2025/2026 Season Trade Rumours and Speculation Thread

[really?]

Originally Posted by Wolven

What is "developing"?

The point of the post you were replying to is that we probably shouldn't be "Playing the wheels off of Wolf". This is a very important consideration because right now we have a young goalie at a league-high number of games played. Wolf is right now tied with Saros for most games played at 13, which means he has only rested 2 games so far this season.

If he keeps that up he would play 71 games this season. That is not good for development and has a fair amount of risk to it.

For context, last year the league highs were Vasilevskiy and Hellebuyck at 63 games played. Oettinger, Swayman, and Daccord were all 58-57.

I would much rather see Wolf under 60 and closer to 50 in his second season.

We don’t know that they’re playing the wheels off him, yet. They haven’t thrown in the towel and Wolf gives the team the best chance to win. Yeah, I think he wins a number of games for the team that other goalies wouldn’t, but that’s his job and he’s pretty good at it. Maybe if Cooley starts against Columbus they lose, but if you were the coach would you travel that path. Huska and Conroy have to give their guys the best chance to win and it’s this month or never, so expect Wolf to be in net.

Ideally this wouldn’t be the case, but this is where the team finds itself. One way or another I’d expect the load to lessen after Thanksgiving, but unless they lose 3 out of the next 4 expect the team to stay on the ride.

I don’t see this team making the playoffs, and I fear they get backed into a corner either by injuries prohibiting trades or other teams potentially gaining leverage in trade talks, but they have to consider the entire roster when the ice a squad.

It seems to me that the primary reason some folks want to move players now, or give time to lesser performers is to ensure futility. I get the frustration with mediocrity, but I imagine sending that message to the room or the league does little to strengthen the position which the team will deal from.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Team is in last place and has done nothing but trade away older players rather than giving them the retirment contracts they wanted.

Mad about a report that doesn't match how Conroy has actually been operating seems kinda silly. The trades aren't there at this time of year...best value is almost always closer to the deadline. A week ago some of us were mad because Francis reported the Flames were holding Zayne out of his 10th game so he could go back to junior.

Wasn't that a waste of time and energy?

Conroy has done well in doing more of a gradual rebuild, but he's been operating reactively IMO.

Has he made good decisions to not overpay our own UFAs? Yes, 100%

Has he moved the majority of those UFAs for futures when they have 1 year or less left on their contract? Yes, 100%

Has he been more pro-active on making trades for players with term left to try to maximize their trade returns? No, and I think this is what most people have issues with.

I think it's fair to think they might have waited too long to move all of Andersson, Hanifin, Tanev, Lindholm, Zadorov, etc.

Lindholm got a great return but for Hanifin, and Tanev it feels like it could have been better. And it honestly feels like similar mistakes were made with Andersson as he should have been moved at the 2024 draft.

Toffoli and Mangiapane were probably traded at the right time with 1 year left on their deals respectively and traded around the draft, but could be argued they maybe could have been traded at the prior deadline to give teams two playoff runs with them and maybe you'd return more.

I think now this is where similar discussions about Coleman and Kadri.

If they trade them between now and the deadline then you are 100% correct that all of this discussion is wasted...but really we are on a Flames message board all of this is a waste of time lol.

I do think it's fair for people to be concerned they are potentially going down the same path of waiting too long and waiting until next offseason to make these trades, when it feels like maximum return could be had by trading them this offseason.

Just don't be re-active. Don't wait until the players ask to be moved because they love being Calgary Flames so much. Do what is right for the long term of this organization and prioritize moving the 33 and 35 year old veterans that have huge trade value - because it's what's best long term for the organization - whether they love being here or not.

[GioforPM]

People can opine all they want about when the best return is gained but it's all guesswork.

Of course some people just want trades to make the team worse.

[dino7c]

Andersson would have been moved at the draft...he decided he wouldn't sign an extension with LA. Basically he wants Vegas. That shifted things, now the best will likely be a desperate team closer to the deadline. At the draft most teams think they are good and hope they will be healthy. The deadline is a reality check for GMs with their jobs on the line. (Brad says hi)

Look at the biggest overpays over the years...they are almost all at the deadline

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

People can opine all they want about when the best return is gained but it's all guesswork.

Of course some people just want trades to make the team worse.

Put the full context in.

"Of course some people just want trades to make the team worse today, in hopes that tomorrow is meaningfully better."

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

People can opine all they want about when the best return is gained but it's all guesswork.

Of course some people just want trades to make the team worse.

Maybe, maybe not.

Every deadline is a bit different but I do think there are a couple of consistencies that tend to be true.

1) Centers always carry a premium
2) Bigger returns tend to happen for players that have 1.5 years left than just 1 year left on their contract (Tampa really are the ones that popularized this)
3) Players U-35 tend to garner bigger returns than the older veterans

I think all three of those things factor into the Flames being able to maximize the return for Kadri and Coleman if they make the move this year.

I don't see a world where the return for those two gets better if they wait past this season.

Originally Posted by dino7c

Andersson would have been moved at the draft...he decided he wouldn't sign an extension with LA. Basically he wants Vegas. That shifted things, now the best will likely be a desperate team closer to the deadline. At the draft most teams think they are good and hope they will be healthy. The deadline is a reality check for GMs with their jobs on the line. (Brad says hi)

Look at the biggest overpays over the years...they are almost all at the deadline

That was part of the issue of waiting too long. He should have been moved at the 2024 draft with 2 years left, because him signing an extension wouldn't have even been part of the trade discussion yet. And it never was going to make sense for Flames to extend Andersson for his 30+ years with Weegar already signed long term.

I do think it's different this year though - cap accruals and no salary cap in the playoffs made it make more sense to wait until the deadline. That is a whole different cap outcome and financial impact this year. Much much smaller benefit of waiting until the deadline now, and I think more teams will try to move early to have player adjust to their systems and be able to impact their standings position sooner now.

[Morozee]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

Seeing a lot of the posts in this thread just confirms the Flames ownership doesn't have to change their strategy. The direction of the team will continue to be supported by a lot of the fan base regardless of the results.

And I know some people are trying to argue that this time is different, but I don't see it. We offered an aging Lindholm a contract and he said no, thankfully. We offered Hanifin a contract and he also said no. Tanev wanted to try to win a cup.

If trading your players that say no to you counts as being proactively rebuilding, then I guess they can get credit. But I see almost every move as reactive and basically we were saved by a bunch of players saying no to us.

Yawn. Give it up already.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

Maybe, maybe not.

Every deadline is a bit different but I do think there are a couple of consistencies that tend to be true.

1) Centers always carry a premium
2) Bigger returns tend to happen for players that have 1.5 years left than just 1 year left on their contract (Tampa really are the ones that popularized this)
3) Players U-35 tend to garner bigger returns than the older veterans

I think all three of those things factor into the Flames being able to maximize the return for Kadri and Coleman if they make the move this year.

I don't see a world where the return for those two gets better if they wait past this season.



That was part of the issue of waiting too long. He should have been moved at the 2024 draft with 2 years left, because him signing an extension wouldn't have even been part of the trade discussion yet.

I do think it's different this year though - cap accruals and no salary cap in the playoffs made it make more sense to wait until the deadline. That is a whole different cap outcome and financial impact this year. Much much smaller benefit of waiting until the deadline now, and I think more teams will try to move early to have player adjust to their systems and be able to impact their standings position sooner now.

I agree it's a different cap world. But I don't think there's any data to support the bolded - I think teams like to assess themselves right at the TDL. I also think the market for positions depends on who's available. Kadri will be the top centre available. Andersson will be a top defenceman. And Coleman is a proven PO performer (as is Kadri).

[dino7c]

Nelson was a UFA and was the best trade I have seen in years for the selling team...who told reporters they were going to keep him. I bet their fans were freaking, maybe? not really a biggest game in town though they do have fans.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

Put the full context in.

"Of course some people just want trades to make the team worse today, in hopes that tomorrow is meaningfully better."

Meaning they think that intentionally losing is a guaranteed way to success.

Conroy shouldn't be trading guys just to lose. The team is losing anyway. He should be trading for the best price. The losing will take care of itself.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

It is funny. Is that OK?

Toffoli is a good example is Conroy deciding to move on before any “inflection point,” Markstrom is a better one. It’s not a lot of examples but given that the history we’re talking about is 2-3 years and a situation where a bunch of guys were expiring all at the same time anyway, I think a couple examples are plenty.

But I also think history isn’t that important. Conroy is still a fairly new GM. Why are we trying to predict what he’ll do based on different situations, when the one that was anywhere close is the only one that suggests a totally opposite narrative to what you’ve landed on?

Will Kadri be the next Markstrom? or the next Hanifin? or Backlund?

I don’t know. I would feel silly making any predictions based on “history” one way or another. Will he trade Kadri? It wouldn’t surprise me. I also see possibilities where he doesn’t.

At the end of the day though, there aren’t many GMs who trade players in the middle of their contracts or with term left. There aren’t a ton of those trades in general compared to the alternative. So if that is a critique, I’m not sure it’s unique to Conroy.

And you can save the personal shots about what my “thing” is. We’re talking hockey, try not to take yourself and the conversation too seriously.

I haven't landed on a narrative. More than once I have shared what I think the Flames should do which is not a narrative. Nor is it "predicting" but it is interesting to hear reports on their current thinking.

Are you suggesting Steinberg is way off base in his reporting? And more importantly, what do you think they should so?

And yeah PepsiFree, no one likes personal shots.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I agree it's a different cap world. But I don't think there's any data to support the bolded - I think teams like to assess themselves right at the TDL. I also think the market for positions depends on who's available. Kadri will be the top centre available. Andersson will be a top defenceman. And Coleman is a proven PO performer (as is Kadri).

I meant more two playoff runs vs one playoff run and I think it does end up being true.

Coleman, Hagel, Bjorkstrand/Gourde last year, Carlo for Toronto, McCabe for Toronto and some other examples at the deadline have led to people thinking it's an overpayment, but the team is getting two playoff runs out of a player - especially if you retain salary it's usually super valuable.

Like Brandon Carlo got a bigger return than Noah Hanifin did...big part of that was being traded with two playoff runs instead of one. Scott Laughton got a 1st and Grebenkin in return largely because it was 2 playoff years and not one.

Originally Posted by dino7c

Nelson was a UFA and was the best trade I have seen in years for the selling team...who told reporters they were going to keep him. I bet their fans were freaking, maybe? not really a biggest game in town though they do have fans.

I think this supports trading Kadri between now and the deadline.

Lindholm, Nelson, etc

Centers whether they are UFA or not will always carry a premium. Don't wait to move him. Do it this year before the deadline.

And that doesn't mean they have to trade him tomorrow. IMO the window for deals this year is likely Dec 1 - Dec 20 before the holiday trade freeze. And then like Jan 5 - Feb 5 before the Olympic break - as I think lots of teams could want to use the olympic break to allow a player to adjust and move to their new team. A lot easier to do it then than having to do it in the middle of games etc.

[HitterD]

I think, in general, we are not going to see much movement until around US Thanksgiving, as teams (including the Flames) will have a much better sense for what they need and which direction to go. For other teams, there's just no appetite to pay a huge price for an upgrade 15 games into a season, and I think much of the recent reports about potential trade activity has mostly been tire kicking to see if a team off to a bad start is going to make a desperate move, which I don't think Conroy will do.

The Flames have endured a very difficult schedule, and a road-heavy schedule as well. Opponent quality is going down over the next 7 games. Overall, the flames games leading up to the start of the Dec 4th homestand, 9 more road games vs 4 home games and the opponents get really tough again in late November.

I think the next 7 games are pretty critical in deciding the direction this team will go, and I don't see any realy selloff until late November pending results (rightly or wrongly). If the Flames win 5 or 6 of these games, they likely show that they are not bad enough to be a bottom 5 team, and are probably just a team that struggled with a tough schedule to start. being back as a playoff bubble team, i'd still hope for Andersson to be dealt, but Coleman and Kadri become less likely.

If they win 2 or 3, I think it will be pretty clear that this team is as bad as many of us hope and I will probably trigger a bigger selloff at the same time that teams might be thinking about putting forward better offers post thanksgiving. Patience is hard, but you still need to have a dance partner willing to pay full value and I thinks its still a bit to early for that personally.

No matter what happens, I'm also keeping a close eye on Vegas. I know they got off to a good start, but recently not as hot and have Hill out long term as well as Stone (again). They are only 2 points away from being out of the playoffs. Cheering against Vegas is keeping me going this season, and I still hold out hope for a nice collapse and a second Flames first round pick in the lottery.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

Put the full context in.

"Of course some people just want trades to make the team worse today, in hopes that tomorrow is meaningfully better."

Well the full context is people are fine with making ####ty trades now to make the team worse today in the hopes of making it meaningfully better while reserving the right at all times and in perpetuity to complain about the returns on said trades in the future.

The last part is key. Trade Kadri for a 6th rounder today to make us lose but reserve the right to complain about the return in the future. Take whatever is on the table for Kadri immediately but reserve the right to complain about the return for Kadri in the future.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

To be clear. I would like them to trade him.
All I was suggesting was that I can understand what that is easier said than done for the organization, for a variety of factors.

But my preference would be they trade him to capitalize on the fact it's moved from an "untradeable contract" to a "great bargain for a 2nd line center".

Yeah I agree, I don't think trading Kadri will be easy for the organization, as you say for a variety of factors. Some of which I believe the Flames just need to move past.

I do appreciate you having a view on what they should do, vs. arguing details about past events and semantics.

My gut feeling is that internally, the Flames feel they are a better team than I do. As in, I think they believe the 96 points last year was a relatively fair reflection of their performance. They sure talk about the 96 points a lot. Steinberg repeats the Flames wanting to "take stock" of their team before making moves. No team has undergone less change since last season so I don't know how much time they really need to do this. IMO the talent level on the team is plain as day.

I hope that doesn't make me a miserable fan as I still go to games and cheer for them to win. I'd just like to see them get aggressive with Kadri. Not to help them lose really, but for the return he would provide.

[Rhett44]

Originally Posted by Aarongavey

Well the full context is people are fine with making ####ty trades now to make the team worse today in the hopes of making it meaningfully better while reserving the right at all times and in perpetuity to complain about the returns on said trades in the future.

The last part is key. Trade Kadri for a 6th rounder today to make us lose but reserve the right to complain about the return in the future. Take whatever is on the table for Kadri immediately but reserve the right to complain about the return for Kadri in the future.

No one is suggesting trading Kadri for a 6th rounder. You take the best offer available.

[Wolven]

Originally Posted by really?

We don’t know that they’re playing the wheels off him, yet. They haven’t thrown in the towel and Wolf gives the team the best chance to win. Yeah, I think he wins a number of games for the team that other goalies wouldn’t, but that’s his job and he’s pretty good at it. Maybe if Cooley starts against Columbus they lose, but if you were the coach would you travel that path. Huska and Conroy have to give their guys the best chance to win and it’s this month or never, so expect Wolf to be in net.

Ideally this wouldn’t be the case, but this is where the team finds itself. One way or another I’d expect the load to lessen after Thanksgiving, but unless they lose 3 out of the next 4 expect the team to stay on the ride.

I don’t see this team making the playoffs, and I fear they get backed into a corner either by injuries prohibiting trades or other teams potentially gaining leverage in trade talks, but they have to consider the entire roster when the ice a squad.

It seems to me that the primary reason some folks want to move players now, or give time to lesser performers is to ensure futility. I get the frustration with mediocrity, but I imagine sending that message to the room or the league does little to strengthen the position which the team will deal from.

Sure we do (know that we are playing him too much). 13/15 games is a very heavy workload, especially with the opponents and travel that the Flames had to start the season.

If Cooley is a problem then they should have done a better job of keeping or replacing Vladar so that the team would have a viable goalie who could allow Wolf to maintain a reasonable workload. But no winning strategy for the season can survive "play Wolf every game" because playing him every game is reckless.

Huska either needs to trust Cooley with the net or tell Conroy to make a trade for a G that can be trusted.

[really?]

Originally Posted by Wolven

Sure we do (know that we are playing him too much). 13/15 games is a very heavy workload, especially with the opponents and travel that the Flames had to start the season.

If Cooley is a problem then they should have done a better job of keeping or replacing Vladar so that the team would have a viable goalie who could allow Wolf to maintain a reasonable workload. But no winning strategy for the season can survive "play Wolf every game" because playing him every game is reckless.

Huska either needs to trust Cooley with the net or tell Conroy to make a trade for a G that can be trusted.

I agree it’s not an ideal situation, but I think the deployment is more a testimony of the excellence of Wolf rather than the incompetency of Cooley. Wolf wins a number of games behind this team a number of other #1s wouldn’t, so in my estimation any backup level goalie compromises the teams efforts and need for well above average goaltending for the team to consistently succeed.

There is a potential to damage the development of Wolf if his current level of usage is maintained, but it would be hard to argue he doesn’t provide a desperate team with the best chance to win.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

No one is suggesting trading Kadri for a 6th rounder. You take the best offer available.

such a bad take, why would you rush this deal?

[Rhett44]

Originally Posted by dino7c

such a bad take, why would you rush this deal?

I wouldn't rush it, I would be looking to do it pretty quickly though.

Once you trade Kadri, they will definitely start losing more which also has to be taken into consideration. You are helping your own pick in this years draft the earlier you trade him. But also, if there isn't a good offer right now you obviously wait for something better.