively rebuilding, and as a result, our vets who want to be here will remain here and prevent us from truly embracing a rebuild. We might suck for a year and draft high, then it's right back to the mush.

I anticipate Andersson getting traded only because he's not re-signing. I don't anticipate Kadri or Coleman being traded this year. And because we still have all of these decent vets on the team, I think we end the season as a bottom 10 team rather than a bottom 3 team, and we'll never get the McKennas and the Stenbergs

I think this is the biggest fear for the tank crowd and I think it's a valid fear based on historically what this team has done. Time will tell.

I agree with all of this. Pretty much bang on and a much more accurate portrayal of what the Flames are doing than the folks that claim they aren't rebuilding at all. Complete lunacy to think they aren't rebuilding, but to say they aren't being proactive enough is fair I guess.

I am going to be pretty choked if they don't trade at least one of Coleman or Kadri this year, but with how well they've been playing and how close they are getting to being back in the wild card race I don't see them trading either of those two.

[Burning Beard]

They are rebuilding, just not the exact way a few posters want them to rebuild. As such, those posters feel the need to harp about how the rebuild is not a rebuild or a doomed rebuild at least 20 times a day, every day.

I feel Andersson is gone for sure. I would prefer they also trade one or both of Coleman or Kadri this season, but if it doesn't happen this year it is not going to be some huge franchise altering, rebuild destroying thing like we see doom posted daily. There is still plenty of time to see them traded.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

My math is that I mixed up Toffoli’s age with his goal total that year lol

End of the day the deal was part of Conroy’s plan to transition this team to get younger and then people can nitpick of what “re” word to use but in my opinion the Flames plans have been altered by their performance in 2024 where I don’t think they initially planned on trading all those UFA’s nor did they plan to pick top 10.

I think the way Conroy has treated things since was with an eye towards more of a rebuild than retool. I don’t think he planned to finish 16th last year (they planned to pick top 10) the way the team was built nor did he double down on that squad by making any win now moves. I do not see the team wanting to pick high for the next 3-4 years but I do think/hope they will lean into this poor season by moving vets they were not planning on moving and hopefully getting as high a pick as they can.

I could see him adding more than a couple of top prospects this summer though in efforts to be better and a goal to make playoffs in year 1 or 2 of the new rink

[Wolven]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I bet you thought last year that Kadri and Coleman's value wouldn't be higher than it was then. But it is now. So is Andersson's for that matter.

And Kadri and Coleman still have significant trade protection. It seems like the more people chant "Trade them!" the more they forget about the trade protection that each player has.

[topfiverecords]

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

Well, one thing I’d say is that neither the Flames nor the Canucks are well managed teams in recent times (…and longer).

So to see their approaches being talked about as being similar, is both sad and also probably aligned with reality.

…because neither of these organizations have had a clue when it comes to building what they say they want (sustained winning).

Also, so far this season, the Canucks have been more proactive than the Flames when it comes to getting business done and dealing with contractual situations. I’d even give a significant nod to Vancouver, because they’re at least honest enough with themselves to pull the ripcord on their best player in a way to maximize their return, which to date - is the opposite of what Calgary has done (which is nothing).

Like we’ve all said their actions will speak louder than their words, and they have been inactive which amplifies their words to date.

What Conroy moves would warrant the bolded above?