2025/2026 Season Trade Rumours and Speculation Thread

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

If you think that. you might want to look a litte closer at their cap situation for 26/27

Bédard will get a huge raise.

They will sign some veterans to short term contracts like they have previously.

They won’t strap themselves long term.

Likely Dickinson and Mikheyav get extended, as they gave been responsible for Chicago having the #1 PK in the league.

You don’t need Huberdeau’s to hit the cap floor.

They may even make a play for Pettersson.

[FlamesAddiction]

Zadorov had to be helped off the ice and it looked pretty ugly. He returned in the 3rd, but I wouldn't be surprised if he isn't 100% after that. It could compel the Bruins to get some insurance.

[Enoch Root]

Every contract longer than 2 years is for a guy in their 20s.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by The Cobra

Bédard will get a huge raise.

They will sign some veterans to short term contracts like they have previously.

They won’t strap themselves long term.

Likely Dickinson and Mikheyav get extended, as they gave been responsible for Chicago having the #1 PK in the league.

You don’t need Huberdeau’s to hit the cap floor.

They may even make a play for Pettersson.

But they still need, and have, and will continue to have, vets.

As will the Flames, as was shown above, Conroy is only giving short contracts to vets as well.

People see what they want to see, but the situations are extremely similar, except for the fact that CHI is a couple years ahead of us in the process.

[BigThief]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

In other words, they are going to have to sign a bunch more vets.

Sure... which doesn't change anything. They'll continue to plug in vets as their young pieces come along not wanting to give those guys term. Frank Nazar already has a raise of six million starting next season and Connor Bedard is going to go from 950k to what... 12million? That's 18 million covered

You're continuing to argue against yourself.

[Groot]

From my count, that's 10 30+ UFA'a or with limited term that arent being shopped ny Chicago. Imagine how apoplectic some fans would be here if the Flames were sitting on those players and not trading them.

[stemit14]

Saw a Whitecloud to Buffalo fan proposal on Reddit. Actually think that could be a fit if Buffalo would pay a premium. It’s a very rare circumstance where Buffalo is a buyer at the deadline and could be interested in a flames player without any trade protection. Wonder what the flames could get from Buffalo in a Whitecloud trade? Wonder if adding some other pieces would get high quality asset from a team rich in quality assets?

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by BigThief

Sure... which doesn't change anything. They'll continue to plug in vets as their young pieces come along not wanting to give those guys term. Frank Nazar already has a raise of six million starting next season and Connor Bedard is going to go from 950k to what... 12million? That's 18 million covered

You're continuing to argue against yourself.

LOL

Read the conversation.

CHI and CGY are doing the same things. You need vets, both teams have them, and both teams will continue to have them.

The only difference between what CHI and CGY are doing is that CHI is further along, and almost all of the vet contracts are coming due soon. The Flames have been rebuilding for a shorter time, and aren't there yet. But the way they are handling things, is fundamentally identical.

If you can't see that, it's because you don't want to.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Groot

From my count, that's 10 30+ UFA'a or with limited term that arent being shopped ny Chicago. Imagine how apoplectic some fans would be here if the Flames were sitting on those players and not trading them.

They aren't trading them because they are going to need to re-sign some of them.

The horror!

[BigThief]

Originally Posted by Groot

From my count, that's 10 30+ UFA'a or with limited term that arent being shopped ny Chicago. Imagine how apoplectic some fans would be here if the Flames were sitting on those players and not trading them.

When you already have Connor Bedard and Artyom Levshunov and five picks in the first two rounds already you're less worried about that I guess.

THN also lists four Hawks on the trade board as recently as last week

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by BigThief

When you already have Connor Bedard and Artyom Levshunov and five picks in the first two rounds already you're less worried about that I guess.

THN also lists four Hawks on the trade board as recently as last week

I don’t think you read that article - you have to link through to the list. Only one hawk was listed as a name of interest: 38 year old Foligno, and then only if he wanted to be traded.

The other three were on a list of “theoretical names” at the end that had no rumours or news surrounding them.

[BigThief]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

The other three were on a list of “theoretical names” at the end that had no rumours or news surrounding them.

One of those theoretical names with no rumours or news surrounding them was literally traded a day after that piece was written. Used to acquire a contract of a player that hasn't played in four years.

[Calgary4LIfe]

To add to this, I believe rebuilds fail for a few reasons:

• Rushing the rebuild - thinking that you are better than you really are, and flipping the switch to 'compete now' - Toronto, Ottawa, Calgary and Vancouver were probably all guilty of this in the past.
• Not having a good track record in the draft, especially in the mid-rounds.
• Coming out of the rebuild without a goalie.
• Coming out of the rebuild without a decent defence.
• Toxic culture (Buffalo, Edmonton - ie: Ference's remarks for instance).
• Not having a decent pipeline of prospects and young players to start with.
• Not having some good vets to lead the way.
• Poor coaching staff

I believe that the Flames are doing well on most - if not all - of these points presently (the ones at least where they are at in their timeline anyway). Maybe you don't like the coach, or maybe you don't feel the prospect pipeline is deep enough. However, I do feel that overall the picture has been really good so far.


My only real worry about this rebuild is that the Flames end up feeling pressured to transition too quickly out of the rebuild. I think they need to just let it come together on its own by drafting and developing.


Goalies:

• Wolf - Potential budding star; extended long-term.
• Cooley - Older, but very low mileage; short but exceptional sample-size; extended 2 years
• Say/Sergeev/Zubulin/Yegorov/Chechelv/Prosvetov - the last two barely count at the moment, but I would argue that there is a reason for optimism with some of the rest.

Defencemen:

• Parekh - Potential superstar.
• Bahl - Already a top 4 defencemen with size and some snarl.
• Kuznetsov - Incredibly impressive start to his career thus far.
• Brzustewicz - Has been playing fairly well in the bottom paring to start his career and not looking out of place.
• Mews was looking great for a while before his injury - high upside PMD.
• Jamieson has been developing well and seems to be a more 2-way defencemen.
• Morin is starting to come around and I think has good 2-way potential.
• Hurtig and Phillips are two big and thus far, better than expected defensive defencemen that perhaps compliment the puck-movers down the line.
• I am not too high on Grushnikov, but some people are, and hopefully their opinions are shown to be shrewder in time.
• Weegar, Whitecloud, Pachal, Hanley, Bean and even Miromanov (at the AHL Level) are all great solid vets to learn from, and some of these may stay long-term as well, or maybe not.
• Maybe we shouldn't be sleeping so much on Wiebe - he seems to have been really growing his game, so maybe he is going to be better than expected.

For a rebuilding team, this is a really good defence so far. Conroy will still add to this group of course, but it isn't a really shaky and weak defence corps. Solid depth with top 4 guys.


The forward ranks are really deep. Whether or not they become long-term pieces or shorter-term fixes, it is nice to have guys like Zary, Pospisil and Coronato, with Honzek, Gridin, Stromgren, Kerins, etc., pushing or already established. Lots more are coming down the pipe in junior and the NCAA. Sure, some will disappoint or even bust - that's the nature of the beast. However, some will excel and surprise as well. I won't list them all, but Calgary has a deep pool. After last season's draft, I wouldn't even classify the center depth as terrible - needs improvement I would say, but no longer terrible.


Flames will be adding at least one core piece this draft (anywhere from 1-5 most likely). Plus a lot more ammo in the chambers, and more trades to come.


Potential stars I see in the organization:
Wolf
Gridin
Wyttenbach
Parekh


Maybe there will be more, and maybe the list above doesn't work out, but thus far, this is my 'stars' list. The 2026 1st round pick will add another. Might get another with the other picks this draft. The 2027 draft will likely end up being a high pick as well, so there's probably another, with additional picks in that draft as well. Wouldn't be crazy to think that the Flames pick up another star or two in the depth rounds of the next two drafts.


Even looking beyond the next two drafts, if the Flames are indeed starting to climb up the rankings in that first season at the new Dome, how far will they climb? 10th? Probably still looking at a top 10 pick that season, and then probably another year out of the playoffs again (so hopefully a Reschny-level pick hopefully?). That's the map I see being laid out, FWIW.


The point is that I think the Flames are approaching the halfway mark of the new core being drafted, and things are already looking solid, and they haven't even bottomed-out yet. There is ample reason to be extremely optimistic about this rebuild, and given that the GM of this team is someone who enjoys scouting and understands this market really well, I am not so worried that he will decide to pull up too fast, stalling the rebuild, and essentially causing a slow crash like the last rebuild did. Conroy will fly this plane all the way to the Finals one day, I believe anyway.

[Geeoff]

I think the Hawks are in a good spot. Looks like Bedard missed 13 games and obviously they are built heavily around him. They also have Nazar who looks legit

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by BigThief

One of those theoretical names with no rumours or news surrounding them was literally traded a day after that piece was written. Used to acquire a contract of a player that hasn't played in four years.

You know very well that Brossoit was not a main piece there - he’s an afterthought and an expiring contract on a team with two better goalies.

They picked up a 21 year old D, Ellis and a 4th for a 22 year old D and a 7th.

What I know is that the article didn’t crow about the Blackhawks trying to move 4 players.

[Vox]

Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe

My only real worry about this rebuild is that the Flames end up feeling pressured to transition too quickly out of the rebuild. I think they need to just let it come together on its own by drafting and developing.

I infer from a lot of the recent discussion threads that a lot of people have FEAR that the Flames will do the wrong things, such as buying vets, trading picks, holding on to the wrong players, because of past mistakes. But I feel they ascribe these fears to the wrong place; to Conroy, instead of to past GMs.

I have fears too. I fear - I BELIEVE - with every fiber of my Being that the Flames will draft two positions lower than they finish the season, somewhere around 5th or 6th, just outside the top four players we have been discussing. I fear this as this is what it is to be a Flames fan since we won in 1989. Perhaps it is the curse of being the first visiting team to win the cup on Forum ice. Perhaps its ridiculous and in my head. But man, as a Flames fan since the early 80s, it seems that 'This is the Way'.

But I don't think people should tag their fears to current management, especially based on their actual actions under Conroy. And yes, he still reports to Murray Edwards, the constant for the last couple of decades. If you fear The Murray, I get it. But I respect the actions taken thus far. I believe the rebuild started 2.5 years ago, in May of 2023, with Conroy's trade of Toffoli, and I believe that he will try and manage up to get ownership to see this through.

[TheScorpion]

Yeah if the Flames pick any higher than 4OA in this year's draft I'll be stunned. The shock itself might kill me.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Originally Posted by Vox

I infer from a lot of the recent discussion threads that a lot of people have FEAR that the Flames will do the wrong things, such as buying vets, trading picks, holding on to the wrong players, because of past mistakes. But I feel they ascribe these fears to the wrong place; to Conroy, instead of to past GMs.

I have fears too. I fear - I BELIEVE - with every fiber of my Being that the Flames will draft two positions lower than they finish the season, somewhere around 5th or 6th, just outside the top four players we have been discussing. I fear this as this is what it is to be a Flames fan since we won in 1989. Perhaps it is the curse of being the first visiting team to win the cup on Forum ice. Perhaps its ridiculous and in my head. But man, as a Flames fan since the early 80s, it seems that 'This is the Way'.

But I don't think people should tag their fears to current management, especially based on their actual actions under Conroy. And yes, he still reports to Murray Edwards, the constant for the last couple of decades. If you fear The Murray, I get it. But I respect the actions taken thus far. I believe the rebuild started 2.5 years ago, in May of 2023, with Conroy's trade of Toffoli, and I believe that he will try and manage up to get ownership to see this through.

I am definitely on the same timeline as you - rebuild started when Conroy took over. I have also stated on many occasions that part of the reason I wanted Conroy hired is that he was here with a front row seat to the past mistakes made in this organization, so there is less chance that he would repeat those same mistakes.


However, I read this board and I see impatience already. LoL "Huska sucks", "This team is boring", "Losing sucks".. There is undeniable pressure to win in this market. Hopefully the new building smell will off-set that long enough to allow Conroy to not listen to the noise, that's all. I know that Conroy values picks and prospects more than most GMs.


As for the "this is the way" - I never really think of things in that manner. I am not convinced that the ownership group is all that meddlesome despite the constant rumours.


The only thing I would say is that there has always been a distinct difference between Calgary and Edmonton - Edmonton has always been the "lucky" team that has everything fall into its lap while keeping one hand out open for handouts, and continuously patting itself on the back, while Calgary is the Ox - always struggling but proud.


Calgary is finally going along with the established system instead of fighting against it. Finally recognizing that there is a distinct difference between intentionally tanking, and just being honest and maximizing asset value. I believe Calgary is on the right track, and I actually think they will get a top 3 pick - hopefully McKenna if the lotto balls work out. I think they will sink in the standings with a very good shot at finishing last, rather than climbing to pick 5-6. I think there is a solid chance to draft 3rd with bad lotto luck (only win from a team higher in the standings). 2 would be Detroit bad-luck. If They end up drafting 5-6, then that's ok - miss out on a potential superstar, but still draft what will likely be a top-line player to build around. It is still progress.


So personally, the only real fear I have is the Flames as an organization succumbing to the pressure and scrutiny of things taking too long for fear of being compared to Buffalo. Most Canadian franchises have 'accelerated rebuilds' and often end up making mistakes. Just hope that the new building - as well as Conroy's front-row seat - alleviates some of that pressure from trying to turn things around prematurely. I am ~70% confident that he will ignore the noise, and that the ownership group continues supporting his vision and plan.

[Sandman]

Excellent write-ups C4L!

[dino7c]

Some good points but Flames don't have a good shot at finishing last...maybe some lottery luck but its almost impossible for Vancouver to make up that many points