2025/2026 Season Trade Rumours and Speculation Thread

[Southside]

Originally Posted by Aarongavey

Verbeek seems like a throwback GM who does not value getting young players signed to long term contracts and is willing to throw money at vets and overpay them for past results. He has played what seems like strange hardball with a number of young players while being willing to pay for past results for vets.

- He signed a soon to be 34 year old Alex Killorn to a 4 year deal at 6.25 million bucks.
- he gave up two assts to get Trouba at 8 million a year
- he traded a recent 2nd round pick and a 3rd round pick for a potentially declining Chris Kreider who is set to make 6.5 million for the next two years.

At the same time he has signed none of his RFA’s for next year to long term contracts and is playing hardball with McTavish. He traded Drysdale after playing hardball on that contract. He basically seems to place a high value on veterans, basically not caring how much they make and places a low value on signing young players longterm.

With that in mind I would offer something like

Zary - a young player who was not awarded a long term contract and is a number that is low that seems to align with how Pat feels young players should be paid and
Coleman - maybe eat 15% to really entice Pat.

If the Flames want to take one of these future RFA headaches off his hands in advance of him having to grind them next summer to accept the reality that you have to pay your dues before getting paid throw in Rasmus and get Zellweger or Mintyukov off his hands. Pat seems like the type of who would rather pay Rasmus 8x8 anyway than give a young guy money before they have earned it.

I don’t think Pat wants prospects, he has been trading them away for vets recently. I think the play is good quality grizzled vets who have years of experience plus a guy like Zary who is not making much money as a young guy.

Zegras too.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Verbeek is unpredictable in terms of what he wants
I would offer combinations of Zary, Pospisil, Rasmus, Mews, etc

[robertsfanatic]

If these types of players are potentially available then I am fine with including the 2027 1st rounder.

[Badgers Nose]

Yeah, anyone not named Wolf or Parekh should be available for Mason. He fills a huge organizational need.

[bigrangy]

Get Mctavish for spares

Then offer sheet Bedard next summer. If he wasn’t gonna test the RFA market he’d be signed by now.

Rebuild done.

Would just need to hope Mctavish continues to progress and can top out at least at the Monahan/Lindholm level.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Chicago will match any offer sheet. Pointless to try

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Chicago will match any offer sheet. Pointless to try

That’s fine, but if you’re gonna offer sheet Bedard you may as well make it hard for Chicago to build around him.

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Chicago will match any offer sheet. Pointless to try

Would they match say $12.5m or take four first-round picks?

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Snuffleupagus

Would they match say $12.5m or take four first-round picks?

match

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by dino7c

match

Yeah probably, here's another one for this year, would Anaheim match $9.36m for McTavish or take our 1st,2nd and 3rd?

I think either way Calgary wins

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Snuffleupagus

Would they match say $12.5m or take four first-round picks?

Match without a second thought
The economic impact of having a guy like Berard is massive

[Wolven]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Verbeek is unpredictable in terms of what he wants
I would offer combinations of Zary, Pospisil, Rasmus, Mews, etc

I still think Andersson is the starting point. Trouba has been an anchor of a player and Andersson is an upgrade to their top 4.

Besides, when Trouba and Gudas contracts are up next summer, what are the Ducks going to do? The best UFA RD for next summer is Andersson. Once Andersson is off the board the next best RD on the market is "36 year old" Carlson? Or "3rd pair minutes" Raddysh?

After that I would probably offer some combination of the Vegas 2026 pick, Zary, Farabee (if he wants a 'vet') or one of our prospect wingers (LW specifically as they look to have a lot of RW in the system).

Side note: It still seems odd that the Ducks took Cs with their first two picks last draft (McQueen and Nilson).

[Sandman]

Unless the problems have been addressed, the Ducks still have the added pressure of having two young D (Zellweger and Mintyukov) who were rumoured over the summer to be disgruntled, and wanting out....

[sch19lks]

Originally Posted by Sandman

Unless the problems have been addressed, the Ducks still have the added pressure of having two young D (Zellweger and Mintyukov) who were rumoured over the summer to be disgruntled, and wanting out....

If I was Conroy, I’d pay through the nose for Minty.

Mintyukov-Parekh for a decade+ is an elite pairing

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by Sandman

Unless the problems have been addressed, the Ducks still have the added pressure of having two young D (Zellweger and Mintyukov) who were rumoured over the summer to be disgruntled, and wanting out....

Ya I think every young player eventually wants out of Anaheim. Need to give Pat what he needs, grizzled vets and unburden him from these young players.

[metroneck]

Originally Posted by bigrangy

Get Mctavish for spares

Then offer sheet Bedard next summer. If he wasn’t gonna test the RFA market he’d be signed by now.

Rebuild done.

Would just need to hope Mctavish continues to progress and can top out at least at the Monahan/Lindholm level.

Personal bias aside, if we’re going to entertain this type of fantasy, you’re targeting the wrong 1st overall from North Vancouver.

SJ’s #71 has a much more rounded game, and has greater impact.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by metroneck

Personal bias aside, if we’re going to entertain this type of fantasy, you’re targeting the wrong 1st overall from North Vancouver.

SJ’s #71 has a much more rounded game, and has greater impact.

The fantasy involves the assumption that the other team's GM is a complete idiot who would make the trade, and it's easier to believe that of Verbeek than Grier. Also, there has not been a peep about Celebrini wanting out of San Jose.

[bigrangy]

Originally Posted by metroneck

Personal bias aside, if we’re going to entertain this type of fantasy, you’re targeting the wrong 1st overall from North Vancouver.

SJ’s #71 has a much more rounded game, and has greater impact.

Yeah Celebrini is nasty and super good but is still at least a year out from being worried about signing elsewhere. I think there would be an opportunity with Bedard because for one, he hasn’t signed yet, which to me indicates that there’s a disconnect between what he wants and what Chicago wants. The big question would be, is there a # that Chicago wouldn’t pay. $14? $16?

The cap is going up so fast I don’t think it matters how high you offer, I’d still go for it.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

That’s fine, but if you’re gonna offer sheet Bedard you may as well make it hard for Chicago to build around him.

Zero chance Bedard would sign an offer sheet with Calagry.

He's not signed because he wants to have a monster season to set him up for a bigger contract with Chicago.

There is no credible thought he wants to leave Chicago, as they are set up long term very nicely.

[Royle9]

The thing to remember is that just about every team will make a pitch for McTavish if he’s available, so it’s not like he’ll be had for spare parts / buy low candidate. He’s actually said he would play/sign in ANA long term so the player doesn’t necessarily want out, he just wants to be paid.

I’d love for CGY to get him, he’s exactly what we need and I’ve been told we’re closely monitoring this situation, but I’ve got a feeling this hold out doesn’t last long.