2025/2026 Season Trade Rumours and Speculation Thread

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

Flames will eventually need to give other players his minutes. He's taking up space in high-leverage, high-production situations and at a certain point, it'll be time to turn the page. I think a buyout is ultimately the only way forward -- maybe in a year or two.

Highly unlikely unless there's trouble behind the scenes. Once Kadri and Coleman are off the roster there will be plenty of extra minutes to go around, plus he and Backlund are really the only veteran forwards after those two and you need a few of them around when bringing in young players. Sports are a year to year thing and it's likely he's better next season anyway. It's simply way too early to be considering buyouts on this roster as there's bigger fish to fry.

[TheIronMaiden]

Originally Posted by dino7c

I think if the Flames get some actual young skill in the lineup it will help Huberdeau big time. Its not an excuse for his current play just the reality of the situation.

Huberdeau is 32, he aint going to bounce back. Best we get from him is a Matt Stajan style redemption.

[Caged Great]

Realistically, Huberdeau isn't going to make any difference to this team for 3 years. We are going to be terrible for that long at least. In fact, he helps us hit the floor especially if we want to unload other veteran players.

So it'll come down to the final two years of the deal. The Flames probably wait until July 1st when his bonus gets paid out, that way in terms of real dollars, Huby only gets 10.5 million yet counts for 20 million in cap space. There are teams that would take that to get to the floor. Eating half of that doesn't really hurt much if you are able to trade that.

Either way, it'll be no real big deal and his contract will be coming off the books once the good young guys that we have yet to draft are ready for their 2nd contract.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by TheIronMaiden

Huberdeau is 32, he aint going to bounce back. Best we get from him is a Matt Stajan style redemption.

depends what you mean by bounce back...I mean bounce back from this season to being an actual contributer

[Matty81]

Is Calgary able to retain on Huberdeau with his weird mostly bonus salary? I've never heard anything about not being able to retain bonuses but just wondering.


Retaining on Kadri would have to be a monster return... I generally like seeing the flames use the retention slots during a rebuild but 3 years of retention is a ton, especially if it's a material amount. If the Flames are retaining there I'd be expecting a high end prospect back not the usual pile of late first, mid rounders and second rate prospects.

[Geeoff]

Originally Posted by the-rasta-masta

Buyout for Huberdeau before 27/28 season is really the only buyout window where any savings are present.

Year 1 (27/28): pretty much still paying full cap hit. $83k savings.

Year 2 (28/29): $2.6 million in cap savings

Year 3 (29/30): back to $83k savings, otherwise full cap hit.

Year 4 (30/31): $4.6 million cap savings

Dead cap hit of $916,000 for 4 years to follow.

If he regresses any further into 26/27, would this make any sense going into a hopefully competitive team window with younger player to sign and fit into the lineup? He'd really almost have to become AHL fodder.

Unless there are CBA changes, I think the best way to deal with Huberdeau is for him to play until we need the roster spot and then he goes on LTIR

[jaikorven]

Originally Posted by Matty81

Is Calgary able to retain on Huberdeau with his weird mostly bonus salary? I've never heard anything about not being able to retain bonuses but just wondering.


Retaining on Kadri would have to be a monster return... I generally like seeing the flames use the retention slots during a rebuild but 3 years of retention is a ton, especially if it's a material amount. If the Flames are retaining there I'd be expecting a high end prospect back not the usual pile of late first, mid rounders and second rate prospects.

But who would want Kadri enough to make the deal you want? Not sure anyone would.

[gvitaly]

Originally Posted by Matty81

Is Calgary able to retain on Huberdeau with his weird mostly bonus salary? I've never heard anything about not being able to retain bonuses but just wondering.


Retaining on Kadri would have to be a monster return... I generally like seeing the flames use the retention slots during a rebuild but 3 years of retention is a ton, especially if it's a material amount. If the Flames are retaining there I'd be expecting a high end prospect back not the usual pile of late first, mid rounders and second rate prospects.

When a player is retained, the retained % applies to the cap hit and all compensation going forward.

[Harry Lime]

Originally Posted by Ped

Why on earth would the Sharks do this? Hamilton has been terrible this year and has a 9 million dollar cap hit for 2 more seasons. They don't need to dump Couture because they can LTIR him if they need to, and his contract is only one more season.

Answering the comment above yours, because Huberdeau would be better in another system and a big upgrade on Palat as 2LW.

Sharks desperately need an offensive RD. Happy Hamilton is productive Hamilton. Also if they pay him and Panarin they could use the cap space currently used on Couture, without LTIR. They would be essentially trading Bystedt for Hamilton, whom they could use, and Jersey gets Huberdeau whom they could use.

Just a thought that fills needs on all teams.

If you hate Huberdeau, nothing will work, but I think its a system problem. Likewise with Hamilton and current usage in Jersey.

[PeteMoss]

No one is going to trade for Huberdeau even if we hold 50% of his contract unless he shows something. He's older and looking like he could be toast in the next couple of years. You don't want $5.25m on your cap for a guy who may be off the roster in 2 years.

[Enoch Root]

A buyout of Huberdeau makes ZERO sense. If you want him off the roster, just put him in the pressbox and keep paying the $10.5M, that will make it go away faster than a buyout would.

If you need cap space and a roster spot in 3 or 4 years, you can buy him out then, at a much more palatable price.

[Bonded]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

A buyout of Huberdeau makes ZERO sense. If you want him off the roster, just put him in the pressbox and keep paying the $10.5M, that will make it go away faster than a buyout would.

If you need cap space and a roster spot in 3 or 4 years, you can buy him out then, at a much more palatable price.

Yup, they won't need cap space for a while and might as well buy him out/dump him when they need it

[dino7c]

Hopefully he can pull a Stajan and score some random playoff series winning goal

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Hopefully he can pull a Stajan and score some random playoff series winning goal

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G58AE4TLjt0&t=15s

[Wastedyouth]

Originally Posted by Toonage

Its a Bouwmeester situation IMO. Just a bad system for the player.

Jay was poor under Brent Sutter but his game was terrific under Hartley.

Huberdeau has been poor under Sutter & Huska but if the next coach is more offensive minded, he'll come out of the funk.

The system doesn't make him incredibly weak on puck battles, nor really suspect in his decision making in all three zones. That is all on Huberdeau.

He ####ing sucks.

[Toonage]

Originally Posted by Wastedyouth

The system doesn't make him incredibly weak on puck battles, nor really suspect in his decision making in all three zones. That is all on Huberdeau.

He ####ing sucks.

He's also (allegedly) still battling an injury that he got from the start of the year. Don't see him in front of the net much anymore do we, after he "recreated" himself last season in that role.

I'm not trying to make excuses for him, but really everything that could go wrong since he was traded here has.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by gvitaly

I was hoping the Flames could swing a Huberdeau for Couturier trade a year ago, I doubt PHI does it now. Elias Petterson could be an option because he's signed for a year longer and he is paid $1.1M more, but he's younger, plays center, and has more chance to rebound.

A Pettersson for Huberdeau deal is not an option for Vancouver because he is younger, plays centre and has more chance to rebound. Plus he's currently better.

Huberdeau is now on a below 40 point pace for the season, and is playing his worse hockey since he got to Calgary, by far. He is perhaps a lost cause.

He cannot be bought out until perhaps his last two years, and cannot be traded.

Live with it.

[Niemo]

Hey guys. Remember when earlier in the year during our run where the media was saying "I don't know if the Calgary Flames would be interested in trading Huberdeau away even if another GM were to call today asking about his availability. He brings so much to the team right now." And some of us (not me) were agreeing with that?

Good times.....

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Niemo

Hey guys. Remember when earlier in the year during our run where the media was saying "I don't know if the Calgary Flames would be interested in trading Huberdeau away even if another GM were to call today asking about his availability. He brings so much to the team right now." And some of us (not me) were agreeing with that?

Good times.....

Did anyone actually say that?
Maybe people were and I just don't recall. But this pattern of people attributing "things said" to no one specific, in an effort to pat oneself on the back, is a bit lame.

I don't really keep score of who was right and wrong over the years. I have been wrong about many things. Who cares.

[Bingo]

I think both extremes of the Huberdeau discussion can be quite silly.

I think he would certainly be better on a team with more offensive talent.
But I don't think he's ever going to be the 110 point player he was.
His value is never going to increase, he's aging.

But he's just not a concern. He's a good guy. He works hard. Makes some good plays.

There are plenty of things to worry about higher on my list than Huberdeau.