2025/2026 Season Trade Rumours and Speculation Thread - Page 993 - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

PepsiFree · 01-09-2026, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by howard_the_duck

There’s still the whole winning side of it. And if I’m prioritizing one over the other, at this point in time, it’s making moves in the name of turning this thing around.

Culture is nice and all, but it can’t come at the expense of winning.

You don’t have to worry about that, because without culture there is no winning.

Funkhouser · 01-09-2026, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Look at players who've left: Mangiapane, Pelletier got worse. Zadorov, Lindholm, Kuzmenko, Hanifin are about the same. Even Mantha is around the same as his limited time here.

Zadorov has gotten better and established himself as a top 4 D with a lot of intangibles. I'm still amazed a D man with his profile was traded once to CGY for a third, and once to VAN for a third & a fifth. Under rated!

GioforPM · 01-09-2026, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gvitaly

I didn't say they become worse. I said have a hard time thinking of any that became significantly better. Kotkaniemi is currently on pace for a 20 point season, he's arguably playing worse than Jankowski for Carolina, so my most optimistic projection for him in CGY is 30 points as a 3/4C.

I don't think you can simply ignore Kadri's monster season, just like you can't ignore Coleman's 30G season in CGY.

The reason Kadri's big season is an anomaly is that he played top line much of that year, because Mackinnon got hurt, with Rantanen on his wing and with Makar on defence. In Calgary, his linemates and position on the team have been a lot more like when he was in Toronto.

Coleman's improved numbers were on Backlund's line. Which was kind of the same role he's always played.

gvitaly · 01-09-2026, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Look at players who've left: Mangiapane, Pelletier got worse. Zadorov, Lindholm, Kuzmenko, Hanifin are about the same. Even Mantha is around the same as his limited time here.

It's interesting you omitted Bennett, Tkachuk, Monahan, and Greer. Then there's Huberdeau's play in CGY vs FLA.

Toffoli is also about the same.

howard_the_duck · 01-09-2026, 02:19 PM

You won’t find any disagreement from me that culture is essential to winning in the long run.

Thankfully they’ve got a ton of leadership in the building (with or without Kadri) and others that can be added to instil that in the future Flames core.

Aarongavey · 01-09-2026, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by howard_the_duck

You won’t find any disagreement from me that culture is essential to winning in the long run.

Thankfully they’ve got a ton of leadership in the building (with or without Kadri) and others that can be added to instil that in the future Flames core.

Who can be added?

Yeah_Baby · 01-09-2026, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Funkhouser

Zadorov has gotten better and established himself as a top 4 D with a lot of intangibles. I'm still amazed a D man with his profile was traded once to CGY for a third, and once to VAN for a third & a fifth. Under rated!

The rollercoaster is (was?) real.

PepsiFree · 01-09-2026, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aarongavey

Who can be added?

Any forward over the age of 30 is sufficient, so the argument goes.

GioforPM · 01-09-2026, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Funkhouser

Zadorov has gotten better and established himself as a top 4 D with a lot of intangibles. I'm still amazed a D man with his profile was traded once to CGY for a third, and once to VAN for a third & a fifth. Under rated!

Intangibles maybe. But the discussion was offensive production. 21 points in Calgary, 20 between Calgary and Vancouver, 22 in Boston. Frankly, his numbers in Buffalo and Colorado aren't much different.

He'd better be a 4D on Boston - he's their second highest paid D with Hampus L out. I think when Lindholm is in though, Zadorov is on the bottom pairing.

GioforPM · 01-09-2026, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gvitaly

It's interesting you omitted Bennett, Tkachuk, Monahan, and Greer. Then there's Huberdeau's play in CGY vs FLA.

Toffoli is also about the same.

We were talking about the last 5 years. That was your criteria not mine (but it made sense given the coaching and management change).

howard_the_duck · 01-09-2026, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aarongavey

Who can be added?

No one aside from Kadri. It turns out he’s the pivot point to this team ever winning a cup. There are no other veterans in the NHL who you can find teammates or coaches having nice things to say about their leadership skills.

Did I do that right?

SuperMatt18 · 01-09-2026, 02:25 PM

Culture is a bit of a chicken and the egg argument to me.

A bad culture can absolutely permeate within an organization and cause issues to a team never being able to get out of the cellar.

But I also don't think a team truly has a good culture until they start winning, and generally losing can quickly make what was a good culture become bad very quickly, and vice versa.

In the end though I agree with what others have said and a truly good culture generally starts at the top with good ownership, and management.

Do that well and a strong culture can persist.

Aarongavey · 01-09-2026, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

Any forward over the age of 30 is sufficient, so the argument goes.

Maybe Tony DeAngelo.

Aarongavey · 01-09-2026, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by howard_the_duck

No one aside from Kadri. It turns out he’s the pivot point to this team ever winning a cup. There are no other veterans in the NHL who you can find teammates or coaches having nice things to say about their leadership skills.

Did I do that right?

Not really, just was wondering who you would add. I suggested Tony DeAngelo.

gvitaly · 01-09-2026, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GioforPM

We were talking about the last 5 years. That was your criteria not mine (but it made sense given the coaching and management change).

All of them were here in 2021 or later.

dino7c · 01-09-2026, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Funkhouser

Zadorov has gotten better and established himself as a top 4 D with a lot of intangibles. I'm still amazed a D man with his profile was traded once to CGY for a third, and once to VAN for a third & a fifth. Under rated!

#4 on a bad or mid team maybe

Rhett44 · 01-09-2026, 02:30 PM

That Lebrun clip is extremely concerning. "Flames are in no mans land. They need to be real and start listening to offers on vets".

So we aren't even listening to offers?

dino7c · 01-09-2026, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gvitaly

It's interesting you omitted Bennett, Tkachuk, Monahan, and Greer. Then there's Huberdeau's play in CGY vs FLA.

Toffoli is also about the same.

Monahan's best years are in Calgary...Tkachuk was 5 points better his first year in Florida but he was just entering his prime. I bet 104 in Calgary and 109 the following year in Florida are his career seasons.

dino7c · 01-09-2026, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rhett44

That Lebrun clip is extremely concerning. "Flames are in no mans land. They need to be real and start listening to offers on vets".

So we aren't even listening to offers?

you are such a rube

DJones · 01-09-2026, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rhett44

That Lebrun clip is extremely concerning. "Flames are in no mans land. They need to be real and start listening to offers on vets".

So we aren't even listening to offers?

You know probably as much as Lebrun does.

It's really just Kadri I assume they are talking about. Andersson and likely COleman are gone imo. The return for him would be underwhelming, they are more saying to give Kadri away for free so the team is worse.