2025/2026 Season Trade Rumours and Speculation Thread

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Minnesota? Carolina? Dallas (1 high pick)?

Carolina drafted 2nd overall the year after the Stars picked 3rd. Both won the lottery to move up with a small % chance.

Carolina still is chasing a star or franchise player to get them over the hump.

Dallas had one down year and won the lottery back when the top 3 picks were all decided by the lotto and hit on every pick in amazing fashion. They also landed a top 2 talent at the back half of the first round in 2021 when Johnston missed most of his draft year to COVID lockdowns. Tough to duplicate for sure. Also Benn/Seguin were much younger than Huberdeau/Kadri when the Stars had that insane draft in 2017.

Minnesota hasn’t been out of the first round since 2003 if I am not mistaken ?

[The Yen Man]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

Maybe I just see the Flames as better than their record at the beginning of the year. I think we are better than some of these teams at the bottom, because of our structure and goaltending and Kadri/Andersson.

I don't think we are the worst team in the league. Probably closer to bottom 12 when you factor in goaltending.

Realistically, I think Flames are .500 the rest of the way. They'll probably also have another 4 or 5 game losing streaks along the way to offset their random winning streaks.

I feel like they've built out a big enough cushion at the start of the season to finish bottom 5. Going 500 will mean they end around the 80 point range, which is still bottom 5.

[Super-Rye]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I have time for this argument all day.

I'm quickly losing patience with the team isn't rebuilding as a stance.

The team is likely weeks away from running 3 rookie defensemen.

It is likely just weeks away from having 2 19 year olds in their lineup most nights.

Sounds like something that a rebuilding team would be doing if you ask me.

[Jason14h]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Minnesota? Carolina? Dallas (1 high pick)?

Ah yes the Carolina and Dallas teams that were horrible - but not horrible enough to pick high for a decade. Maybe if they had bottomed out their rebuilds wouldn't have taken 10 years.

I thought we didn't want this rebuild to take a decade or longer? Isn't this the model we are hoping to avoid rather then emulate?

Carolina 1st round picks:

2020 - 13th
2019 - 28th - Their Outlier season
2018 - 2nd
2015 - 5th
2014 - 7th
2013 - 5th
2012 - No Pick
2011 - 12th
2010 - 7th
2009 - 27th
2008 - 14th
2007 - 11th

Dallas 1st round picks-

2009 - 8th
2010 - 11th
2011 - 14th
2012 - 12th
2013 - 10th
2014 - 14th
2015 -12th
2016 - 25th Their outlier season
2017 - 3rd
2018 - 13th

In 2017 they won the lottery, drafted 3rd overall, and got Ottinger with a late pick and Robinson in the 2nd. That was a franchise altering draft.

(Getting Johnson in COVID draft was huge too)

Do people just forget these two franchises were in the lower mushy middle for a decade each? Or just never knew that they arent actually some magic run franchise who rebuild on the fly by drafting well ? They missed the playoffs for a decade each

[Flames_F.T.W]

I don't feel the need to tear this team down to the studs. Move Andersson for the best offer before the deadline - which appears to be the plan.
My concern is not capitalizing on the value of two aging veterans that are in high demand (Kadri and Coleman) when both will be long gone well before this team is close to being a contender. The whole "culture" and "let's see what happens" narrative that's floating around the media and from insiders is ludicrous.
All I need to hear is that a high price has been set for Kadri and Coleman - similar to what has been said about Ryan O'Reilly (ie he's available but we want a 1st and a grade A prospect, otherwise we're happy to keep him). They don't need to be traded immediately if the returns aren't there. But the fact that the don't seem interested (at least in public) in moving either of these guys worries me greatly.

I'm not really on team tank. I'm on team, "capitalize on our valuable (aging) trade chips while they have value" and then see where the season goes. If we trade the big 3 and still end up in the mushy middle, so be it. But realistically, moving 2/3 should guarantee a top 5 pick

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Jason14h

Ah yes the Carolina and Dallas teams that were horrible - but not horrible enough to pick high for a decade. Maybe if they had bottomed out their rebuilds wouldn't have taken 10 years.

I thought we didn't want this rebuild to take a decade or longer? Isn't this the model we are hoping to avoid rather then emulate?

Carolina 1st round picks:

2020 - 13th
2019 - 28th - Their Outlier season
2018 - 2nd
2015 - 5th
2014 - 7th
2013 - 5th
2012 - No Pick
2011 - 12th
2010 - 7th

Dallas 1st round picks-

2009 - 8th
2010 - 11th
2011 - 14th
2012 - 12th
2013 - 10th
2014 - 14th
2015 -12th
2016 - 25th (The outlier season)
2017 - 3rd
2018 - 13th

In 2017 they won the lottery, drafted 3rd overall, and got Ottinger with a late pick and Robinson in the 2nd. That was a franchise altering draft.

(Getting Johnson in COVID draft was huge too)

Do people just forget these two franchises were in the lower mushy middle for a decade each? Or just never knew that they arent actually some magic run franchise who rebuild on the fly by drafting well ? They missed the playoffs for a decade each

Are they good now or not?

[Calgary Highlander]

Originally Posted by Major Major

Pretty interesting how steinberg has changed his tune over the past couple of weeks. I hesitate to call him a mouthpiece, but I don't think there's a more influential voice in Flames media, and he's connected and he works for them. So if you want to know what the org is thinking, listen to Pat, and he's pretty rebuild forward these days.

I agree. Pat was also the one predicting a quiet trade deadline last season, which didn't quite align with the activity Royle and Sec were noting. Lo and behold, sweet fata all happened (although there may have still been serious conversations).

[Funkhouser]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Gavrokov and Roslovic don't move the needle to make the POs. They made zero bids on any of the bigger names in the off season, even though they had room. Marner? K'Andre Miller? Dobson? Ehlers? Zegras?

Were the Flames in on any of those guys?

No, but apparently we almost traded Anderson for a 1st and Hague (a 27 yr old defenseman), only to be rejected by Hague. This is not a rebuilding move.

Whether it be trying to trade for Hague, trading for Sharongovich, trying to re-sign Lindholm, trying to re-sign Anderson, not trading players with term, etc...

This team has shown time and time again, they prefer to be in the mushy middle, than to be bad and get high draft picks. This is a flawed approach to team building and is frustrating as hell.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Funkhouser

No, but apparently we almost traded Anderson for a 1st and Hague (a 27 yr old defenseman), only to be rejected by Hague. This is not a rebuilding move.

Whether it be trying to trade for Hague, trading for Sharongovich, trying to re-sign Lindholm, trying to re-sign Anderson, not trading players with term, etc...

This team has shown time and time again, they prefer to be in the mushy middle, than to be bad and get high draft picks. This is a flawed approach to team building and is frustrating as hell.

Getting a first is not a rebuilding move?

[ColossusXIII]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I have time for this argument all day.

I'm quickly losing patience with the team isn't rebuilding as a stance.

I really appreciate this comment.

For me personally, it's because they are rebuilding to a degree the franchise hasn't been willing to previously that I get excited and more hopeful that they will continue to commit 100% to it.

Even in a world where the trading vets for futures stopped today I'd argue this would probably still be their most significant commitment to a rebuild in the 20+ years I've followed them (not the highest bar admittedly), I just see how much potential the upcoming group of prospects and young players have and would love to add to it to the extent we're able, including hopefully at least one near-the-top-of-the-draft star if possible.

It can be tricky to know exactly when to flip the switch back into trying to win now, and I fully expect given the financial pressures that I don't feel as a fan that I will inevitably think that they're doing it too early when it does happen, so with some of the recent messaging this season I'm just a little nervous that they're already starting to think that way.

[The EBUG's EBUG]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Why would you still hang on to this when we have evidence that they didn't and because of that likely won't?

Last year in a playoff spot at the deadline sitting on a mountain of cap space and copious amounts of draft capital they added nothing.

They also didn't move off assets they could have maximized value for.

I totally agree with you, this team is rebuilding, they're not buying, but they're letting the ship sink passively versus torpedoing the hull, and I would like to see them be aggressive in enacting a rebuild plan.

The Conroy quote about the Farabee/Frost trade was "I definitely wanted to give the team something – they deserved it... They've earned it, to give them a boost, a shot in the arm." Now that's a trade that made sense short and long term so I don't have a problem with it at all but clearly some of the motivation was providing additional scoring to a team 1 point out of the playoffs at the time and it's not crazy to be apprehensive about a rebuilding team making choices to try and yield results the same year.

Again, to reiterate, totally in agreement that they're rebuilding, I do think they're going to end up moving those vets when the market becomes too good to deny. I simply am not entirely thrilled with the messaging coming from Maloney et al that playoffs is very much still a goal and what the implications might be of that if they're to luck their way into a playoff race this year. And I get just not believing what they're saying both directly and through the media but end of the day it's an executive in the organization and it's crazy that we have to hear what they're saying to us and have faith that they're just flat out lying to the fans.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by The EBUG's EBUG

They also didn't move off assets they could have maximized value for.

I totally agree with you, this team is rebuilding, they're not buying, but they're letting the ship sink passively versus torpedoing the hull, and I would like to see them be aggressive in enacting a rebuild plan.

The Conroy quote about the Farabee/Frost trade was "I definitely wanted to give the team something – they deserved it... They've earned it, to give them a boost, a shot in the arm." Now that's a trade that made sense short and long term so I don't have a problem with it at all but clearly some of the motivation was providing additional scoring to a team 1 point out of the playoffs at the time and it's not crazy to be apprehensive about a rebuilding team making choices to try and yield results the same year.

Again, to reiterate, totally in agreement that they're rebuilding, I do think they're going to end up moving those vets when the market becomes too good to deny. I simply am not entirely thrilled with the messaging coming from Maloney et al that playoffs is very much still a goal and what the implications might be of that if they're to luck their way into a playoff race this year. And I get just not believing what they're saying both directly and through the media but end of the day it's an executive in the organization and it's crazy that we have to hear what they're saying to us and have faith that they're just flat out lying to the fans.

Trading guys with larger salaries, term and partial NMCs is just not like snapping your finger.

[The Yen Man]

Originally Posted by Flames_F.T.W

I don't feel the need to tear this team down to the studs. Move Andersson for the best offer before the deadline - which appears to be the plan.
My concern is not capitalizing on the value of two aging veterans that are in high demand (Kadri and Coleman) when both will be long gone well before this team is close to being a contender. The whole "culture" and "let's see what happens" narrative that's floating around the media and from insiders is ludicrous.
All I need to hear is that a high price has been set for Kadri and Coleman - similar to what has been said about Ryan O'Reilly (ie he's available but we want a 1st and a grade A prospect, otherwise we're happy to keep him). They don't need to be traded immediately if the returns aren't there. But the fact that the don't seem interested (at least in public) in moving either of these guys worries me greatly.

I'm not really on team tank. I'm on team, "capitalize on our valuable (aging) trade chips while they have value" and then see where the season goes. If we trade the big 3 and still end up in the mushy middle, so be it. But realistically, moving 2/3 should guarantee a top 5 pick

This is my one concern as well. Kadri turned into a pleasant surprise in that he's built himself good trade value at a declining age. Not capitalizing on this would be a missed opportunity imo. We've seen players can decline quite quickly. Why not move him while worth something rather than hang onto him and lose out on this?

[Jason14h]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Are they good now or not?

Carolina has 1 game won past the 2nd round in 20 years

I guess we can strive for such goodness ! Heck maybe even win a 2nd game in the next 17 years !

[Burning Beard]

Originally Posted by Jason14h

Carolina has 1 game won past the 2nd round in 20 years

I guess we can strive for such goodness ! Heck maybe even win a 2nd game in the next 17 years !

What a miserable post.

[Jason14h]

Originally Posted by Burning Beard

What a miserable post.

Whats miserable? Carolina has won 1 game past the 2nd round in 20 years

A franchise that missed the playoffs in 10 of 11 seasons.

This is the franchise people want to Flames to emulate? I'm confused as to why?

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by Jason14h

Whats miserable? Carolina has won 1 game past the 2nd round in 20 years

A franchise that missed the playoffs in 10 of 11 seasons.

This is the franchise people want to Flames to emulate? I'm confused as to why?

Core established (1C, 1D), strong group of wingers, roster depth, playoff consistency, playoff consistency = playoff revenue, UFA attraction, more reg season tickets sold, etc.

They just need playoff performers past round 2. It happens. Florida has put a halt to many Eastern contenders.

[SuperMatt18]

I think the true answer to this question is the Flames are re-building, but also don't want to bottom out and want to remain competitive.

And the issue is there are conflicting feelings in the fan base of what type of rebuild the Flames want to have.

There is one side of the fence that believes that bottoming out, being aggressive in moving out aging veterans, getting a couple top picks, and adding as many additional picks as possible will actually accelerate the rebuild even if it means there are fewer veterans remaining and you are worse off now for it.

The flip side to this argument is that if you cut too deep, then it builds a culture of losing, and you can never actually get out of purgatory. (Personally I don't think this is a real issue if you're well managed, and think the Flames should really be taking advantage of the market to try to bottom out and accelerate the rebuild).

On the other side of the fence is that you rebuild over time, keep veterans to help the transition to the new core, try to remain at least a little competitive and don't try to tank / bottom out.

The counter argument for this is it might actually extend the duration of a rebuild because you end up being in the mushy middle for longer, and never actually get those multiple top 5 picks that you require to truly build a consistent contender, and end up with a team with lots of great pieces but no elite pieces.

I think the actual argument here isn't if the Flames are rebuilding at all, but it's the type of strategy they are using in their rebuild.

The organization is doing the latter which is more of a less aggressive and more drawn out rebuild, but seem afraid of really going scorched earth and bottoming out. Where I think people want the team to be more aggressive in trying to accelerate the bottoming out phase, in hopes that it actually accelerates the timelines of the rebuild as a whole.

[PepsiFree]

I think one of the biggest differences between last year and this year is that the Flames were very likely going to lose their own first round pick.

They could have kept it if they were top ten, but at the time they were 16th in the league, and 13th based on point percentage. Points wise they weren’t far from a top 10 pick, but they also weren’t far from being top 10 in the league. Either way, anything better than 10th and they were losing the pick anyway, so there is some argument for seeing if you can push yourself a little further up and lock in a playoff spot. And they would have if not for St Louis’ bizarre run.

This year there is no such danger. Their pick is their pick.

[Badgers Nose]

Originally Posted by Bingo

How can you not make prudent ass moves… ?

Shake that prudent ass! Move that prudent ass!

(Describes a stripper that’s really good at earning tips)