2025/2026 Season Trade Rumours and Speculation Thread

[klikitiklik]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

LeBrun gives us information that will continue to piss us all off.

https://twitter.com/user/status/2011883586413281586

[ST20]

Originally Posted by Infinit47

The Flames future doesn't depend on the Anderson trade. Their future depends on how high they draft over the next few years.

The Anderson trade will hopefully provide some depth when the players we draft top five over the next couple years come into their own.

The difference between "winning" and "losing* the Anderson trade won't be earth shattering.

Agreed. The Flames own picks will be by far the most important factors of this rebuild.

[CalgaryFan1988]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Was that white smoke?

New Pope?

[Badgers Nose]

Originally Posted by Sec214

Thank you for your feedback.

My cat’s breath smells like cat food.

[Sec214]

Originally Posted by Badgers Nose

Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em!

[Infinit47]

Originally Posted by TheIronMaiden

Drafting high is important, but only to a point. At the end of the day the Flames need to be able to develop their young players. Having good support pieces is crucial.

Absolutely agree. I just see this Anderson trade as being one piece of their larger overall plan to build a supporting cast. Missing on this trade vs missing on a top 5 pick would have significantly different impacts.

My point was this isn't a make or break trade.

[Rhett44]

Originally Posted by Macindoc

In terms of approach, we're the opposite of Buffalo. They've been tanking for a decade, and they traded away their best asset, who was on a long-term contract.

I just meant in terms of success.

Since the post lockout era we have 23 playoff wins, Buffalo has 25. We have 2 playoff series wins, Buffalo has 4. We have zero conference finals, Buffalo has 2.

You can actually make an argument we have been much less successful than Buffalo during this time period. Despite the difference in philosophy.

[Badgers Nose]

The way Flames have been drafting, coupled with this year’s draft class, means I would not be surprised if the player drafted with this Ras pick ends up being the better player than the one we pick with our own 1st.

[Badgers Nose]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

I just meant in terms of success.

Since the post lockout era we have 23 playoff wins, Buffalo has 25. We have 2 playoff series wins, Buffalo has 4. We have zero conference finals, Buffalo has 2.

You can actually make an argument we have been much less successful than Buffalo during this time period. Despite the difference in philosophy.

You could make a very convincing argument actually.

[Ashasx]

Drafting well does not seem replicable over a long period of time. Luck will always play a major role when drafting 17/18 year old kids.

More bullets in the chamber = more chances of success.

As much as you need to draft your own superstars, you also need another tier of players below that on cheap RFA controlled contracts to win a championship.

[Niemo]

I think the notion of doing a full tank is horrible because - "we don't want to be buffalo" is very dumb. What about Pittsburgh before Crosby/Malkin, Chicago before Kane/Toews, Washington before Ovy/Backstrom, Sharks before Celebrini, etc., etc.....

I mean - there are no guarantees in life or business, but you need to work the odds. In every sport, it seems like, for the most part, you need to take 3 steps back to take 6 steps forward. It's not realistic to try to be the exception. Exceptions happen out of luck, right place right time, and stars aligning.

Planning to be the exception is thinking you're smarter than everyone else and going against probability. Sometimes it works and you look amazing - most the times it doesn't and you don't.

[ResAlien]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

LeBrun gives us information that will continue to piss us all off.

https://twitter.com/user/status/2011883586413281586

Luckily since this could be construed as negative towards the Flames we can completely disregard it. It has to be a total fabrication and Lebrun is just hunting for clicks. This is impossible to know and as such can be dismissed out of hand.

[flamesgod]

Originally Posted by Sec214

Connie’s kids have taken up smoking?

[Robbob]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

Drafting well does not seem replicable over a long period of time. Luck will always play a major role when drafting 17/18 year old kids.

More bullets in the chamber = more chances of success.

As much as you need to draft your own superstars, you also need another tier of players below that on cheap RFA controlled contracts to win a championship.

I agree for every Stanley cup winning team you can count on there being 2nd or later picks that helped carry the mail.

[TheIronMaiden]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

I just meant in terms of success.

Since the post lockout era we have 23 playoff wins, Buffalo has 25. We have 2 playoff series wins, Buffalo has 4. We have zero conference finals, Buffalo has 2.

You can actually make an argument we have been much less successful than Buffalo during this time period. Despite the difference in philosophy.

One of the big differences in opinion comes from who watches games night in night out and who doesn't. From the perspective of watching hockey the Flames are not even in the same range as buffalo. But from the perspective of play off success you're right they are very similar.

This list is from 2024, but gives an idea of who has been awful since the salary cap.

Regular Season Wins
840 — Boston Bruins
828 — Pittsburgh Penguins
808 — Washington Capitals
806 — New York Rangers
803 — Nashville Predators
799 — Tampa Bay Lightning
782 — Dallas Stars
774 — Minnesota Wild
770 — St. Louis Blues
764 — Colorado Avalanche
761 — San Jose Sharks
758 — Carolina Hurricanes
753 — Vancouver Canucks
749 — Calgary Flames
741 — Winnipeg Jets
738 — Detroit Red Wings
733 — Anaheim Ducks
732 — Toronto Maple Leafs
728 — Los Angeles Kings
719 — Florida Panthers
717 — New Jersey Devils
713 — Chicago Blackhawks
707 — Montréal Canadiens
705 — Philadelphia Flyers
697 — Ottawa Senators
694 — New York Islanders
677 — Edmonton Oilers
663 — Columbus Blue Jackets
661 — Buffalo Sabres
639 — Arizona Coyotes

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by ST20

Agreed. The Flames own picks will be by far the most important factors of this rebuild.

I agree that they are important. But Reschny, Potter, Gridin, Brzustewicz and Bahl (so far) are not insignificant to the rebuild either.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

I just meant in terms of success.

Since the post lockout era we have 23 playoff wins, Buffalo has 25. We have 2 playoff series wins, Buffalo has 4. We have zero conference finals, Buffalo has 2.

You can actually make an argument we have been much less successful than Buffalo during this time period. Despite the difference in philosophy.

Buffalo entered the cap era as a contender but since they attempted to rebuild it has been a disaster.

Move the goal posts and since 2015 the Flames won 2 playoff rounds and 2 division titles and made the playoffs 5 times. The Sabres drafted in the top 10 and missed the playoffs every year finishing near the bottom of the league.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by TheIronMaiden

One of the big differences in opinion comes from who watches games night in night out and who doesn't. From the perspective of watching hockey the Flames are not even in the same range as buffalo. But from the perspective of play off success you're right they are very similar.

This list is from 2024, but gives an idea of who has been awful since the salary cap.

Regular Season Wins
840 — Boston Bruins
828 — Pittsburgh Penguins
808 — Washington Capitals
806 — New York Rangers
803 — Nashville Predators
799 — Tampa Bay Lightning
782 — Dallas Stars
774 — Minnesota Wild
770 — St. Louis Blues
764 — Colorado Avalanche
761 — San Jose Sharks
758 — Carolina Hurricanes
753 — Vancouver Canucks
749 — Calgary Flames
741 — Winnipeg Jets
738 — Detroit Red Wings
733 — Anaheim Ducks
732 — Toronto Maple Leafs
728 — Los Angeles Kings
719 — Florida Panthers
717 — New Jersey Devils
713 — Chicago Blackhawks
707 — Montréal Canadiens
705 — Philadelphia Flyers
697 — Ottawa Senators
694 — New York Islanders
677 — Edmonton Oilers
663 — Columbus Blue Jackets
661 — Buffalo Sabres
639 — Arizona Coyotes

Its also cherry picked...nobody is talking about Buffalo right after the lockout that won a few rounds...we are talking about Buffalo who drafted 2nd overall and never improved or made the playoffs one time

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Buffalo entered the cap era as a contender but since they attempted to rebuild it has been a disaster.

Move the goal posts and since 2015 the Flames won 2 playoff rounds and 2 division titles and made the playoffs 5 times. The Sabres drafted in the top 10 and missed the playoffs every year finishing near the bottom of the league.

Exactly, when people say they don't want to be Buffalo they are obviously talking about their rebuild over the last decade or so...not the already good team they had coming out of the lockout.

Who wants to be that Buffalo?

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Its also cherry picked...nobody is talking about Buffalo right after the lockout that won a few rounds...we are talking about Buffalo who drafted 2nd overall and never improved or made the playoffs one time

They perpetrated one of the biggest all-time fumbles in handling Stanley Cup Champion Jack Eichel.

Their draft opportunity has nothing to do with their lack of success.

Their lack of success has everything to do with them being a terribly run organization who can't do any one thing at a competent or above level.

Drafting at the top guarantees nothing (unless you truly luck out and get a generational player that can pull an organization up by the boot straps), it gives you the opportunity to build something on a strong foundation. If you can't build on it, you just are what you are - a piss poor organization.