2025/2026 Season Trade Rumours and Speculation Thread

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Leeman4Gilmour

I was curious about how much the Flames have to monitor this. Ended up seeing something unusual. If the season ended today and the Flames didn't sign any of their pending UFA's or RFA's, they would still start the season with 24 roster players (one too many) with a salary of $86,296,666. The floor next year is $76,900,000. They can trade away just under $10MM and reach the floor. The unusual part is potentially having more roster players than spots to start the next year.

It’s because IR players appear on the active section but don’t count for this year, while the presumption is they would be off IR to start next year.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by Royle9

At this point Craig should have a 4 Sale sign stapled to the roster sheet and be listening to all offers.

Doesn't mean you have to trade anyone else, but with how many teams are circling the Flames to see what other business they may want to get done, I'd argue everyone should be available for the right price.

100%. Make them beg. Luckily, we have some guys with term. We already traded the guy that had pending UFA status. The rest will be gravy. Don't need to put up a for sale sign, but Conroy can at least say he will answer any call about any veteran player.

[Spurly]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

Huby (untradeable) + Wolf (keeper) + Coronato (probably a keeper but IMO if we can use him + D to get a C that should be looked at) + Bahl (definite keeper)+ Backlund (retiring here)= 33.1 mil, 43% of the floor in 5 players.

I don't think we are going to have a real challenge making the floor until Huberdeau is gone. At which point I hope it is not our concern at all anymore.

Correct but Kadri, Coleman, and weeger would be about 18 million out.

[Monahammer]

Originally Posted by Spurly

Correct but Kadri, Coleman, and weeger would be about 18 million out.

23 players on an active roster, so we would need 18 contracts to make up 43.8 million in space to hit the floor. Average of only 2.4 million per contract.

https://www.spotrac.com/nhl/free-age...ed/_/year/2026

A few players here that we could, at minimum, toss a few bones to for a year.

This really isn't going to be a problem, even if we trade all three of those guys at once. Especially with Farabee and Frost kicking around eating another 10 million. Even if we traded all 5, we would be able to hit the floor.

[Monahammer]

We can make a truly stupendous offer on Makar next year, fwiw. Especially if Kadri and Weegar are all of a sudden off payroll.

Edit: This year. Makar is a free agent in summer 2026. Edit 2: nope, og was right

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by Royle9

At this point Craig should have a 4 Sale sign stapled to the roster sheet and be listening to all offers.

Doesn't mean you have to trade anyone else, but with how many teams are circling the Flames to see what other business they may want to get done, I'd argue everyone should be available for the right price.

He said as much on the broadcast last night that they were open to anything and basically nothing was off the table.

[Niemo]

Does anyone have a clip to Conroy's intermission (short interview) from last night's Devil's game?

The content seemed VERY important but no one in media is talking about it nor is it anywhere on X. I just want to make sure I didn't get excited for no reason. From posters on here, it sounded like he was open to trading anyone. It would be a 1st.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

We can make a truly stupendous offer on Makar next year, fwiw. Especially if Kadri and Weegar are all of a sudden off payroll.

Edit: This year. Makar is a free agent in summer 2026.

Next year, 2027

[Monahammer]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

Next year, 2027

Sorry, I knew I had it right the first time but this stupid list on sportrac made me second guess myself: https://www.spotrac.com/nhl/free-age...contract_value

[PepsiFree]

TBF you made me second guess it lol. But I checked because I figured if we were into January without a Makar extension it would be a huge story and he’d be on every trade list.

[Leeman4Gilmour]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

It’s because IR players appear on the active section but don’t count for this year, while the presumption is they would be off IR to start next year.

Totally understood. Looking ahead to next year, most teams are generally at 16-19 out of 23 on their active rosters. On the flip side to Calgary, San Jose currently shows 13/23. Having 24/23 is well above average. It's just a thing I noticed.

[Toonage]

Originally Posted by Niemo

Does anyone have a clip to Conroy's intermission (short interview) from last night's Devil's game?

The content seemed VERY important but no one in media is talking about it nor is it anywhere on X. I just want to make sure I didn't get excited for no reason. From posters on here, it sounded like he was open to trading anyone. It would be a 1st.

I'd like to hear it again too as I think people are hearing what they wanted to hear. I don't think he said "we are open" as in open for business, just open to discussion. Maybe thats the same? Just wasn't the impression I got from it. He wasn't announcing a fire sale or anything.

[Major Major]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

It depends on how the No trade list is negotiated and written into the contract.

The most common mechanism in the NHL for no trade lists is that a player submits a list on July 1st that is good for the entire season.

But it doesn't have to be that way. Players can negotiate they only have to give a no trade list within 24 hours of the team requesting it and the list is only good for 2 weeks, for example.

It is really a matter if the player has the leverage to ask for a more fluid NTC and if the signing GM is willing to give the player one.

Thanks, I did not know this.

Fluid NTCs are whack and should be turfed.

[YyjFlames]

Originally Posted by Bonded

I always wonder how much one off season affects value. The flipside is that two bad seasons will hurt his value for sure

Weegar's not getting traded this year although his contract is one of the better contracts in the league for a top pairing defender. He's too important for the young D.

His year is interesting as his plus/minus and points aren't good, but he's still hitting (35th most in NHL; last year he was 16th) and blocking a ton of shots (13th most; last year he had the 5th most).

I think he's having a down year for a couple reasons:

• Rasmus got more offensive zone starts/PP time as he was being showcased for sale, so Weegar's ice time has been harder than last year (I think he's down by about a minute of PP time and 4-5% points in O-zone starts).
• He's been paired with Kuznetsov a lot. Kuznetsov has been doing well, but working with a rookie means Weegar has to compensate for potential mistakes. He can't just play his game and expect his partner to take care of his own area (like he did with Hanley last year).

With Whitecloud in the fold taking care of more tough match-ups with Bahl, I'm curious to see if Weegar starts seeing some more offensive starts again. I don't think the PP time is going to rise that much with Brz and Parekh, but his plus/minus and scoring could tick up.

In any case, I suspect GMs would lowball Conroy -- and I do think they stat watch a bit -- but Conroy won't move him unless he's absolutely blown away by an offer.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

We can make a truly stupendous offer on Makar next year, fwiw. Especially if Kadri and Weegar are all of a sudden off payroll.

Edit: This year. Makar is a free agent in summer 2026.

If you assume those guys leave without retention and Gridin (942K) and Honzek (866K) are on the team along with Huberdeau, Coronato, Yegor, Farabee, Frost, Zary, Klapka, and Pospisil (10 forwards) we would have 44,729,166 tied up in forwards

Without Weegar we would have Bahl, Whitecloud, Hanley, Pachal, Hunter, Parekh, Kuznetsov (7 dmen) at 13,742,500

Goalies would be Wolf and Cooley at 8,850,000

Total payroll would be 67,321,666

Cap is 104M

Midpoint is about 90,434,000

Floor is 76,869,000.

Flames would have to spend about 9.6 million on 4 players to hit the floor. Next year would not be a problem but the year after could be more difficult but is likely doable. Trading Farabee, Frost; Whitecloud (or any couple of them) without retention makes it harder for next year.

[Braden]

Originally Posted by Niemo

Does anyone have a clip to Conroy's intermission (short interview) from last night's Devil's game?

The content seemed VERY important but no one in media is talking about it nor is it anywhere on X. I just want to make sure I didn't get excited for no reason. From posters on here, it sounded like he was open to trading anyone. It would be a 1st.

I can't clip it but ya just watched it on the Sportsnet plus recording and the comments here are accurate, talks about the trade at length, then gushes about the picks, than Whitecloud and Wiebe. Parker then asks what's next for the management staff, Conroy responds there on the phones, calls picked up some more since trade. He says everyone has a couple guys they talk about (feels like implying Kadri, Coleman) but he said they will listen on anything.

It comes across as very promising if you ask me

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Leeman4Gilmour

Totally understood. Looking ahead to next year, most teams are generally at 16-19 out of 23 on their active rosters. On the flip side to Calgary, San Jose currently shows 13/23. Having 24/23 is well above average. It's just a thing I noticed.

Yeah I know, it’s just lots of injuries/not a lot of UFA/RFA contracts. Tampa for example is at 22/23 with five UFAs, but if they re-sign none of those guys they’re still at 22/23.

Just pointing out that there’s not actually any potential for having “more roster players than spots” next year any more than there is this year as it’s counting both guys AHL like Hunt and Kirkland and the roster players they’re filling in for in Pospisil and Honzek.

Not all of the 24 players are full time NHLers.

EDIT: if you watch, now that Hunt is sent down, that number will go down to 23/23.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Geeoff

I don't see the Flames retaining on Kadri. Retaining for 3 years is a tough ask, unless the return is phenomenal

For sure, but teams seem to be comfortable with buyouts, which are often several years.

I think the Flames would consider it, but I can't see them retaining 50% - I suspect the limit would be more like $2M/. And even that makes Kadri a $5M cap hit, which is an absolute bargain.

[Canada 02]

Originally Posted by Niemo

Does anyone have a clip to Conroy's intermission (short interview) from last night's Devil's game?

The content seemed VERY important but no one in media is talking about it nor is it anywhere on X. I just want to make sure I didn't get excited for no reason. From posters on here, it sounded like he was open to trading anyone. It would be a 1st.

it in the Top Video section at https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/video/w...ing-andersson/

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe

Weegar may not be having a great season, but if he gets put on the market, he would draw a lot of interest from around the league. Everyone knows who he is by now, and he has a nice contract. In today's market, that's an attractive asset in itself. Weegar would command a ransom.

My Calgary Flames' Trade Bit Board power rankings (LoL):
Coleman
Kadri
Whitecloud
Lomberg
Hanley
Pachal
Pospisil
Weegar
Kirkland

List is ordered by the most likely traded this season. This is not suggesting that the Flames trade everyone on this list or anything, but just who I think may be traded based on a combination of rumours, excess in position, and straight guessing out of my butt.

If it's 'most likely traded', I think I would put Lomberg at the top - that seems like a slam dunk certainty to me.