2025/2026 Season Trade Rumours and Speculation Thread

[DeluxeMoustache]

I admire the craftiness , Flames not calling tank but getting those returns for that quantity of vets. Under the radar excellence

And having said that, pro scouting has really been on point. The difference between guys who can play a shift in the bottom tier and those that can play mid tier with upside makes a big difference

Some serviceable NHLers in return that exceeded expectations. Bahl will be interesting, showed effectiveness and could be coached into a very good D

[Hackey]

Well they suck at tanking if they're picking 16, 9, and 18. In reality they are picking there because they are scared to actually tear it down. Weegar is any easy trade, Andersson is an easy trade. Backlund and Coleman are tradable. Does Kadri really want to stay if those guys are gone? Have the Flames even asked Kadri if he's willing to go anywhere? The Flames will trade UFAs after they are forced to because that's easy but when it comes to making a minor tough decision they are scared. The Flames are never proactive and never bold.

[Wolven]

Originally Posted by Derek Sutton

Dallas has to extend both Harley and Robertson. Robertson is said to be looking at Marner type money while Harley with be in the 8-9 million. Even with the cap going up that’s $20 million combined for 26/27 season.

I would guess that Robertson is looking for $12M. His stats are not that far off of Marner or Rantanen and as everyone likes to point out, his age works in his favour as the last years of an 8 year contract he signs right now will likely not see huge drop off. With the cap going up, it will be hard to argue he shouldn't get that number.

Harley is a bit more tricky but I expect he is looking at Dobson getting $9.5M and expect similar. With him being 23 and having so many RFA years left, Nill will probably find a way to knock that down but I would guess Dobson is the comparable.

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

They’re looking at having $28M in space right now, with almost all of their roster still locked up.

I think they can make both fit. I would guess the urge to trade Robertson was heavily based on signing Marner.

You would think so... $27.9M is a lot of cap space. But it can disappear quickly:
1) If Robertson + Harley = $20M then they have $7.9M for the rest of their roster.
2) Bourque and Lundkvist are each going to want raises at some point, that could cost a few mill (Lundkvist has arbitration rights)

***** That gets them to a 19 player roster out of 23. ******

3) They would need to figure out how much cap space they lose on Benn's bonus heavy contract for this season (could be as much as $3M) and then sign him again to another one?
4) If they acquire Andersson, then he is going to expect more than $8M... so that's the end of their cap space - Someone has to go.
5) They need to find 2-3 more league minimum bodies to fill out the roster and get to 23 skaters

At that point their cap space is blown and they have given full NMC to Rantanen, Seguin, Hintz, Duchene, Heiskanen, Benn, and a 20 team NTC to Lindell.
Robertson is likely to demand a NMC after being shopped around this summer.
I expect Andersson would also want a NMC after this summer.

That does not leave them with very many outs and they just spent a 2nd to dump Dumba. I expect Lyubushkin costs more than that because he has 2 years left instead of one.

They basically need Seguin to manifest another injury for the entire 2026-27 season.

[Sec214]

Originally Posted by Royle9

If this is true, and I cannot confirm for certain… then I don’t know who or what they plan to move in a trade for Andersson who remains their #1 focus.

Never thought it would be 1 for 1 obviously but the two were definitely talked about in most trade scenarios I heard.
Very interesting development.

[DreDayPucks]

Why on earth would Anaheim trade Mctavish after trading Zegras lmao another nothing rumour

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Hackey

Well they suck at tanking if they're picking 16, 9, and 18.

The #18 pick was from New Jersey. I guess the Flames suck at tanking because the Devils made the playoffs?

In reality they are picking there because they are scared to actually tear it down.

The Rangers must suck at tanking, too, because they would have picked 6th and 13th before winning the lotteries in 2019 and 2020. But they actually sent out that letter announcing they were doing a rebuild. Oh, and they traded eight veterans away, where the Flames only traded seven; so I guess that makes a really huge difference.

Weegar is an easy trade,

Weegar has a full NTC.

Andersson is an easy trade.

Sure, if you want to dump him for a second-round pick. If you want to get something of value, you have to negotiate a deal… and there is no point for any team to hurry up and make that deal until training camp starts.

Backlund and Coleman are tradable.

Backlund has a full NMC. Coleman has a 10-team trade list, and there have been no whispers of him getting any interest from teams on that list.

Does Kadri really want to stay if those guys are gone?

Those guys are not gone, so the question is silly.

Have the Flames even asked Kadri if he's willing to go anywhere?

Numerous reports have come out that they did indeed ask him and he is not willing to go anywhere except possibly the Leafs, who have nothing the Flames want, and the Habs, who don't want him.

The Flames will trade UFAs after they are forced to because that's easy but when it comes to making a minor tough decision they are scared. The Flames are never proactive and never bold.

That's why they traded their starting goalie away with two full years remaining on his contract, amirite?

You're batting .000 so far.

[dino7c]

NJ pick was top 10 protected...having it two spots worse than the Flames pick was a pretty massive win

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

The #18 pick was from New Jersey. I guess the Flames suck at tanking because the Devils made the playoffs?



The Rangers must suck at tanking, too, because they would have picked 6th and 13th before winning the lotteries in 2019 and 2020. But they actually sent out that letter announcing they were doing a rebuild. Oh, and they traded eight veterans away, where the Flames only traded seven; so I guess that makes a really huge difference.



Weegar has a full NTC.



Sure, if you want to dump him for a second-round pick. If you want to get something of value, you have to negotiate a deal… and there is no point for any team to hurry up and make that deal until training camp starts.



Backlund has a full NMC. Coleman has a 10-team trade list, and there have been no whispers of him getting any interest from teams on that list.



Those guys are not gone, so the question is silly.



Numerous reports have come out that they did indeed ask him and he is not willing to go anywhere except possibly the Leafs, who have nothing the Flames want, and the Habs, who don't want him.



That's why they traded their starting goalie away with two full years remaining on his contract, amirite?

You're batting .000 so far.

don't forget he has a pedo in his avatar

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

This is the Calgary Flames. It makes perfect sense to acquire an asset that will help keep us competitive enough to just miss playoffs, and ensure we never draft top 5 and acquire any elite centers!

I'm joking BTW, but yeah I don't see a fit either. I could see it if we had the elite prospects and we were a top line winger away from being a contender.

Robertson would have gained them a half point last season

[sch19lks]

Originally Posted by DreDayPucks

Why on earth would Anaheim trade Mctavish after trading Zegras lmao another nothing rumour

Rumour is that McTavish wants out.

He’s a centre and they just signed Granlund. So now he’s behind Carlsson and Granlund. I could see him wanting out

[gvitaly]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1950521963308253505

An absolute steal for WPG. He has been great for them.

[devo22]

pretty crazy that they filed for 2.5m in the arbitration case only a couple of days ago. I know those are strategic, but that still felt low. Samberg filed for 6m.

I think that leaves Nick Robertson as the only player who's opted for arbitration without a deal.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by DreDayPucks

Why on earth would Anaheim trade Mctavish after trading Zegras lmao another nothing rumour

Rumors he is not happy with his role and they just signed Granlund for 3 years and used their top 10 pick on a center for the third time in 4 years.

[Jason14h]

Originally Posted by devo22

pretty crazy that they filed for 2.5m in the arbitration case only a couple of days ago. I know those are strategic, but that still felt low. Samberg filed for 6m.

I think that leaves Nick Robertson as the only player who's opted for arbitration without a deal.

If you are looking at 6 million or 2.5 million in arb , taking the risk that the arbiter selects 2.5 is a big risk vs compromising a few hundred $K

As you said pure strategy and puts the risk on the player

[Rhett44]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Robertson would have gained them a half point last season

Well, we definitely do not want to make the playoffs this year. That would be an absolute disaster for us long term with not getting a high draft pick.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by devo22

pretty crazy that they filed for 2.5m in the arbitration case only a couple of days ago. I know those are strategic, but that still felt low. Samberg filed for 6m.

I think that leaves Nick Robertson as the only player who's opted for arbitration without a deal.

Originally Posted by Jason14h

If you are looking at 6 million or 2.5 million in arb , taking the risk that the arbiter selects 2.5 is a big risk vs compromising a few hundred $K

As you said pure strategy and puts the risk on the player

It’s stupid strategy. The Jets put their relationship with the player at a huge risk for a few hundred K. Dude had to go through arb prep after being extremely lowballed, and then got pretty much the deal he was asking for. And he probably saw what they were going to say in arb already, which is never nice.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Hackey

Well they suck at tanking if they're picking 16, 9, and 18. In reality they are picking there because they are scared to actually tear it down. Weegar is any easy trade, Andersson is an easy trade. Backlund and Coleman are tradable. Does Kadri really want to stay if those guys are gone? Have the Flames even asked Kadri if he's willing to go anywhere? The Flames will trade UFAs after they are forced to because that's easy but when it comes to making a minor tough decision they are scared. The Flames are never proactive and never bold.

Just like your terrible avatar you also have a terrible take here.

[Wolven]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Rumors he is not happy with his role and they just signed Granlund for 3 years and used their top 10 pick on a center for the third time in 4 years.

I wouldn't be surprised if we saw the same thing happen with the Sharks. There are only so many spots for top centers and they have more bodies than spots.

Guys like Smith and Misa are not going to be satisfied playing third line center or being shunted off to the wing.

[kehatch]

Originally Posted by Hackey

Well they suck at tanking if they're picking 16, 9, and 18. In reality they are picking there because they are scared to actually tear it down. Weegar is any easy trade, Andersson is an easy trade. Backlund and Coleman are tradable. Does Kadri really want to stay if those guys are gone? Have the Flames even asked Kadri if he's willing to go anywhere? The Flames will trade UFAs after they are forced to because that's easy but when it comes to making a minor tough decision they are scared. The Flames are never proactive and never bold.

A rebuild isn't about tanking. Its prioritizing assets that help you in the future over those that help you now. Which often results in being less competitive now, which often translates to losses and higher picks.

Its splitting hairs perhaps. But the key point is the objective is to win in the future, not to lose now. And that high draft pick you get is only part of the solution.

The Flames weren't ready to rebuild. When Conroy took over he didn't have a very strong prospect pipeline and the players were mostly older veterans. If you hit delete on the veterans all at once your left with nothing. Which means you have a very prolonged rebuild ahead of you, and not much chance of being successful.

So he has been rebuilding slowly. Letting some young guys get experience, acquiring players in their mid 20s, and replenishing the prospect pool.

I am not a fan of the moves we heard be wanted to do. Extending veterans, acquiring big names, etc. But those moves didn't happen, at least not yet, so without more info there isnt much to judge. My biggest concern is last year's success results in a direction shift. But again, hasn't happened yet.

I expect this summer is about setting up contingencies if the Flames arent competitive this season. If they are out by the deadline I expect Conroy to be busy. If that happens we are probably in full rebuild next summer. I would prefer they were a bit more proactive this summer rather then taking a wait and see approach. But I understand that is a tough sell after almost getting in last season.

[DreDayPucks]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Rumors he is not happy with his role and they just signed Granlund for 3 years and used their top 10 pick on a center for the third time in 4 years.

I’m not buying it. Granlund is not bumping him out of the top 6. There’s also no guarantee McQueen will be an nhl center. I can’t see Anaheim’s management being foolish enough to move him.