2025/2026 Season Trade Rumours and Speculation Thread

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by Harry Lime

I hate to quote Feaster at a time like this, but you don't trade a pre-apex player when you are a rebuilding team. .... unless you are getting a similar player back in a position in which you are weaker, much like the Gauthier/Drysdale trade.

I don't think that there is another backup following Cooley, who is angling towards his quality, so I'd be reluctant to trade from that position.

He's a backup goalie who at the start of the year they didn't even think could be the backup goalie and were looking for other guys to take the role. If you look at his career stats - these 19 games sure look like a wild outlier from a guy who's been an average AHL goalie for most of his career.

If you don't trade a guy like that if someone is offering up a good pick - you are crazy. Its possible he's figured it all out at 28, but more likely he's riding a hot streak and if you can sell high you have to do it.

[Robbob]

At the end of the day, unless there is an injury, what playoff teams would be in a situation to that they would be buying Cooley? They seem pretty set with their current goalie.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by InternationalVillager

Things are interesting on Kadri front. Multiple teams. MTL is one of them for sure.

It's a pipe dream, but I sure hope their hot streak causes them to do desperate things, like trading Hage in the package. Centers are hard to come by.

[Jiri Hrdina]

I think teams looking at Cooley are simply trying to improve their back up situation. I can't see a team ponying up a 1st for that.
I think sometimes when we hear about teams having interest in a player, that doesn't mean they are willing to pay a good price for that player. In this case, I bet the interest sits with a mid round pick.
Not really worth it.

[Groot]

For me personally, hard pass on trading Cooley unless a team is willing to greatly overpay now.

I would be extremely happy to see Wolf/Cooley backstop the team for the foreseeable future. Cooley has very limited miles, and by his own admission last couple years were the first time he really felt coached in his game. I can see him still improving and becoming a better trade chip in coming seasons when we have a bonafide replacement. Cooley also seems like a great guy to have in the room. It wont be a fun couple seasons, so keeping the mood of the room high is also pertinent.

With the pending departure of Coleman and Kadri, the team does not need to get worse. It's already bottom 3/5. And the team is never going to improve until it starts to score goals. That wont happen next season but they have fantastic building blocks in place for it. Let the defense keep growing with the core we have, let Wolf/Cooley keep improving. Once they can address scoring issues the team will start to move up quickly having backend and defense in place and growing. Its also a lot easier for a forward to come in and have immediate impact versus a goalie or defenseman which usually take longer to develop, especially goalies.

[Macho0978]

Originally Posted by Groot

For me personally, hard pass on trading Cooley unless a team is willing to greatly overpay now.

I would be extremely happy to see Wolf/Cooley backstop the team for the foreseeable future. Cooley has very limited miles, and by his own admission last couple years were the first time he really felt coached in his game. I can see him still improving and becoming a better trade chip in coming seasons when we have a bonafide replacement. Cooley also seems like a great guy to have in the room. It wont be a fun couple seasons, so keeping the mood of the room high is also pertinent.

With the pending departure of Coleman and Kadri, the team does not need to get worse. It's already bottom 3/5. And the team is never going to improve until it starts to score goals. That wont happen next season but they have fantastic building blocks in place for it. Let the defense keep growing with the core we have, let Wolf/Cooley keep improving. Once they can address scoring issues the team will start to move up quickly having backend and defense in place and growing. Its also a lot easier for a forward to come in and have immediate impact versus a goalie or defenseman which usually take longer to develop, especially goalies.

No way we should trade Cooley. Goalies are hard to gauge, and you never know. It can go both ways, but we should have extra picks trading away other players. We did get Kipper because he was 3rd in line in SJ and had a few cracks and was inconsistent.

[Robbob]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

I think teams looking at Cooley are simply trying to improve their back up situation. I can't see a team ponying up a 1st for that.
I think sometimes when we hear about teams having interest in a player, that doesn't mean they are willing to pay a good price for that player. In this case, I bet the interest sits with a mid round pick.
Not really worth it.

I agree with that. I think that is the same reason they decided to hang on to Vladar last season. Wolf and Vladar had a good thing going and I can see Wolf and Cooley also seem to have it. For Wolf's continued development I think not selling for a mid to late pick is worth it.

[Pickle Juice]

Originally Posted by Macho0978

No way we should trade Cooley. Goalies are hard to gauge, and you never know. It can go both ways, but we should have extra picks trading away other players. We did get Kipper because he was 3rd in line in SJ and had a few cracks and was inconsistent.

What if the return for Kadri included a high end goalie prospect coming back?
Rumor Kadri to Montreal, lets say the prospect coming back is around Jacob Fowler?

[Jason14h]

If you can get a 2nd for Cooley you take it and run.

[Braden]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

The only thing with Cooley is your kind of selling high, but the return could get higher.

He's having a super strong season but he's relatively unproven at this point, so you maybe get a 2nd for him now as a guy teams think could be a strong backup.

But If he continues this play next season and has two really strong save percentage seasons, and with his value contract, then he's probably worth a 1st to somebody next year because they will think he can be a starter.

I'd probably take the risk and see if you can parlay him into a first instead of trying to sell for a second now.

That same risk probably nets you 4-6+ points more this year and a little more then that next year, at the bottom of the standings it could mean picking 6th versus 3rd and that is worth alot more then ( I'm assuming) a late 1st vs even a mid range 2nd.

Would be great asset management, identify and sign UFA, sign extension, trade and profit

I love Cooley, just at this point in the rebuild don't see the value in keeping 2 solid goalies.

I guess it also depends on who else is moved more than anything, if they trade Kadri, Coleman and Weegar this year then sure keep Cooley to help insulate the young D.

[Bonded]

Cooley would be a lot more interesting to keep if he was around the same age as Wolf.

[cheevers]

Yeah with Cooley turning 29 this year, if someone offers a 2nd they should take it. Plus it would likely give Cooley a chance at owning a net somewhere, so you would be doing right by him.

[Monahammer]

Lol at the sentimentality of holding on to Cooley.

It would be incredible if we got a 2nd rounder for our backup goalie, and we should do it immediately if it is offered. This is how you maximize assets.

What is the upside to holding Cooley? We lose 3-5 less games next year? That is actually a downside.

[Super-Rye]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

I think teams looking at Cooley are simply trying to improve their back up situation. I can't see a team ponying up a 1st for that.
I think sometimes when we hear about teams having interest in a player, that doesn't mean they are willing to pay a good price for that player. In this case, I bet the interest sits with a mid round pick.
Not really worth it.

Yup 100%.

Building a successful team starts from the net out. Cooley looks to be a serviceable backup, great in the room, works well with Wolf and helps give Calgary some stability in the crease for the next few years. All important factors that likely mean Cooley has more value to the Flames than he has to other teams.

Goaltenders have ridiculously low returns historically. If someone wants to give a first or second for him then sure but I just don't see that happening.

[Gugstanley]

Originally Posted by Robbob

At the end of the day, unless there is an injury, what playoff teams would be in a situation to that they would be buying Cooley? They seem pretty set with their current goalie.

Utah's Tandem is weak, but I don't know if they really care this year. I guess they could have two Cooleys on the team.

[Wolven]

Originally Posted by Sandman

I'm a little on the fence with trading Cooley. One the one hand, I want whatever is best for the organization, but it is SO NICE to have a good tandem who give us a chance to win every night. Having them both going forward would be a good thing, but how long until Cooley wants to be a #1?

If a team comes along and offers a first, plus a good prospect, then maybe...

Speaking for myself, I threw Cooley into the Mammoth trade proposal specifically because he is playing well and the Mammoth backup is playing awful. But it was not a trade for Cooley, it was a trade for Kadri and Whitecloud with Cooley adding juice to get one of their top prospects. It would be selling high on Cooley to a team that needs a backup who will win some games instead of the 3-9-2 record that Vanecek has.

As a one stop shop, the Flames can upgrade another teams C depth, LW depth, top 4 D, and backup goalie. That is worth a lot even if it is highly unlikely that any other GM meets the price.

That is where you consider organizational desperation to get some playoff success:
- Mammoth: Need their first big playoff run in their new city
- Red Wings, Sharks, Ducks, Sabres, Blackhawks: Need to build on their young rosters and have playoff success after huge playoff draughts.
- Wild: Need to have success to entice their new star player to re-sign
- Avs, Stars, Lightning: Need to win while in win-now mode
- Rest of the playoff teams: Try to not get run over by the teams arming up

Hopefully a couple of those GMs are under pressure to make a big splash now, in which case the Flames are ready to help for a hefty price.

[Wolven]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

Lol at the sentimentality of holding on to Cooley.

It would be incredible if we got a 2nd rounder for our backup goalie, and we should do it immediately if it is offered. This is how you maximize assets.

What is the upside to holding Cooley? We lose 3-5 less games next year? That is actually a downside.

The upside to keeping Cooley could be as simple as trying to do right by Wolf and support Wolf's development during some bad team years. If Cooley and Wolf are meshing together personally and supporting each other through goaltending on a bottom feeder then that is likely worth more than a whatever pick you may be able to get for Cooley.

There is definitely more to running a team than min/maxing assets.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

Lol at the sentimentality of holding on to Cooley.

It would be incredible if we got a 2nd rounder for our backup goalie, and we should do it immediately if it is offered. This is how you maximize assets.

What is the upside to holding Cooley? We lose 3-5 less games next year? That is actually a downside.

It's not sentimentality. It's the value he brings to the team including as a back-up to Wolf, so that Wolf gets proper rest and recovery, and has tandem partner that is good for his development.

Would I trade him for a 2nd? Maybe.
Would I trade him for a 3rd or later? No.

[Tacoman]

We'd really be throwing Wolf into the ocean on his own. Prosvetov is absolutely unplayable.

[Monahammer]

https://www.spotrac.com/nhl/free-age...026/position/g

I agree that Prosvetov is not usable. I hope that Sergeev will become so eventually.

In the mean time, there are many alternatives we can sign this summer.

I agree Jiri, but I would lower the bar to a 4th. I would still accept a 3rd.