2025/2026 Season Trade Rumours and Speculation Thread

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

The point was to acquire veteran leadership through free agency. Guys who are good at that don’t make it to market often, and they can pick and choose between teams.

Not necessarily free agency.

Also, I never said they had to be 'good', just leaders. An example would be a guy like Danault - could have acquired him very cheaply.

Trade Kadri for significant assets, acquire someone that's cheaper. Profit.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Not necessarily free agency.

Also, I never said they had to be 'good', just leaders. An example would be a guy like Danault - could have acquired him very cheaply.

Trade Kadri for significant assets, acquire someone that's cheaper. Profit.

How much of a leader is Danault? Has he got a history of helping his linemates improve?

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

How much of a leader is Danault? Has he got a history of helping his linemates improve?

LIKE Danault.

Are you suggesting that Kadri has rare, difficult-to-replace leadership skills? Because I would argue that's a huge stretch.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

LIKE Danault.

Are you suggesting that Kadri has rare, difficult-to-replace leadership skills? Because I would argue that's a huge stretch.

No, I’m arguing that Backlund has, because that’s the comparison you used.

What Kadri has that no other C on the roster has is simply the offensive ability to play good opponents without getting caved. That’s not leadership, but as I think you yourself mentioned, it’s beneficial for young wingers.

[InternationalVillager]

I wonder if Habs would trade Alexander Zharovsky. That has to be the target if I'm Conroy. Habs wouldn't even have to add a 1st round pick then.

[Tbull8]

Originally Posted by InternationalVillager

I wonder if Habs would trade Alexander Zharovsky. That has to be the target if I'm Conroy. Habs wouldn't even have to add a 1st round pick then.

Highly doubt it. He’s demidovs buddy. I’m sure they plan to play them together

[browna]

Vets acquired to replace the ones also need to be around awhile.

Guys like Kadri and Coleman have a ring and were big contributors their teams in that Cup run (no disrespect to Lomberg and his ring, but it’s not the same in his case) is a big part of the leadership he can provide. That provides the proof and example and model that can’t be replicated on the same way by anyone who hasn’t gotten to a Cup final at least, and that younger guys can look up to. Guys that went all the way and had to fight through a lot of things but came out on top.

Without that vet guidance, as I’ve said, it looks like the pre Draisital Oilers with multiple top picks in Hall and Eberle and Gagner (and my guess Yakupov too doesn’t fail the way he did) by alarmingly and aimlessly floating around and wasting their talent through a lack of properly developing, thanks to being on a team without respected and trusted leaders to help them.

[Samonadreau]

Originally Posted by dammage79

I honestly am convinced if they traded Coleman to MTL it'll be for Dach and picks. There's no room for him with how Kapanen has bloomed. Suzuki, Kapanen, Danault, Evans. That's their centers.

Coleman is a winger.

[Tbull8]

Originally Posted by Samonadreau

Coleman is a winger.

Pretty sure he meant there’s no room for Dach at center…

[traptor]

Saw someone suggest


Laine + 1st + struble


For


Coleman + Pachal


Id do that.

[Hackey]

Originally Posted by browna

Vets acquired to replace the ones also need to be around awhile.

Guys like Kadri and Coleman have a ring and were big contributors their teams in that Cup run (no disrespect to Lomberg and his ring, but it’s not the same in his case) is a big part of the leadership he can provide. That provides the proof and example and model that can’t be replicated on the same way by anyone who hasn’t gotten to a Cup final at least, and that younger guys can look up to. Guys that went all the way and had to fight through a lot of things but came out on top.

Without that vet guidance, as I’ve said, it looks like the pre Draisital Oilers with multiple top picks in Hall and Eberle and Gagner (and my guess Yakupov too doesn’t fail the way he did) by alarmingly and aimlessly floating around and wasting their talent through a lack of properly developing, thanks to being on a team without respected and trusted leaders to help them.

Sorry but this is so overblown. No leadership group was going to turn Hall, Eberle, and Gagner into elite stars. Those guys just weren't that great and made a pretty weak core. Leadership had nothing to do with it. Those guys just weren't that good.

[Enoch Root]

Maybe they weren't that good because they never had the leadership to help them

[Rhett44]

Originally Posted by browna

Vets acquired to replace the ones also need to be around awhile.

Guys like Kadri and Coleman have a ring and were big contributors their teams in that Cup run (no disrespect to Lomberg and his ring, but it’s not the same in his case) is a big part of the leadership he can provide. That provides the proof and example and model that can’t be replicated on the same way by anyone who hasn’t gotten to a Cup final at least, and that younger guys can look up to. Guys that went all the way and had to fight through a lot of things but came out on top.

Without that vet guidance, as I’ve said, it looks like the pre Draisital Oilers with multiple top picks in Hall and Eberle and Gagner (and my guess Yakupov too doesn’t fail the way he did) by alarmingly and aimlessly floating around and wasting their talent through a lack of properly developing, thanks to being on a team without respected and trusted leaders to help them.

The good thing is we don't have to worry about winning for a while. By the time we are ready to compete, we can add some new Coleman type vets into the lineup to help the young players learn how to win.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Maybe they weren't that good because they never had the leadership to help them

From 2011-2014: HALL, RNH first 3-4 seasons the Oilers had.

Ryan Smyth - 35
Ales Hemsky - 28
Shawn Horcoff - 32
Ryan Whitney - 28
Eric Belanger - 33
Darcy Hordichuk - 31
Andy Sutton - 36
Nikolai Khabibulin - 38
Nick Schultz - 31
Andrew Ference - 34
Matt Hendricks - 32

The Oilers actually did have some veterans around to try to help those guys when they were young. None of them were stars but they were respected NHL veterans.

The narrative that the Oilers just left these guys with absolutely no veteran presence is a bit false TBH.

The problem was they drafted terrible beyond the first round and they failed at actually building a deep core to support those players from a talent perspective, not from a leadership perspective.

[howard_the_duck]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

What top 6 centers likely to hit UFA are well regarded leaders/mentors to young players?

Why do they need to be a top 6 center? Plenty of veterans in next year’s free agent class that are good options to play a leadership role and eat some minutes for a rebuilding team.

Hayes, Pageau, Coyle, Jenner to name a few.

[Macindoc]

Originally Posted by howard_the_duck

Why do they need to be a top 6 center? Plenty of veterans in next year’s free agent class that are good options to play a leadership role and eat some minutes for a rebuilding team.

Hayes, Pageau, Coyle, Jenner to name a few.

Maybe because without Kadri, the Flames would be without even one top six centre, assuming that Backlund gradually slows down. How can you bring the young scoring LW/RW prospects along without a 1C or a 2C? Are you looking for Frost to be a 1C? Zary? Hoping for Reschny to make a premature jump and step up to a top 6 role right away?

[howard_the_duck]

Originally Posted by Macindoc

Maybe because without Kadri, the Flames would be without even one top six centre, assuming that Backlund gradually slows down. How can you bring the young scoring LW/RW prospects along without a 1C or a 2C? Are you looking for Frost to be a 1C? Zary? Hoping for Reschny to make a premature jump and step up to a top 6 role right away?

The Flames have a boatload of cap room. I’m sure someone would take their money.

Just because they move Kadri doesn’t mean the plan is to prematurely bring up any of their prospects. For the rest of this season things would be thin, but the offseason can address that.

[Sec214]

[Goriders]

Razzy Andy gone finally?

[Roof-Daddy]

Capitals eh?