2025/2026 Season Trade Rumours and Speculation Thread

[D as in David]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Why? If they don't get a good offer it's not a rebuild suddenly?

They could send Kadri and a 1st to Montreal and that poster would still think they're not in rebuild.

[PeteMoss]

I don't think anyone disagrees at this point that they are rebuilding, the question is are they willing to go full boar into the rebuild?

The year San Jose landed Celebrini - they traded Hertl and Duclair and they had one player who was older and produced - Mikael Granlund. Granlund and Mike Hoffman were both acquired so they could move off Erik Karlsson.

The other old guys they had were either toast and playing off a contract (Vlasic) or barely NHLers like Jan Rutta, Ryan Carpenter (Flames legend).

The Flames still have the contract guy in Huberdeau who they are stuck with, but still have guys like Kadri, Coleman, Backlund, Weegar, Whitecloud, etc.

The worst case scenario for the Flames is they putz around and end up with 8th or 9th overall pick while teams like the Rangers or Blues trade away their good players and fall below them in the standings. Just keeps adding years to 'rebuild' the longer they have to go to get elite talent.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by D as in David

They could send Kadri and a 1st to Montreal and that poster would still think they're not in rebuild.

Was that the same poster or was it a different one who said that the Andersson trade wasn’t a rebuilding trade because we took Whitecloud back, and would have preferred a lesser return without Whitecloud included? lol

Some characters here these days.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

I think they expected to be bad last year for sure.

This year I have heard from pretty good sources that ownership and management expected them to compete for a playoff spot.

That was the internal and external messaging all offseason.

And they were genuinely surprised and frustrated by the poor start.

Not sure why we have to act like they weren't hoping to make the playoffs when that's what they said all offseason and to start the year.

They weren't willing to make short term signings or trades to help make the playoffs. But they thought they could repeat last seasons performance and that it'd be enough to make it this season.

Why we have to act?

Maybe I just disagree?

A team that has a long history of spending to the cap and expending assets to make the playoffs stopping doing so cold turkey.

Year one I can see as they thought they'd be out of it.

But to not bolster that roster at the deadline or do anything to help it over a summer doesn't scream "expect to challenge for a playoff spot to me".

And I'm not acting or pretending anything.

[Lewis_D]

Just my gut feeling, as I have no idea what Seattle's plan is for their roster construction. But if they're looking to move Wright I don't see them trading for Kadri. They're having a decent season but they're in the mushy middle, I'd imagine they'd want to use him to acquire a younger player.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

I just don't see it that way. They even were willing to take the risk to erode the goaltending position by not properly replacing Vladar. Cooley has exceeded expectations, but they didn't have confidence in him heading into this season, and their only other move was to bring in an unproven dude from the KHL.

That doesn't seem like a team trying to seriously make the playoffs.

I think they were surprised about how poor the start was. But I just don't see a team that made any decisions to try and help their chances.

Originally Posted by GioforPM

You have no way to know this, and if they did think that way, why did they head into the season with such a poor team, when they could have picked up some veteran help? Why did they go with an untested backup goalie who'd been poor in camp?

I'm just going by what they have said publicly - and they have publicly been adamant all offseason and this season that they wanted to make the playoffs.

And also by what I've heard privately - which is that they thought the West was weak (it is) and that they could compete with the playoffs without making short term moves and moves that hurt them long term.

The plan was to move Andersson. But I don't think they came into the season with any expectations of moving the other 2 veterans.

[Toonage]

Originally Posted by Lewis_D

Just my gut feeling, as I have no idea what Seattle's plan is for their roster construction. But if they're looking to move Wright I don't see them trading for Kadri. They're having a decent season but they're in the mushy middle, I'd imagine they'd want to use him to acquire a younger player.

They have a bunch of vets on expiring deals and while they haven't been afraid to add older players with term the past few years, yeah I figure they'd want to move Wright for someone of a similar age.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Lanny_McDonald

@Bingo

I think the frustration you’re seeing with the team is them NOT acknowledging when the opportunities are to kick off a rebiggle. The team really lets the players force their hands and assumes way more control than most teams. Frankly, when they ####ed up the Gaudreau situation, which then forces the Tkachuk trade, they should have recognized the rebiggle was on and leaned into it then. But your boy, The Wizard (tm), didn’t want to admit a rebiggle was necessary and instead went the Huberdeau/Kadri route. Since then the Flames have allowed veterans to force their hands and get some middling returns. The one time Conroy maintained control and moved the player whe he wanted to, without reservations, he got a haul. I’m pretty sure that is all the fans want to see, the team taking control and making deals that help long term, getting g quality draft picks and good prospects like Brzustewicz, instead of crap like draft picks years out and players like Miromanov. You can talk all you want about draft capital and such, but there needs to be some semblance of a plan to give the fans confidence the team is headed in the right direction. To me, all arguments come from the lack of understandable direction from the team. I’m glad Conroy is in charge right now as he instills way more confidence as he learns on the job.

If you don't see a plan in drafting in the first round 4 straight years, not bringing in vets, and moving assets before they expire than you'll never see one.

And I've said 100 times that fans being frustrated over the pace of a rebuild is fair game.

Arguing a rebuild is happening is the stuff of madness.

Pro tip ... break up that wall of text ... giving my ADHD fits!

[PeteMoss]

And to the 'we need veterans' people - just get worse veterans. Its not like the veterans are going to be around when the team gets good anyways.

None of the veterans on the Sharks were on the team two years ago and they seem to be on the right path.

[Bonded]

Originally Posted by PeteMoss

I don't think anyone disagrees at this point that they are rebuilding, the question is are they willing to go full boar into the rebuild?

The year San Jose landed Celebrini - they traded Hertl and Duclair and they had one player who was older and produced - Mikael Granlund. Granlund and Mike Hoffman were both acquired so they could move off Erik Karlsson.

The other old guys they had were either toast and playing off a contract (Vlasic) or barely NHLers like Jan Rutta, Ryan Carpenter (Flames legend).

The Flames still have the contract guy in Huberdeau who they are stuck with, but still have guys like Kadri, Coleman, Backlund, Weegar, Whitecloud, etc.

The worst case scenario for the Flames is they putz around and end up with 8th or 9th overall pick while teams like the Rangers or Blues trade away their good players and fall below them in the standings. Just keeps adding years to 'rebuild' the longer they have to go to get elite talent.

Look at the full cycle of the Sharks rebuild and you’ll see the Flames are basically following the same path. Real question is whether they get lucky with Celebrini

[PeteMoss]

Looking at the Sharks player stats is also hilarious - Celebrini is 40 points ahead of the 2nd place guy. Celebrini has 74 points, Toffoli and Wennberg have 34

[Jason14h]

Originally Posted by PeteMoss

And to the 'we need veterans' people - just get worse veterans. Its not like the veterans are going to be around when the team gets good anyways.

None of the veterans on the Sharks were on the team two years ago and they seem to be on the right path.

In their defence our veterans have been pretty horrible most the year !

4D chess

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by PeteMoss

Looking at the Sharks player stats is also hilarious - Celebrini is 40 points ahead of the 2nd place guy. Celebrini has 74 points, Toffoli and Wennberg have 34

It goes to show how winning the draft lottery can be such a difference maker for an organization.

[Rhett44]

Celebrini wasn't supposed to be an amazing generational type player.

Maybe we will get lucky and win the lottery, and draft a player who becomes way better than their projection.

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by Bonded

Look at the full cycle of the Sharks rebuild and you’ll see the Flames are basically following the same path. Real question is whether they get lucky with Celebrini

Will the Flames go full boar terrible like the Sharks did?

The Sharks flubbed around for 3 years out of the playoffs after their conference final run in 2019 - mainly because they gift the Senators Stutzle in the Karlsson trade.

Up until 2023 they were still going with guys like Couture, Burns, Karlsson, Bonino, etc. By 2024 - all those guys were gone or too injured to play.

They were full boar rebuilding for 2 years - landed Celebrini and Misa. They stunk the year before without trying and got Will Smith.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by PeteMoss

I don't think anyone disagrees at this point that they are rebuilding, the question is are they willing to go full boar into the rebuild?

The year San Jose landed Celebrini - they traded Hertl and Duclair and they had one player who was older and produced - Mikael Granlund. Granlund and Mike Hoffman were both acquired so they could move off Erik Karlsson.

The other old guys they had were either toast and playing off a contract (Vlasic) or barely NHLers like Jan Rutta, Ryan Carpenter (Flames legend).

The Flames still have the contract guy in Huberdeau who they are stuck with, but still have guys like Kadri, Coleman, Backlund, Weegar, Whitecloud, etc.

The worst case scenario for the Flames is they putz around and end up with 8th or 9th overall pick while teams like the Rangers or Blues trade away their good players and fall below them in the standings. Just keeps adding years to 'rebuild' the longer they have to go to get elite talent.

Well, Duclair was an expiring contract, so that's different accoridng to a lot of posters. Hertl was a nice sale to Vegas, but also very easy to move and they didn't have to retain. But they also picked up Jake Walman and Klim Kostin for some reason, and paid LA for the signing rights to carl Grundstrom. The year before they picked up Jan Ruutta and the aforementioned Duclair. They signed Wennberg, Toffoli, Sabourin for multi year deals.

It's not all linear.

[blankall]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

Regardless of what the teams plan was coming in to the year, if they trade Kadri and Coleman this is a rebuild whether they want to admit it or not.

If they hold onto them, then it makes things murky. And would indicate they really haven't picked a direction. Because both players value will only go down next year.

This is already a rebuild. The Flames have traded their #1 goalie, #1 centre, 3/4 top 4 d-men, and multiple top 9 forwards. They are spending nowhere near the cap, when they have always been a cap team.

Kadri was being kept as a mentor to young players, but the makeup of the team is different now and he's not really needed in that role.

Trading Kadri and Coleman likely solidifies the Flames odds of finishing bottom 2-3 this year. Even trading them isn't likely to make the Flames worse than Vancouver. Although, a late Vancouver surge could gives the Flames the edge.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by PeteMoss

Will the Flames go full boar terrible like the Sharks did?

The Sharks flubbed around for 3 years out of the playoffs after their conference final run in 2019 - mainly because they gift the Senators Stutzle in the Karlsson trade.

Up until 2023 they were still going with guys like Couture, Burns, Karlsson, Bonino, etc. By 2024 - all those guys were gone or too injured to play.

They were full boar rebuilding for 2 years - landed Celebrini and Misa. They stunk the year before without trying and got Will Smith.

What is full terrible then?

Vets on Sharks roster ...

23-24 Vlasic, Couture, Hoffman, Granlund, Hertl
24-25 Vlassic, Granlund, Toffoli, Goodrow, Ceci

The Flames have what ... Weegar, Huberdeau, Kadri, Coleman and Backlund

Aren't the Flames already there?

[blankall]

Originally Posted by Bonded

Look at the full cycle of the Sharks rebuild and you’ll see the Flames are basically following the same path. Real question is whether they get lucky with Celebrini

I disagree. The Flames are already part way through the rebuild with Parekh, Wolf, Reschny and a bunch of depth in the system. What they are missing is that top line forward talent.

The Sharks have that top line talent, but are missing a lot of the other pieces that the Flames have.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Well, Duclair was an expiring contract, so that's different accoridng to a lot of posters. Hertl was a nice sale to Vegas, but also very easy to move and they didn't have to retain. But they also picked up Jake Walman and Klim Kostin for some reason, and paid LA for the signing rights to carl Grundstrom. The year before they picked up Jan Ruutta and the aforementioned Duclair. They signed Wennberg, Toffoli, Sabourin for multi year deals.

It's not all linear.

Picking up Jake Walman was an ultimate Cap move that the Flames should have been in on too.

They got Walman with a second attached and then Flipped him for a 1st at the deadline.

Got a 1st and 2nd for pretty much free.