2025/2026 Season Trade Rumours and Speculation Thread

[Fighting Banana Slug]

I would think it would take Parekh or a Parekh-like package to get McTavish out of Anaheim. There would be real pain to make a deal like that.

[Sofa GM]

Originally Posted by 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.

I agree. I don’t think Calgary wants to part with the assets it would take to get McTavish.

Zary + Mews + 2027 1st? Is that enough? In Anaheims eyes I’m not sure it is.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by Fighting Banana Slug

I would think it would take Parekh or a Parekh-like package to get McTavish out of Anaheim. There would be real pain to make a deal like that.

There is no real evidence that Pat values getting young players back in these days where he fights with his existing young players.

There is evidence that he gets rid of young players as soon as he has to sign them after their ELC expires. There is also evidence that he does not sign players coming off of their ELC to long term contracts because he has never done that. There is evidence that he does sign older players in their late 20’s and 30’s to longer term contracts because he does.

For all those reasons I would try to see if he wants some quality vets in a deal. Rasmus is a perfect candidate for an 8 year contract from Pat, he is in the age range that Pat likes to give long term contracts out to. Given that he took Trouba at 8 million a year for a year and a half maybe he has some interest in Huberdeau with a bit of retention.

Need to try to meet Pat at where he is at and give him what he values.

[Major Major]

Why would Ras be interested?

[Wolven]

Originally Posted by 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.

While true that every team would be interested to a degree, most of the teams with better cupboards will not be interested. Sharks, Blackhawks, Kraken, Mammoth are all loaded up on Cs and wouldn't want to spend assets on a guy who would likely not want to sign long term for them for the exact same reason he is rumoured to be holding out from the Ducks (he doesn't like the logjam at C). Other teams might be interested but will not have room in their cap structure to fit him (Bruins, Rangers, Lightning, Kings, Stars, etc).

The Canadiens would be the biggest competition in my mind. Canadiens are almost as desparate as the Flames to land a young C with top 6 potential. Canucks could try but I doubt they can match a Flames/Canadiens package, also their cap situation is restrictive.

Maybe the Wild would enter the McTavish sweepstakes? With the Kaprizov rumours, they could could offer an interesting option for the Ducks to think on. The Wild should be able to get more than just McTavish out of the Ducks in exchange for Kaprizov....

Other teams that might be interested, like the Red Wings, I do not think can put together as good of a package. Maybe the Hurricane?

Anyway, I think the Flames competition to land McTavish would quickly shrink from "every team in the league" to a handful of teams that need a C, have cap space, and have assets the Ducks might want.

[saillias]

Originally Posted by Major Major

Why would Ras be interested?

Yeah. It's like someone rejecting a job offer in Calgary but accepting one in Airdrie. If you don't want to move to LA you probably aren't interested in Anaheim either

[Wolven]

Originally Posted by saillias

Yeah. It's like someone rejecting a job offer in Calgary but accepting one in Airdrie. If you don't want to move to LA you probably aren't interested in Anaheim either

That only makes sense if he rejected LA because of the location (California specifically). However, of the American states, California remains one of the more desirable ones to live in and nothing has been reported to support the idea that Andersson rejected the Kings because of the state.

More likely, he rejected LA because he felt the offer was a lowball compared to what he thinks he should be making (ie. they made him an offer based on last year's performance and not his full body of work or position in the market)...

OR he looked at the Kings roster and prospect pipeline for 5 seconds and realized the Kings are a terrible fit for him and his desire to compete for a cup:

• Kopitar is done, Doughty is old, and they do not have enough young star players to replace their old stars.
• Of the young players and prospect they do have, LA has 2 RD that would create a logjam for Andersson (Clarke and younger Brzustewicz).
• The Kings have lost 4 playoff seasons in a row to the Oilers and show no real signs of improving

There is zero upside for Andersson to go to LA and a tonne of problems.

Both the Ducks and Sharks would be better landing spots for Andersson for the next 8-9 years. They both have:

• Organizational need for a top 4 RD that is ready to go today with no real challengers for Andersson's spot in the pipeline
• Cap space to give Andersson his next contract
• Are loaded up on talented young players in most other positions
• With those talented players getting into their prime, both teams should be competing in the playoffs in the next couple of years with Andersson potentially being a part of the solution (and a leader in the room)

I think it is pretty easy to see how the Kings are not comparable to the Sharks or Ducks.

[saillias]

Yes there is, he literally said so. I did not want to move my family there.

He is not sitting with his wife going over their system like that. When he got the call about a trade to LA I don't think that's how the discussion went, plotting their future depth chart on a napkin.

But as for the Anaheim future, trading away all the top prospects from the past regime because they're not "your type" of guy - red flag of a bad manager/ idiot. They may succeed in spite of Verbeek not because.

[Wolven]

Originally Posted by saillias

Yes there is, he literally said so. I did not want to move my family there.

He is not sitting with his wife going over their system like that. When he got the call about a trade to LA I don't think that's how the discussion went, plotting their future depth chart on a napkin.

But as for the Anaheim future, trading away all the top prospects from the past regime because they're not "your type" of guy - red flag of a bad manager/ idiot. They may succeed in spite of Verbeek not because.

He absolutely would be going over it with his agent (not his wife). He is currently in a situation where people want to trade him because they want to make room for Parekh (and maybe Brzustewicz). You think he wouldn't be looking at depth charts to see if he would be walking into the same situation all over again?

These guys are making 7 or 8 figures, they will definitely be considering more factors than some fans on the internet.

I do concede that Verbeek may be enough of a factor on his own for Andersson to not want to be a Duck. Sharks are probably a better fit anyway.

[Badgers Nose]

It’s fun to speculate, but CC loves his guys. I don’t see him packaging a ton of his kids even for a potential #1C.

I think the aged out waiver guys we have and the low tier of the forward prospect log jam will be the moves over the next few months so that he can have more flexibility. He won’t want to lose guys for nothing.

Unless some GM pays his Ras price of course.

[topfiverecords]

Haha Stars scoring in the Knights-Sharks game.