2025/2026 Season Trade Rumours and Speculation Thread

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by DreDayPucks

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.

Do you know who Pat Verbeek is? He would be absolutely foolish enough.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by DreDayPucks

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.

I am not saying this is why Anaheim is willing to move him but is rumored to be why McTavish himself is not happy likely coupled with the hard-nosed negotiating that Verbeek seems to do with all his young players.

Maybe McTavish just wants to be paid like a top 2 center long term and it is not on the table? Chances are high he gets a deal done with the Ducks but his name is out there and has been out there dating back to the deadline. Just never that serious always a Pagnotta or Weekes reporting it

[Jason14h]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

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.

That also insinuates the player set their arb ask exactly what they thought their value was and didn’t pad for the same strategic reasons . The Jets knowing he’s worth closer to 6 then 2.5 are probably willing to pay him 5.25 vs the 5 (making up numbers) they were offering

The Jets didn’t low ball him , they submitted an arbitration number . Which side blinked first based on the numbers submitted …. Who
Knows .



It’s a negotiation that settled before the arb. I don’t think either sides strategy was stupid .

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Jason14h

That also insinuates the player set their arb ask exactly what they thought their value was and didn’t pad for the same strategic reasons . The Jets knowing he’s worth closer to 6 then 2.5 are probably willing to pay him 5.25 vs the 5 (making up numbers) they were offering

The Jets didn’t low ball him , they submitted an arbitration number . Which side blinked first based on the numbers submitted …. Who
Knows .



It’s a negotiation that settled before the arb. I don’t think either sides strategy was stupid .

How many arbitrations have you been in? It's absolutely the correct way to go to make a credible argument and not be ridiculous, merely as an arbitration strategy. And as a negotiation strategy, a huge lowball like than was obviously dumb. They didn't save much money at all, and maybe poisoned the relationship.

I bet you thought Treliving lowballed in dealing with his RFAs.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by kehatch

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.

Conroy has not been rebuilding slowly, he has been tearing it down faster than almost any GM in the last 15 years of any NHL team. The fact that there is even an offshoot of Flames fandom who thinks he is not tearing it down is baffling to me. Conroy has made zero moves to make this team competitive in his time as GM so you probably don’t have to worry about that happening anytime soon. It has been full blown rebuild almost from day one and will likely continue to be.

Team rebuild, tank, tear it down, whatever the name is should be happy because that is what the Flames have done more efficiently than almost any NHL team in the cap era.

[Shazam]

The first rule of a rebuild is to not talk about a rebuild.

[Ba'alzamon]

Originally Posted by Aarongavey

Conroy has made zero moves to make this team competitive in his time as GM

Well... I'd argue the Frost trade, here.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Ba'alzamon

Well... I'd argue the Frost trade, here.

It depends on how you see Frost. If he's seen as a Backlund replacement, it's part of a rebuild. Though he was the best player in the deal depending on the time of the season for Kuzmenko.

[JTech780]

According to Dan Milstein on X Martin Pospisil has signed a 3 year extension.

Would think that that would take him out trade discussions, if he was ever in trade discussions.

[Toonage]

^ That takes him out of any trade speculation

[JTech780]

Looks like 3 years at $2.5m AAV for Pospisil.

[bigrangy]

Fun, love Pospisil

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by JTech780

Looks like 3 years at $2.5m AAV for Pospisil.

Good deal if true.

[Bonded]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

It depends on how you see Frost. If he's seen as a Backlund replacement, it's part of a rebuild. Though he was the best player in the deal depending on the time of the season for Kuzmenko.

I view it as an asset management trade. Frost is a pretty easy trade to make and could pop in value.

[Bonded]

Originally Posted by Aarongavey

Conroy has not been rebuilding slowly, he has been tearing it down faster than almost any GM in the last 15 years of any NHL team. The fact that there is even an offshoot of Flames fandom who thinks he is not tearing it down is baffling to me. Conroy has made zero moves to make this team competitive in his time as GM so you probably don’t have to worry about that happening anytime soon. It has been full blown rebuild almost from day one and will likely continue to be.

Team rebuild, tank, tear it down, whatever the name is should be happy because that is what the Flames have done more efficiently than almost any NHL team in the cap era.

It is because the Flames finished a point out of playoffs despite his best efforts and it’s causing confirmation bias.

[Rhett44]

Originally Posted by Ba'alzamon

Well... I'd argue the Frost trade, here.

Frost trade.

Tried to re sign Lindholm before Lindholm thankfully said no.

Tried to re sign Hanifin before thankfully he said no as well.

[Ba'alzamon]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

Frost trade.

Tried to re sign Lindholm before Lindholm thankfully said no.

Tried to re sign Hanifin before thankfully he said no as well.

Lindholm didn't say no. He wanted more money than they were willing to give him. That's not the same thing.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

Frost trade.

Tried to re sign Lindholm before Lindholm thankfully said no.

Tried to re sign Hanifin before thankfully he said no as well.

Trying to sign players at a price where they could still easily be moved is not the indicator you think it is.

Hell, even Pospisil could be moved despite extending.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by Ba'alzamon

Lindholm didn't say no. He wanted more money than they were willing to give him. That's not the same thing.

It's the same thing in the context of whether he is going full scale rebuild or not.

Offering him (and Hanifin) a potentially viable contract is not going full scale rebuild.

Which was the premise being debated.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Really wish we could judge on actual things not speculated things where we don't know the full story.