2024/2025 Season trade rumours and speculation thread

[Sylvanfan]

Considering that nearly every team has cap space, and because this is pro sports and most teams should be trying to win games...and trying to get better. The thing I'd be taking away is get your own RFA's taken care of before someone else comes in and offers them way more than you wanted to.

The UFA class is very meh, hockey deals are hard to make because you weaken one place to bolster another. So if teams are looking to add and have a pile of money and desire to offer future assets..it does seem like offer sheets might be used to make other teams blink. There's money to spend and only so many guys to take it right now. Never been a better time to be a NHL Free agent that can still play in this league.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by traptor

I don't think we're close to having the horses in the system yet to start building it back up

The only horse we really need is a #1C and another top 4 D which might be Morin. All the other horses are in the barn.

[Funkhouser]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Say what you will about the Pens, their timing is impeccable. Tank to get Mario (and then Jagr a couple years later when they figured they needed more). Win a couple cups. Then when Mario is done, just draft Sid, along with Malkin, Stall and MAF. Now, Sid's about to be done, just tank and get McKenna.

Why stop at McKenna? I think they could also use a Dupont.
Philadelphia Puck must hate the Pens sooooooo much.

[Ashes]

I think the priority for the next few weeks for Conroy is to do absolutely everything possible to move up in the draft - somewhere between 5-12 and get one of O'Brien, Martin, McQueen. Someone with 2C projection.

In my mind, coming out of this draft with one of those Center prospects is the best outcome we can ask for. The 18th/32nd overalls this year are likely just adding to our logjam of future 3rd liners.

IMO the Andersson trade has to happen first, then some of those assets combined with the 18th overall are in play. Something similar to the Hamonic return.. a mid first + two 2nd round picks for Andersson.

As for finding a top line.. hopefully this next season is the classic roller coaster reversal where the Flames go back down below expectations and we come out of next years draft with a 1C. I think top Wingers can be had in trades and through FA once we have a new rink and a top C/D/G in place.

Hate it or love it, the draft is the lifeblood of the NHL and if we ever want to be a perrenial contender we need to either be lucky, or agressive, or both IMO. Last year we got lucky that Parekh dropped to 9, this year we might need to make something happen if we want another potential home-run prospect.

[really?]

Originally Posted by traptor

I don't think we're close to having the horses in the system yet to start building it back up

Two drafts can have a big impact. Right now the team has a number of d prospects who could be some of those horses, and on the wings there are possibly half a dozen candidates who might be value+ in the top 9. In a couple of years under Conroy that’s not a bad start.

Clearly they need a top tier center, and a second is likely needed as well. Even finishing last wouldn’t guarantee the Flames they’d find the answer to that problem. I agree that the best path to a real contender is through the draft, specifically high picks, I just think at this point selling guys who want to be here could have a negative impact on the future.

I wish they’d gone a different direction in dealing Tkachuk, but the didn’t. I think if they try to rectify that mistake they might spend 5-10 years searching for an identity, which probably then leads to hiring an 80 year old Darryl Sutter.

[Macho0978]

Originally Posted by Ashes

I think the priority for the next few weeks for Conroy is to do absolutely everything possible to move up in the draft - somewhere between 5-12 and get one of O'Brien, Martin, McQueen. Someone with 2C projection.

In my mind, coming out of this draft with one of those Center prospects is the best outcome we can ask for. The 18th/32nd overalls this year are likely just adding to our logjam of future 3rd liners.

IMO the Andersson trade has to happen first, then some of those assets combined with the 18th overall are in play. Something similar to the Hamonic return.. a mid first + two 2nd round picks for Andersson.

As for finding a top line.. hopefully this next season is the classic roller coaster reversal where the Flames go back down below expectations and we come out of next years draft with a 1C. I think top Wingers can be had in trades and through FA once we have a new rink and a top C/D/G in place.

Hate it or love it, the draft is the lifeblood of the NHL and if we ever want to be a perrenial contender we need to either be lucky, or agressive, or both IMO. Last year we got lucky that Parekh dropped to 9, this year we might need to make something happen if we want another potential home-run prospect.

I 100% agree, but I think we can get 1 of those 3 centers at 8 - 10. I also really interested in McQueen or O'Brien. Martin is a safe pick, think the other 2 could be the home run picks.

I also think Conroy needs to take advantage of adding a high pick in a weak draft as the opportunity could be there vs trying to trade up in a stacked draft.

For my experience, I can say with near 100% confidence that scouts were saying the following:

2004 was much stronger than 2005 - 2005 ended up with more impact players

2008 stronger than 2009 - fairly even drafts

2013 was one of the best drafts in decades and much stronger than 2014 - end results were fairly even after the 1st OV pick

2015 much stronger than 2016 - 2015 was the much better draft, but 2016 eneded up being a very good draft.

2023 was also labeled to be very strong and much stringer than 2022 or 2024. Too early to say right now, but often weak drafts end up producing close to or as many star players as stromg drafts do.

[Rhett44]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

The only horse we really need is a #1C and another top 4 D which might be Morin. All the other horses are in the barn.

I actually agree with you that things change fast if we can draft an elite #1 center. That is the hardest thing to find.

We also need some other pieces, but obviously if you draft a really good center, things look a lot brighter.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Groot

It appears that there aren't any GM's on team tank anymore. Weird, considering it's such a proven path to success /s

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/642...shared_article

This is one reason I think there's a good chance the Flame finish bottom 5 next season. The bottom dwellers of recent years will try to push into contention.


I don't think it even requires Wolf to have a sophomore slump, just a harder work load. This season, Vladar played 17 games against playoff teams and 12 against non-playoff teams. Wolf played 24 games against playoff teams and 29 against non-playoff teams. Next season, if Wolf plays more against the harder teams and the backup gets more games against the lower teams, they'll probably get fewer points overall.

With the recent bottom-dwellers improving, finishing at the bottom won't require a total in the 50s or 60s, but somewhere in the 70s might do it.

With Wolf playing a tougher schedule and having a backup who's less reliable than Vladar (assuming that's what happens), a drop of 20+ points from this season is certainly possible.

[Psytic]

Originally Posted by blankall

Looks like you're asking for a guarantee. Show me teams that have drafted very high repeatedly. Did they all win championships?

You're also looking at a lot of teams that built their draft strategy prior to the draft lottery changes and some even prior to the cap changes.

What Pittsburgh did, way back in 2002-2006, with two first and two second overall picks in 4 years doesn't happen anymore. Even then, they had to hit Crosby to make it work.

For every team that won a cup tanking out, there are multiple teams that just ended up bad or mediocre. Take a look at Buffalo, Vancouver, and the NYI. It's the teams that pull off moves like Vegas that win the cups. Yes, you need some high end talent from the draft, but once you have a couple of high end players to build around, the rest is up to asset management.

No, not what I'm asking at all. But we will carry on. I've already wrote 4 pages on it, I dont expect you to read all of it. I've literally already addressed why these teams aren't comparables already...

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by Ashes

I think the priority for the next few weeks for Conroy is to do absolutely everything possible to move up in the draft - somewhere between 5-12 and get one of O'Brien, Martin, McQueen. Someone with 2C projection.

In my mind, coming out of this draft with one of those Center prospects is the best outcome we can ask for. The 18th/32nd overalls this year are likely just adding to our logjam of future 3rd liners.

IMO the Andersson trade has to happen first, then some of those assets combined with the 18th overall are in play. Something similar to the Hamonic return.. a mid first + two 2nd round picks for Andersson.

As for finding a top line.. hopefully this next season is the classic roller coaster reversal where the Flames go back down below expectations and we come out of next years draft with a 1C. I think top Wingers can be had in trades and through FA once we have a new rink and a top C/D/G in place.

Hate it or love it, the draft is the lifeblood of the NHL and if we ever want to be a perrenial contender we need to either be lucky, or agressive, or both IMO. Last year we got lucky that Parekh dropped to 9, this year we might need to make something happen if we want another potential home-run prospect.

Would love to see this, but would also love to see Ben Kindel drafted…so, let’s somehow see both!

[Niemo]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

I actually agree with you that things change fast if we can draft an elite #1 center. That is the hardest thing to find.

We also need some other pieces, but obviously if you draft a really good center, things look a lot brighter.

I actually think we need a 1C and an elite 2C from the drafts, then we can be rolling. Zary is more of a good 2LW and Frost....3C on good teams.

[PepsiFree]

Yeah if we can just hold on until we have elite players at every position then we start rolling after that.

[All In Good Time]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

Yeah if we can just hold on until we have elite players at every position then we start rolling after that.

Well
You know. Sure!
If we draft the 2 elite centres this year, they should be ready to be NHL rookies in 3 or 4 years. Then, they will only take another 3 or 4 years to develop into their eliteness and all we will need then are some elite wingers, defensemen and a goalie.
Easy
It’s in fact the ONLY way we will ever win

[Hackey]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

The only horse we really need is a #1C and another top 4 D which might be Morin. All the other horses are in the barn.

Highly doubt that. Other than Wolf no one has proven anything at an elite level. If the Flames hope to be a contender their top pieces are likely not in the system yet. Maybe Parekh will be one of those pieces but guys like Coronato and Zary are likely role players not leading your team.

[Vinny01]

Listening to 32 thoughts.

Marner is likely going west Friedman would be surprised if it is in the East

K.Miller the Rangers do not want to give him term so his name is out there.

Has received pushback that Karlsson in Vegas or Lafreniere in NY are available for trade (he is hearing they are not)

[Vinny01]

If Marner is going west here is my shortlist
LA, Anaheim, SJ, Chicago, Utah

[Finger Cookin]

I could see Marner enjoying playing for LA, getting a nice place in Manhattan Beach, and enjoying a nice southern California lifestyle in a sheltered enclave kind of way. About as opposite as he could get from his hometown fishbowl, both situationally and geographically. Guess we'll know soon.

[Toonage]

Feels all but guaranteed Marner will be a Knight. This is what they do. Already laying the foundation with the Pietrangelo talk.

[Royle9]

I still feel like Marner to SJ makes the most sense.
Maybe its fear of VGK cashing in on another big UFA as always.

[ForeverFlameFan]

David Pagnotta: Aaron Ekblad likely headed to free agency; Florida want him at less than his current $7.5 AAV, something in the 6 range - NHL Network