2025/2026 Season Trade Rumours and Speculation Thread

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by traptor

Not sure if it was mentioned but hertl had term and got traded for futures only.


Also Carlo.

Hertl asked for a trade (I've been told that doesn't count) he was traded at the deadline too

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

Well, you said “more than a year left on their deal for futures,” so that doesn’t include Debrincat who had a year left on his deal (many Flames have had a year left beyond Markstrom and Bouwmeester) and doesn’t include Jones since Knight was not futures (almost the same number of NHL games when he was traded that Wolf has right now…. is Wolf a prospect/futures? I thought he was a starting goaltender… a bit confusing).

I am capable of my own research which is why I was a bit surprised this limited amount of trades of players with 2+ years of contract left for futures was being framed as a Flames thing, when it seems like most teams have very very limited examples.

I thought perhaps you might have a source that lists these trades so I could compare them and see where I got it wrong. If you have one it’d be worth checking out, since some of the examples people are throwing out and the ones you could come up with off the top of your head don’t seem to match. I’d be very curious to see!

I do not have a list. Debrincat had team control beyond his one year left at the time of the trade so the Sens were not forced to send him out at the deadline or anything. He played a full year and Ottawa was able to get something for him or he could have signed his QO and walked a year later.

There have been several other examples listed since so it is not quite as rare as you are making it out to be.

I can’t seem to think of any examples where a team was in the early stages of a rebuild and chose to hold onto a 35 year old player when they were not considered a bad contract? Let’s hope Calgary is not the first. I do want to remain hopeful that they get a big return on Kadri this year.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Hertl asked for a trade (I've been told that doesn't count) he was traded at the deadline too

But Markstrom also asked to be moved and we are still counting that one? I think a trade request is fine (not sure who said it don’t count)?

[stemit14]

At this rate, if the flames are holding onto the last playoff spot rolling into the TDL, would Conroy still be willing to trade Kadri/Coleman? Even if his asking price was met. It would be so similar to last year… I assume Colorado offered as much or more for Kadri than what they gave to the Islanders for Nelson and the flames/Kadri (trade protection) must have said no. Could a similar scenario play out this year?

Imagine the flames are in the 2nd wildcard spot but have still played more games than any teams chasing that last spot. Kadri is leading the team in points. Flames have one of the best records in the league over the previous 2 months. Montreal calls offering Hage + 1st + 3rd for Kadri. Does Conroy say no?

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

But Markstrom also asked to be moved and we are still counting that one? I think a trade request is fine (not sure who said it don’t count)?

I was half joking because people say it about the Flames trades all the time...in the case of Markstom and others though, they only asked for trades after it became clear they were no longer in the Flames long term plans.

[Groot]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

I can’t seem to think of any examples where a team was in the early stages of a rebuild and chose to hold onto a 35 year old player when they were not considered a bad contract? Let’s hope Calgary is not the first. I do want to remain hopeful that they get a big return on Kadri this year.

The season after the Sharks drafted Will Smith 4th Overall, the first top 5 pick of their "rebuild", they traded Erik Karlsson for Mike Hoffman, Mikael Granlund and Jan Rutta, all over the age of 30 (Rutta and Hoffman were 34). They then let Hoffman walk for nothing, held onto Granlund an extra season, and held onto Rutta until he left last year for the Swiss league, getting nothing in return. They also held onto Edouard-Vlasic at +35 until he retired and they got no return.

Not sure if that counts but that was easy to find looking at 1 team in the last 2-3 years.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

I do not have a list. Debrincat had team control beyond his one year left at the time of the trade so the Sens were not forced to send him out at the deadline or anything. He played a full year and Ottawa was able to get something for him or he could have signed his QO and walked a year later.

There have been several other examples listed since so it is not quite as rare as you are making it out to be.

I can’t seem to think of any examples where a team was in the early stages of a rebuild and chose to hold onto a 35 year old player when they were not considered a bad contract? Let’s hope Calgary is not the first. I do want to remain hopeful that they get a big return on Kadri this year.

A handful of examples over the last 20 years in a 32 team league seems awfully rare to me.

Maybe the requirements just weren’t clear. But if Debrincat counts then so does Bennett, so you can add one more to Calgary’s list! I’m sure there are many others we could include from Calgary’s list if all these examples are considered good ones for the point you were making, so rest assured that their list is much longer than just Markstrom and Bouwmeester

As far as teams in a rebuild phase holding onto 35 year old players not on a bad contract… hmmm…

Crosby, Malkin, Letang, Kopitar, Doughty, Lee, arguably Ovechkin and Carlson, Josi, just off the top of my head. So no worries, Calgary won’t be the first!

[Wolven]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

Should we be concerned with this huge hot streak, that we are not going to trade Andersson, Kadri, and Coleman?

Concerned?

The only way Andersson does not get traded is if he signs an extension. Conroy has been very clear both in words and actions that he won't walk any of his stars to UFA. Even if the Flames climb back into the playoff hunt, Andersson is getting traded because he hasn't signed a new contract here.

The other two are not pending UFAs so there should not really be an expectation that they have to be traded this season. If you have that expectation, it is manufactured within your own head, with no real back up, and will just set yourself up for disappointment.

**Hoping** to trade all the vets and get all the futures in return is great and all, but do not make it an expectation that could cause concern that Conroy may not meet it.

Contrary to what a few posters here are saying, Kadri still has a lot of control over his destiny. A 13 team NTL, if used shrewdly, should eliminate most viable trade partners. So the hope then needs to shift to the idea that he wants to be traded and waives his NTC instead of riding out the rebuild.

If I understand it right, Coleman having a 10 team "yes-trade" list also gives him a LOT of control. He gets to eliminate 21 teams right off the bat, which likely includes all of the playoff contenders that would be looking to acquire him. So him being traded would also be a matter of hoping that he wants to go and waives his NTC.

[Psytic]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

A handful of examples over the last 20 years in a 32 team league seems awfully rare to me.

Maybe the requirements just weren’t clear. But if Debrincat counts then so does Bennett, so you can add one more to Calgary’s list! I’m sure there are many others we could include from Calgary’s list if all these examples are considered good ones for the point you were making, so rest assured that their list is much longer than just Markstrom and Bouwmeester

As far as teams in a rebuild phase holding onto 35 year old players not on a bad contract… hmmm…

Crosby, Malkin, Letang, Kopitar, Doughty, Lee, arguably Ovechkin and Carlson, Josi, just off the top of my head. So no worries, Calgary won’t be the first!

Difference is 90% of these guys are hall of famers the minute they retire. I can definitely see hanging onto HOF level players with cups under their belts and a history with the team to honor, but we aren’t holding the same caliber of 35 year olds outside of Lee. We don’t have any history of success let alone cups or records with our 35 yr olds.

[MrMike]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Flames fans do not want Kadri and Coleman traded to improve the tank. That is an added benefit for this year but ultimately a team that is in the early stages of a rebuild holding onto players who are 34 and 35 doesn’t make any sense.

I really hope the Flames move off of these guys this year so I am going to remain hopeful but considering they have rarely done it I am also skeptical it will happen.

I want them to trade these guys for the good returns that Frank said is available to them if they decide to move these guys. If moving these guys has the team dropping back down the standings that is part of leaning into the 2-9-2 start to where they have gone 10-6-2 since

Every team hold on until the trade deadline and then decide if they should go for it or not.

Evwryone will be close.


If we are in 5th or 6th at the trade deadline I’d say we’d be lucky to see one player of ours traded.

Stupid but it’s how it goes.

I this will be the new new. Look at the parity or the lack of it.

Almost every team will be mediocre, almost a gentleman’s agreement to have close games for betting companies to enjoy, every franchise believing they have a shot, and the NHL with the refs controlling how they want to push games to go. And anyone who wants to ague with me on that last one I’ll show you statistics that only make sense with that logic for a game of rules.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by Groot

The season after the Sharks drafted Will Smith 4th Overall, the first top 5 pick of their "rebuild", they traded Erik Karlsson for Mike Hoffman, Mikael Granlund and Jan Rutta, all over the age of 30 (Rutta and Hoffman were 34). They then let Hoffman walk for nothing, held onto Granlund an extra season, and held onto Rutta until he left last year for the Swiss league, getting nothing in return. They also held onto Edouard-Vlasic at +35 until he retired and they got no return.

Not sure if that counts but that was easy to find looking at 1 team in the last 2-3 years.

Vlasic and his contract was completely untradeable. No one is suggesting that Calgary needs to trade Huberdeau.

[CliffFletcher]

The Blackhawks traded a 23-year old Hagel with 2 years left on his contract for two young players/prospects and two 1sts.

Meier and Hertl both had term when they were moved by the Sharks.

Manson had 3 years left on his deal with he was traded by the Ducks to the Avs.

Once teams truly decide to tank (which often only happens after years of more cautious retooling), they move out almost everything of value and reach the cap floor by signing UFAs.

[Groot]

Originally Posted by The Cobra

Vlasic and his contract was completely untradeable. No one is suggesting that Calgary needs to trade Huberdeau.

And the other 3? Mid "rebuild" the Sharks traded their best asset in Karlsson for a conditional 1st and 3 30+ veterans to win now. Even when the team cratered that year, 2 of those 3 veterans were held past the deadline and walked for nothing, while the 3rd was kept till the following year.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

Should we be concerned with this huge hot streak, that we are not going to trade Andersson, Kadri, and Coleman?

I would say there is a 95% chance Andersson gets traded. The only way they consider re-signing him is if every offer they get up to the deadline is so bad that it would be more damaging to trade him. Damaging in the fact that if you take peanuts for him it sets a precedent that you can be taken advantage of. That isn't going to happen though, with the way he is playing this year Conroy is going to get a great return from someone.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by stemit14

At this rate, if the flames are holding onto the last playoff spot rolling into the TDL, would Conroy still be willing to trade Kadri/Coleman? Even if his asking price was met. It would be so similar to last year… I assume Colorado offered as much or more for Kadri than what they gave to the Islanders for Nelson and the flames/Kadri (trade protection) must have said no. Could a similar scenario play out this year?

Imagine the flames are in the 2nd wildcard spot but have still played more games than any teams chasing that last spot. Kadri is leading the team in points. Flames have one of the best records in the league over the previous 2 months. Montreal calls offering Hage + 1st + 3rd for Kadri. Does Conroy say no?

To address the Kadri thing he had a full NMC last year and didn't want to go anywhere, including Colorado.

As I have said before this year is a different story. Last year Conroy wanted to give the group a chance to finish the job and make the playoffs. This year is different. If the offers are there Conroy will move those guys. I guarantee if Montreal offered that for Kadri he would be on the next available flight to Montreal.