2025/2026 Season Trade Rumours and Speculation Thread

[bdubbs]

NHL Standings: NHL Flames last place
CP: You're not last enough!

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

Okay you keep saying this but are ignoring the part where Steinberg and Francis have been very loud in local media about this too.

So what are your thoughts on that?

I have no doubt that they will inevitably move Coleman and Kadri - but not doing it this season would be a mistake and only being open to moving them if they ask for a trade is downright idiotic. The market for two 35+ year old players is not going to be better next year, and I can say that pretty confidently. The future value of 35+ year old hockey players is much more predictable and linear than that of the futures market.

And also listen to Pike's video from about a week ago.

I don't pretend to know what is happening behind the scenes but if we are going to discuss what the media is saying, seems we should include all media. Just look at the posts that came just after yours. It's fine if someone wants to argue that they all have it wrong. Entirely possible. But stating it is only Dreger or Friedman (or Burke hypothesizing) is wrong.

Just imagine if Steinberg comes on Flames Talk next week and states that he hears Flames approached Kadri with their desire to trade him. Suddenly that will be the most lock solid rumor we have and anyone who paid attention to previous media reports to the contrary will be soundly mocked.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Right but I don't believe that's what they are doing.

I think they are being proactive.
I don't think they are waiting for the players to come to them.

But the public sound bytes are laid out to respect the player.

It's like the duck on a pond with the feet working below the water horizon.

Do you think a guy like Steinberg is being duped or is he in on it?

I do like your thinking but I don't entirely believe the organization would be quite so Machiavellian in their media dealings.

[D as in David]

Originally Posted by jmac98

I had thought I had read in recent weeks of reports that the organization had no interest in trading Kadri, as well as some minor rumblings of possibly extending Anderson. This is where I found the direction of the team to be confusing. Perhaps I misread or misremembered those reports or for all I know they were just fan contribution versus valid info. If so I apologize.

Don't believe everything you read. An old saying that should be resurrected.

[PizzaManTre]

Pierre Lebrun in the Athletic echoing other media members, saying ownership doesn't want to move Kadri:

"The problem, of course, is that there are few sellers with the standings so jammed up. Calgary and St. Louis are listening, for sure. But Flames ownership doesn’t want Nazem Kadri traded (he would be an obvious fit for Montreal). We’ll see if that changes over time. The Flames are in no hurry to move Blake Coleman, either, if they move him at all. But I could see the Canadiens also keeping an eye on that name"

Will be interesting to see if this is all posturing, or if Edwards is actually this stubborn about rebuilding

[Vinny01]

Lebrun does say the Flames are listening though which is a glass half full look

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Do you think a guy like Steinberg is being duped or is he in on it?

I do like your thinking but I don't entirely believe the organization would be quite so Machiavellian in their media dealings.

I guess duped ... not sure I'd use that word.

I think they have a public and private message, and they're not the same.

But the public message is necessary (in their minds) to protect the relationship of the veteran in question. The team is losing, so it's only a matter of time until the dialogue starts and they get the player approaching them.

Based on Kadri's appearance on Saturday I think that's already happened in his case.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Wolfman

Nobody knows what teams are offering for Kadri and Coleman.

By all accounts, no actual offers have been made. Only teams expressing an interest if/when the Flames make them available.

[traptor]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

By all accounts, no actual offers have been made. Only teams expressing an interest if/when the Flames make them available.

It sounds like a weird standoff.


Teams are showing interest but not making an offer.


The Flames are waiting for an offer to blow them away.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I guess duped ... not sure I'd use that word.

I think they have a public and private message, and they're not the same.

But the public message is necessary (in their minds) to protect the relationship of the veteran in question. The team is losing, so it's only a matter of time until the dialogue starts and they get the player approaching them.

Based on Kadri's appearance on Saturday I think that's already happened in his case.

I don't know - I think if it was more of a one off then I'd agree with you.

But the way local media is really hammering the point home, and then also following it up with how it would be foolish to trade these guys anyways since they are so important to the culture, and for young players to learn from etc etc.

To me it plays off way more as Steinberg and Francis trying to sell the fan base on this for the organization because they know fans aren't going to react well if they don't move off more veterans.

Originally Posted by traptor

It sounds like a weird standoff.


Teams are showing interest but not making an offer.


The Flames are waiting for an offer to blow them away.

Rule number 1 of negotiating is don't negotiate with yourself.

If you call the Flames with an offer and they just say "No, that offer isn't good enough and we don't want to move these players" without any indication of what it would actually take to move that player, or indication of a willingness to move that player then you're not just going to turn around and offer up a better offer.

[Geeoff]

I do think Kadri is an ideal type of player to keep in order to shorten a rebuild. It's too bad he is 35 and not say even 30. You'd be lucky to get 1 good crack at it with Kadri and the new core. For example, had the Leafs kept him, I think he'd have been a better fit for playoff success than Jon Tavares.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by traptor

It sounds like a weird standoff.


Teams are showing interest but not making an offer.


The Flames are waiting for an offer to blow them away.

I expect it’s something along the lines of:

GM: “Is Kadri/Coleman on the market?”

Conroy: “Not at the moment. We’re not ready to approach them yet.”

GM: “Okay, let me know when they are, because I’m interested.”

I don’t think real-world NHL trade negotiations are like videogames where teams immediately fire out proposals. From what I understand, there are generalized expressions of interest, keeping lines of communication open, etc., with often several calls before anyone gets down to concrete proposals.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by PizzaManTre

Pierre Lebrun in the Athletic echoing other media members, saying ownership doesn't want to move Kadri:

"The problem, of course, is that there are few sellers with the standings so jammed up. Calgary and St. Louis are listening, for sure. But Flames ownership doesn’t want Nazem Kadri traded (he would be an obvious fit for Montreal). We’ll see if that changes over time. The Flames are in no hurry to move Blake Coleman, either, if they move him at all. But I could see the Canadiens also keeping an eye on that name"

Will be interesting to see if this is all posturing, or if Edwards is actually this stubborn about rebuilding

They are doing just that... echoing. I doubt most of these guys, if any, have a direct line to Murray Edwards or even Craig Conroy. All it takes if for one person in the media to say something, and then they are all saying it. The more people saying it doesn't make it any more credible if the source can be traced back to just one person.

Also, not wanting to trade a player is kind of meaningless if they also say they are willing to listen to offers.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Bingo

I guess duped ... not sure I'd use that word.

I think they have a public and private message, and they're not the same.

But the public message is necessary (in their minds) to protect the relationship of the veteran in question. The team is losing, so it's only a matter of time until the dialogue starts and they get the player approaching them.

Based on Kadri's appearance on Saturday I think that's already happened in his case.

Maybe a different way to put it is if Steinberg believes what he is saying.

I missed the bolded so not sure what that is. But yeah if any of these guys want out, none of it really matters.

[Fighting Banana Slug]

I really don't see the reporting/speculation all that different from what we know of the Flames and their recent actions. They are rebuilding, but not the burn-it-to-the ground variety.
They have:
- traded upcoming UFAs, so as to avoid the Gaudreau situation.
- traded dudes that didn't want to be here (Zadorov)
- most of the incoming assets were picks and younger prospects
- have kept a bunch of cap space
= a rebuild

They have not:
- sold all veterans with value (Coleman, Kadri).
- shown a desire to dump those players (reportedly what Murray said).
= don't burn it to the ground.

IF, they don't trade Andersson then I fully agree they are screwing this up, but I suspect they will, based on what they have done in the past. Maybe they trade one or both of Coleman/Kadri, based on the Markstrom example, maybe not. It might well depend on if those players express a desire to leave. In which case, I would expect and hope for a trade.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

By all accounts, no actual offers have been made. Only teams expressing an interest if/when the Flames make them available.

So nobody is interested then. If nobody makes an offer they are not that interested in buying your product, full stop.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Right but I don't believe that's what they are doing.

I think they are being proactive.
I don't think they are waiting for the players to come to them.

But the public sound bytes are laid out to respect the player.

It's like the duck on a pond with the feet working below the water horizon.

Originally Posted by Mr.Coffee

There is no chance, not one that I can imagine, that ownership legitimately expects to “bounce back” and be competitive again next season. He’s not that dumb.

Regardless of what’s reported.

As I said above, Edwards is interested in selling tickets and saying the team is going to be crap doesn't attract the average fan. So many people you talk to say "wow, the Flames are bad - they have to do something". Hardly anyone talks about a rebuild because they don't think in those terms. Murray's talking to them, not the smarks.

As far as the media goes, they are as prone to hyperbole and overreaction as anyone. And some of them get hooked on narrative as much as CPers do.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

I don't know - I think if it was more of a one off then I'd agree with you.

But the way local media is really hammering the point home, and then also following it up with how it would be foolish to trade these guys anyways since they are so important to the culture, and for young players to learn from etc etc.

To me it plays off way more as Steinberg and Francis trying to sell the fan base on this for the organization because they know fans aren't going to react well if they don't move off more veterans.

You could be right.

I don't know.

Doesn't pass the sniff test for me though, nor does it seem likely based on what Royle is saying.

The logic meter in me just has a tough time believing not one individual in a hockey ops group that is built out to be bigger than it used to be can't do the math on the average length of rebuild and the chance either of Kadri or Coleman would be around when it's over.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Royle9

I'll be honest, if I wasn't hearing differently from someone I know for certain is getting real information I would be equally worried.

I understand the concern people have, based on the way the team has acted in the past. And like you, I would probably feel similarly, if I wasn't hearing what I've heard.

But this debate has come down to people either buying into the media reports on the one side, or judging actions and listening to the people on the other side that are saying internally, the message is very different.

I am shocked at the ability of so many people to just continually ignore the message you're sending (and I have tried to send), in favour of 3rd party, external messaging. To me, it is pretty obvious which message I would be inclined to believe.

And at worst, with conflicting messages out there, I would sit neutral.

But here we are. And it will rage on.

[Jason14h]

Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe

I don't buy the bounce-back narrative at all.


How many people here really believe that the Flames are going to do well next season even if they draft McKenna (or insert your own personal desired #1 pick)?

Well 21 games ago the majority of posts on this board were saying one of the following

1. The Flames missed the playoffs by 1 pt, are adding the next Cale Makar in Parekh, the young players should continue to grow, and guys like Shags, Frost and Farabee will bounce back. This is a playoff contending team.

2. Wolf will prevent the Flames from EVER bottoming out, so why even discuss it.

3. The Flames will never do tear it down to the studs rebuild, so no matter what Kadri, Coleman and Weegar arent moving (Or something about Culture)

If the majority of people on this board believed at least some of the above only 21 games ago, is it so unthinkable that the Flames owner, management, etc could believe the same? And could still believe it?

Could they not think this year is the aberration, not last? That adding a top pick, plus the young guys taking a step forward, plus bounce back years (next season) from Shags, Farabee, Weegar and Frost, plus a UFA or 2 addition and they are back to being a mid 90's point team?

Do I think that? No - I have though this team was horrible and lacking talent for 2 seasons and would be bottom 5 the last 2 years.

However, I was proven very wrong last season, and very right this season. So what is the 'right' answer for what this team is?

Heck - Maybe these first 21 games are an aberration and they aren't THAT bad. Maybe they play .500ish hockey from here on out. To me this is actually the biggest risk to the go forward future of the franchise, and the #1 reason I would be happy seeing Kadri and Coleman (and Andersson gone)

If we screw up this years tank, I not only reduces the quality of player we get, but it gives management an excuse/thoughts that we aren't a bad team and can get into contention next season with some tweaks