2025/2026 Season Trade Rumours and Speculation Thread

[Major Major]

Originally Posted by MissTeeks

LeBrun and Johnston playing trade matchmakers on the Athletic today. They picked potential destinations for Coleman. LeBrun said Tampa, Johnston said Dallas.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/693...shared_article

Really enjoyed this post, BTW.

[dino7c]

Fans will always debate no matter what...

The Sharks were out there signing old UFAs before last season but they sucked still so it was a direction I guess

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

To me a pretty clear indication you are directionless is that the opinion is so split on what you are doing. Some fans say this is a rebuild, some say it is a retool, some say a rebiggle.

If you picked a clear direction, we wouldn't have people arguing about what the plan is. To me that just screams directionless. Because you can make an argument either way.

Sure we would, the Flames could trade all 3 and the usual suspects would just say that keeping Backlund, Farabee and Weegar is a sign they are not rebuilding. If moving 7 vets for picks and prospects was not enough to establish a different direction why would 3 more vets tip the scales in any meaningful way. The argument would survive, it would just change.

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by PaperBagger'14

This one is good, but lawyers don't watch The Simpsons so they wouldn't get the reference.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

The Sharks tanked for years and had a "losing culture". Now that they got some great pieces and are winning, they have a "winning culture".

Wrong!

The Sharks are not winning. They're right in the ‘mushy middle’ that you're always complaining about – barely in the second wild card in a weak conference, and just below league average in the standings. In fact, they are 21st in the league right now by points percentage.

The best way to get a winning culture is to get some elite players and start winning. I am not big into the culture thing.

That's because you obviously don't know what it actually is, and aren't interested in learning anything.

I think it's a point people make to try to defend a mediocre team and tell themselves at least the culture is good.

Wrong again. If you actually knew or cared what team culture means, you would know better than to spout such obvious foolishness. But you don't know, and have made up your mind that there isn't anything to know.

‘Indeed, the Ignorant Have-Not
Don't even know what he don't got.’ —Ogden Nash

[Rhett44]

Lol team culture is complete bs. When you are winning the vibes are good and when you are losing the vibes are bad.

People on this very site were saying Rasmus was a locker room cancer when we were losing every game. Now that we are winning every game, he is a great leader in the room.

I just think it is hilarious to bring up team culture as some amazing Calgary Flames trait.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

To me a pretty clear indication you are directionless is that the opinion is so split on what you are doing. Some fans say this is a rebuild, some say it is a retool, some say a rebiggle.

If you picked a clear direction, we wouldn't have people arguing about what the plan is. To me that just screams directionless. Because you can make an argument either way.

To be fair some of the arguments are really, really terrible.

[MissTeeks]

Originally Posted by Major Major

Really enjoyed this post, BTW.

Thought it might generate something else to discuss besides watching the same people have the same fight for the 1 millionth time. Seems I was wrong.

[PaperBagger'14]

Originally Posted by topfiverecords

This one is good, but lawyers don't watch The Simpsons so they wouldn't get the reference.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by MissTeeks

Thought it might generate something else to discuss besides watching the same people have the same fight for the 1 millionth time. Seems I was wrong.

It was a good article. Interesting that they talk about all the interest in Coleman and how Tampa does not really have the assets but does have a 1st and all their 2nds. Suspect Tampa ends up coming to the table with a multiple pick offer including a 1st round pick.

Also interesting that they list 3 legitimate NHL players with their thoughts about where they might be traded and then have Mangiapane as their 4th player. Waiver fodder is not usually speculated about.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Red Potato Standing By

Other then Hanifin he sure made a half-assed attempt at it almost as if he extended offers he knew they would turn down.

The Lindholm one is very funny to use as an example.

- Flames reportedly make an offer in early July
- By September Lindholm states they haven’t spoken since early July
- In January Lindholm reiterates the Flames made an offer in July they didn’t agree on, and haven’t spoken about a contract since then
- In February Lindholm is traded
- Shortly after the trade Lindholm states he never refused to sign, and was always willing to stay

Sounds like Conroy was really bending over backwards to sign him lol.

[Badgers Nose]

Originally Posted by MissTeeks

Thought it might generate something else to discuss besides watching the same people have the same fight for the 1 millionth time. Seems I was wrong.

What's the gist of the article? Any good trading partners that haven't been discussed in this thread? Especially, suitors for Ras.

I believe reports that there is some smoke around Dallas but I don't see them as a fit for Ras because of how little they have that we would want. That is to say, assets that they would actually ship out for a rental.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

Lol team culture is complete bs. When you are winning the vibes are good and when you are losing the vibes are bad.

It isn't about vibes. I explained this to you before, as did other posters. But you absolutely refuse to retain that information. Vibes have NOTHING WHATEVER TO DO WITH CULTURE. At least get that through your head!!!!

I just think it is hilarious to bring up team culture as some amazing Calgary Flames trait.

Nobody is doing that. Nobody has ever done that. But you would have to actually read and comprehend what other people say in order to know that, and that is obviously something you have no intention of ever doing.

At least you could stop advertising your ignorance by repeating the same obvious lies over and over every single day.

[Jason14h]

Originally Posted by Aarongavey

If moving 7 vets for picks and prospects was not enough to establish a different direction why would 3 more vets tip the scales in any meaningful way. The argument would survive, it would just change.

The Flames actually haven't really got many prospects in those trades. That's actually one of my issues.

They decided to get mid 20 guys to fill these slots - in my opinion - to try and stay decent/ok

Sure 7 Vets went out, but they brough in 6 guys (+ Wolf) to replace them / attempt to replace and stay relevant

Frost (25), Farabee (26), Shags (25), Bahl (23), Okhotyuk (23), and Miromanov (26) all came back in trades

(You can also add in Kuzmenko but they later shipped him out so I'm cancelling the in and out off for simplicity)

The only two prospects they have received are Bruz (19) and Grushnikov (20)

For net picks they have added :

Three 1sts, One 2nd, three 3rds, and a 4th.

Not a bad haul, but honestly if you are trading SEVEN quality vets as you love to point out - It feels a little light when only 2 prospects came back (And only one was even a B prospect) and you only end up net 4 picks in the first 2 rounds over 3 seasons.

The reason is feels light is because they chose to get mid 20's guys back as well instead of more picks and prospects.

This is where people look and see more of a Rebiggle vs committed rebuild.

We could have not gotten any of those mid 20's guys, signed older FA's to 1-3 year deals to fill out the roster (or salary dumps but they are rarer nowadays) who we could then try to flip as their contracts expired after giving them ice time and opportunity to pump their worth, have a worse team for our own better pick, and have more picks and prospects .

I personally think our future would be looking a lot brighter over the next 5 years if this was the case.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Fans will always debate no matter what...

The Sharks were out there signing old UFAs before last season but they sucked still so it was a direction I guess

Signing short term contracts to fill spots is a big difference to signing long term contracts with older players. That is no in consistent with a complete tear down rebuild. You still need to field a team.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

Wrong!

The Sharks are not winning. They're right in the ‘mushy middle’ that you're always complaining about – barely in the second wild card in a weak conference, and just below league average in the standings. In fact, they are 21st in the league right now by points percentage.

They are in the mushy middle on the way up, not stagnating into the mushy middle. Huge difference.

Teams that do the tear down rebuild have to start moving up in various tiers. They will eventually hit the middle on their way up.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Badgers Nose

What's the gist of the article? Any good trading partners that haven't been discussed in this thread? Especially, suitors for Ras.

I believe reports that there is some smoke around Dallas but I don't see them as a fit for Ras because of how little they have that we would want. That is to say, assets that they would actually ship out for a rental.

It's just LeBrun and Johnston each picking a team where they think various players who are rumoured to be traded will end up getting traded to. For Coleman, LeBrun picked Tampa and Johnston picked Dallas.

They don't really discuss the return or any other teams.


They also talked about Andersson in a similar piece last week, and LeBrun picked Vegas and Johnston picked LA. Again, no real analysis beyond that.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by The Cobra

They are in the mushy middle on the way up, not stagnating into the mushy middle. Huge difference.

I see. So you know the Flames will never, ever, ever rise any higher than the middle, but that the Sharks are absolutely certain to become a contender? Good to know. What's it like to have absolutely accurate knowledge of the future?

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by PaperBagger'14

Lots of adults have ADD/ADHD, it really isn’t that weird or abnormal. But if you’re willing to use “I’m a lawyer I can’t have ADHD” I’m sure you’ve used it in the past.

Gio was not accused of having ADHD, but a learning disability. They are not the same thing AT ALL.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by Jason14h

The Flames actually haven't really got many prospects in those trades. That's actually one of my issues.

They decided to get mid 20 guys to fill these slots - in my opinion - to try and stay decent/ok

Sure 7 Vets went out, but they brough in 6 guys (+ Wolf) to replace them / attempt to replace and stay relevant

Frost (25), Farabee (26), Shags (25), Bahl (23), Okhotyuk (23), and Miromanov (26) all came back in trades

(You can also add in Kuzmenko but they later shipped him out so I'm cancelling the in and out off for simplicity)

The only two prospects they have received are Bruz (19) and Grushnikov (20)

For net picks they have added :

Three 1sts, One 2nd, three 3rds, and a 4th.

Not a bad haul, but honestly if you are trading SEVEN quality vets as you love to point out - It feels a little light when only 2 prospects came back (And only one was even a B prospect) and you only end up net 4 picks in the first 2 rounds over 3 seasons.

The reason is feels light is because they chose to get mid 20's guys back as well instead of more picks and prospects.

This is where people look and see more of a Rebiggle vs committed rebuild.

We could have not gotten any of those mid 20's guys, signed older FA's to 1-3 year deals to fill out the roster (or salary dumps but they are rarer nowadays) who we could then try to flip as their contracts expired after giving them ice time and opportunity to pump their worth, have a worse team for our own better pick, and have more picks and prospects .

I personally think our future would be looking a lot brighter over the next 5 years if this was the case.

Well Jurmo (22) came back as well, not sure the age breakdown of what is a prospect and what is not. I would have Bahl (who probably has another 10 years left in his career) as more of a prospect than an established player.

Also nobody moves Toffoli for Yegor, Hanifin for Miro and thinks they are trying to rebiggie or whatever that term means. You pick up those players hoping they work out, likely with a plan for some of them to move them in the future for other younger players or prospects. Suspect at the end of the day the Flames get more picks out of the Frost/Farabee trade than they gave up but that will take time.

The Flames also would have a very hard time finding UFAs to sign and play here. I also doubt the usual crowd on here would be fine with signing 5-6 UFAs to make the cap floor to push out young players from being on the roster (even if they could find those players). No Frost/Farabee/Bahl/Yegor and the Flames would be under the cap floor this year and projected to be far under the floor next year, which would precipitate a need to spend large amounts of money on the UFA market.