2025/2026 Season Trade Rumours and Speculation Thread

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Well it’s all hypothetical of course. If someone is going to trade you a 22 year old player that is better than the player you could draft sure.

Why would someone do that?

I realize my post is stating something as an absolute rule and in real life you have to assess individual situations. I just can’t fathom a situation where a team is willing to trade you a young player with higher upside than you could draft with your pick. I want the upside right now because it is what the team is missing most.

Happens all the time. Teams value assets differently.

One team sees the 22 year old as plateauing, the other as needing a better development program.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by gvitaly

In your hypothetical scenario it makes sense, so how many teams are looking to trade great young 22 year old players for a late 1st? Especially now that the cap space doesn't come at a premium.

We'd be also betting on the Flames' pro scouts knowing the player better than his own team. The previous acquisitions of Frost, Farabee, Bahl, Kuzmenko, Sharangovich, Miromanov, and Okhotyuk came with mixed success.

Off the top of my head Rasmus Sandin was a good get by WSH from TOR a couple of years back, but those trades don't happen too often IMO. Teams typically only give up on players once they become 24-25 year olds, use them as trade chips for upgrades, or trade them for other 22 year olds.

McGroarty from Winnipeg is a recent example.

If the Flames scouting staff valued him more than who they thought they would get with their second pick in the 2024 draft they'd do it.

They didn't and Gridin in the result.

But it's not about finding examples; I'm just saying you don't need a hard rule of rebuilding teams don't trade first round picks, as there are plenty of ways it would/could make sense.

[stemit14]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

Yeah, Florida’s 2026 1st belongs to Chicago. It’s the 2027 1st that belongs to Boston.

In that case, I would prefer to have Boston’s pick in 2026. They’ve had a good start but I think they will come back down to earth as the season goes on. I expect Florida to have a bounce back year next season once everyone is healthy so that Florida 2027 1st could be late in the draft.

[Circa89]

Do the Canadiens owe us for the Monahan double 1st's still? I propose we we take Anderson off their hands for a 2nd? 5.5 million for two more years. age 31.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by Macho0978

I would. Minty plays a different game than Parekh or Bry. Imo all 3 might be too much of the same but minty is big and play physical and can skate. I could see him more like a weegar than a true PP QB. Easily worth 29 and we have room to play him

Unless Minty has completely changed his game since I saw him play about 15 games with the 67’s he has none of those attributes in his game. He is much closer to a Jay Bouwmeester than a physical dman.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

Adding players reduces, likely, value of our own 1st round picks.

It’s about timing.

So yeah, I don’t do that this year and likely not next year either (so sure, maybe a 2027 late 1st after the season has concluded)

So you don't want to accumulate actual proven good young players because you want to ensure that you lose more right now?

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

So you don't want to accumulate actual proven good young players because you want to ensure that you lose more right now?

Because no one is trading us a McKenna/Bedard/Celebrini etc, and that's the talent level we need.

Acquiring another Coronato-tier player? Cool.

It'll prevent us from getting what we need.

Be patient, draft your own damn players and spend the time developing them organically. Not being patient = building to the middle.

Once we get two top tier players? Yeah, fill your bucket. Go get aggressive.

Right now? No.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

Because no one is trading us a McKenna/Bedard/Celebrini etc, and that's the talent level we need.

Acquiring another Coronato-tier player? Cool.

It'll prevent us from getting what we need.

Be patient, draft your own damn players and spend the time developing them organically.

There's a lot of room between Coronato and Celebrini. Of course you aren't trading a pick that gets you a Coronato for a Coronato like player. But if I can get Matt Boldy for a 27OA pick and Rasmus, I'm doing it.

[CochraneKurt]

Originally Posted by Tbull8

CmpDave on Twitter talking about how the chatter around the team in the last couple days has been moving towards dealing the vets moreso than before.

Having a guy like Mckenna at the top who openly wants to play in Calgary, along with a guy like Dupont in next years draft who is from here, could be massive. The jersey sales for either (or both) of those guys would be off the charts imo

The jersey sales topic....I see so many #97 south fo Red Deer now. The Flames NEED someone for this generation of kids to adore. Wolf could be one, but it's clear that the youth now are without someone in YYC to really root for.

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

There's a lot of room between Coronato and Celebrini. Of course you aren't trading a pick that gets you a Coronato for a Coronato like player. But if I can get Matt Boldy for a 27OA pick and Rasmus, I'm doing it.

and then that prevents you from being able to draft Celebrini tier next year because your team marginally to notably better.

I'm saying for right now, no don't do that. Don't interfere with our ability to get the tier of players that actually win Championships.

[activeStick]

Posted in a different thread but probably fits better here

https://twitter.com/user/status/1994483231144734741

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

Thanks Cobra, definitely had those mixed up. The Florida 27 1st is much, much less interesting. Though Bob could always implode and leave them without a goalie I guess. Trading Knight was a weird move.

Seth Jones was a huge pickup for them though and Knight was one of the only young decent assets they had left.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

and then that prevents you from being able to draft Celebrini tier next year because your team marginally to notably better.

I'm saying for right now, no don't do that. Don't interfere with our ability to get the tier of players that actually win Championships.

This is basically the fundamental difference between a re-build strategy and a tanking strategy. You want them to tank and take proactive steps to tank hard. They just aren't going to do that.
Obviously you are more than entitled to disagree.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

and then that prevents you from being able to draft Celebrini tier next year because your team marginally to notably better.

I'm saying for right now, no don't do that. Don't interfere with our ability to get the tier of players that actually win Championships.

I don't think it does. I think you vastly overestimate the impact of single players.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

Thanks Cobra, definitely had those mixed up. The Florida 27 1st is much, much less interesting. Though Bob could always implode and leave them without a goalie I guess. Trading Knight was a weird move.

Knight was required to be moved to make the cap work. I doubt they really wanted to include him.

[gvitaly]

Originally Posted by Bingo

McGroarty from Winnipeg is a recent example.

If the Flames scouting staff valued him more than who they thought they would get with their second pick in the 2024 draft they'd do it.

They didn't and Gridin in the result.

But it's not about finding examples; I'm just saying you don't need a hard rule of rebuilding teams don't trade first round picks, as there are plenty of ways it would/could make sense.

Wasn't McGroarty traded for another prospect in Yager? They were both 14th overall picks selected 1 year apart. I think it would be more difficult for a team to trade a good 22 year old prospect for a late draft pick that's 4 years behind the development.

I completely agree with the last part. If you can find another D. Hamilton trade you make it all day, every day.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Happens all the time. Teams value assets differently.

One team sees the 22 year old as plateauing, the other as needing a better development program.

Remember we are talking about trading a first round pick. Happens all the time for players worth a first round pick? I'm not sure about that.

If the Flames really have conviction on another team's highly rated prospect, might be worth a shot. I also hope they would be just as interested in being on the other side of a deal like that.

Not many teams have prospects worth a first round pick in the first place. Flames probably have three. Parekh, Gridin and Reschny.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Bingo

McGroarty from Winnipeg is a recent example.

If the Flames scouting staff valued him more than who they thought they would get with their second pick in the 2024 draft they'd do it.

They didn't and Gridin in the result.

But it's not about finding examples; I'm just saying you don't need a hard rule of rebuilding teams don't trade first round picks, as there are plenty of ways it would/could make sense.

You shouldn't have a hard rule for anything and I really don't think people are advocating that.

But it is important to look at the Flames and what they need. Trading a first round for a prospect is a trade off. You are de-risking your pick, giving up upside for a player who is a bit more of a sure thing. That's a generalization but it's essentially true. And the Flames aren't in a situation to think that way IMO. They should be taking on risk in exchange for upside.

Now if you can find some team in a jam and they have an abundance of prospects at a particular position, or have cap issues or there is a player that wants out, sure you should explore it. The Hamilton trade is a good example, as he still had exceptionally high upside. But I wouldn't love this team giving up three draft picks.

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

This is basically the fundamental difference between a re-build strategy and a tanking strategy. You want them to tank and take proactive steps to tank hard. They just aren't going to do that.
Obviously you are more than entitled to disagree.

It's more of an acknowledgement that other teams don't trade players worth acquiring if they're young.

I'm really just preaching patience -right now-.

Don’t look for shortcuts like every Canadian team always does.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

Because no one is trading us a McKenna/Bedard/Celebrini etc, and that's the talent level we need.

Acquiring another Coronato-tier player? Cool.

It'll prevent us from getting what we need.

Be patient, draft your own damn players and spend the time developing them organically. Not being patient = building to the middle.

Once we get two top tier players? Yeah, fill your bucket. Go get aggressive.

Right now? No.

If the Flames get McKenna with their pick and say somehow RFA center Adam Fantilli and Columbus can’t agree on something that is absolutely the type of deal the Flames should be looking at. It is unlikely he would be available but I think they will look at RFA’s who might want a change and be aggressive for them.

I don’t know if it is the right or wrong call. Hamilton for example seemed like a great pickup and he was key in getting Lindholm and Hanifin but the Flames could have also had Kyle Connor, or Matt Barzal had they kept their pick.

I am relieved the comments today from Conroy and the orange Julius twitter guy that seem aligned they are leaning into this season but I just do not believe they will want to stay in this spot for many years. Maybe they hold off for one more season but they want to be better than crappy when they open that building.

Just going off history. They refused to rebuild the Iginla team until they had no choice. They sped up the Gaudreau build then they tried to retool on the fly after their 2 superstars left.

I just don’t see them staring down another 3-4 top 10 picks if they can avoid it.