2025/2026 Season Trade Rumours and Speculation Thread

[TheIronMaiden]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Darn, we were actually discussing rumors for a bit there

I heard a rumor that Edmonton is not no good. I didn't have to look deeper. Because I know for a fact, EDMONTON IS NO GOOD.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Just look at the history of when teams typically contend for cups after they draft their franchise players. The Sharks realistically are looking to contend in 2032-2034. Pittsburgh and Chicago were the outliers in the cap era.

That’s not by design, it’s because there is a building failure in that ten year period that requires a retool. Pittsburgh and Chicago are outliers because they actually surrounded their young players with quality veterans instead of sitting in their hands until they realized they had to trade off some of the players they drafted to compete.

Tampa as well. They were in the finals with a 24 yo Stamkos and Hedman and a 21 yo Kucherov.

LA won with a 24 yo Kopitar and 22 yo Doughty.

Colorado opened their contender window with a 24 yo MacKinnon and 21 yo Makar.

Celebrini will be 20 next year, with the rest of their core (Askarov, Dickinson, Misa, Smith) in the 19-24 range. You’re off base if you think they aren’t trying to compete in the next 3-4 years.

[gvitaly]

Originally Posted by Roko

Ok so in theory if it’s them in on Andersson. What do they have that we want?

I'd take the package they got for K'Andre Miller. 1st + 2nd + Morrow.

Perrault could be a very good get, but I doubt that he's available, and the Flames have plenty of smaller LS wingers.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by TheIronMaiden

I heard a rumor that Edmonton is not no good. I didn't have to look deeper. Because I know for a fact, EDMONTON IS NO GOOD.

Working to confirm....



Confirmed. Didn't take long.

[the-rasta-masta]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Regarding whether Francis is 'a mouthpiece for management'...

Even if he is (and I suspect he occasionally gets a morsel to chew on), that DOES NOT mean that everything he says is coming from management.

Wasn't Francis big on the Gaudreau is going to leave train? I'd doubt if he was a mouthpiece for management they'd have him communicating that.

[MrButtons]

If Francis had a hand up his butt from ownership working him like a puppet, would he really ask some of the dumbest questions ever to the players? Probs not. Just my two cents.

[gvitaly]

Originally Posted by Badgers Nose

Couldn't hurt to grab him and see if he can be a C for us.

Huska seems to want to keep Kerins down until there is a top nine slot for him. Maybe Nikita is an upgrade on Kirkland?

He could be an upgrade on Kirkland, but Kirkland is much better on face-offs, and the Flames place a lot of value on starting with the puck.

I also want to see what we have in Stromgren, and Pospisil might be back towards the end of January.

Originally Posted by Conroy on Pospisil. Dec, 20th

“He should start ramping up soon,” Conroy said. “I’m hoping as we get through into probably January, he’ll be back skating with the team. He said he felt good on the ice. No complications. So I think we’re trending in the right direction.”

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Regarding whether Francis is 'a mouthpiece for management'...

Even if he is (and I suspect he occasionally gets a morsel to chew on), that DOES NOT mean that everything he says is coming from management.

I think he’s the guy they feed stuff to when they want because they know what he’ll do. At the same time, he’s about clicks so when he’s not being fed, he’s stirring pots.

[Macindoc]

Originally Posted by the-rasta-masta

Wasn't Francis big on the Gaudreau is going to leave train? I'd doubt if he was a mouthpiece for management they'd have him communicating that.

Originally Posted by MrButtons

If Francis had a hand up his butt from ownership working him like a puppet, would he really ask some of the dumbest questions ever to the players? Probs not. Just my two cents.

Francis has said lots of things that were not particularly helpful to the Flames, and if anything, tends to stir the pot whenever there is any controversy surrounding the organization. He's definitely not their mouthpiece, the way Edmonton media are for the Oilers. But yes, I think they occasionally send a tasty morsel his way to see what the reaction is.

[sureLoss]

on TSN Lebrun said he is hearing the major contenders want to wait to make their major moves until after the Olympics because a) in case the player they trade for gets injured at the olympics and b) in case their own player(s) get injured at the Olympics and they need to switch focus on trade targets

[BigThief]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Darn, we were actually discussing rumors for a bit there

Post a random gif and get the fires going again then.

[looooob]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

on TSN Lebrun said he is hearing the major contenders want to wait to make their major moves until after the Olympics because a) if the player they trade for gets injured at the olympics and b) if their own player(s) get injured at the Olympics and they need to switch focus on trade targets

I get that logic, but not totally as the same thing can happen in season too , no? I understand it sucks more when it happens in games not involving your team directly

[YyjFlames]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Regarding whether Francis is 'a mouthpiece for management'...

Even if he is (and I suspect he occasionally gets a morsel to chew on), that DOES NOT mean that everything he says is coming from management.

Sure, I don't expect anyone would think that, but I do think he's being used more than he was in previous eras.

He's still not a complete cheerleader like sportsnet Edmonton, but he's toned down his antagonizing attacks over the last few years. I think this is partly due to the regime change to Conroy/broader group and partly as he understands more of the quid pro quo relationship that good reporters have with the organizations they cover.

You don't give a team/org a free pass, but a good reporter also needs to avoid being a total dick all the time if you expect to get insider info.

[Tbull8]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

on TSN Lebrun said he is hearing the major contenders want to wait to make their major moves until after the Olympics because a) in case the player they trade for gets injured at the olympics and b) in case their own player(s) get injured at the Olympics and they need to switch focus on trade targets

Wouldn’t hate it if more of a fringe team like SJ or Utah got ahead of it to try and beat the contenders having a shot at him

[YyjFlames]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

on TSN Lebrun said he is hearing the major contenders want to wait to make their major moves until after the Olympics because a) in case the player they trade for gets injured at the olympics and b) in case their own player(s) get injured at the Olympics and they need to switch focus on trade targets

I can see this. It would be pretty brutal if a team unloaded the cupboards for Andersson and he got injured pretty badly during the Olympics. But really, it just takes one team to want a player enough to create a pre-Olympics bidding war.

[Sled]

Anyone else type out responses to posts in here to just delete them because what's the point? or just me?

[Niemo]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

on TSN Lebrun said he is hearing the major contenders want to wait to make their major moves until after the Olympics because a) in case the player they trade for gets injured at the olympics and b) in case their own player(s) get injured at the Olympics and they need to switch focus on trade targets

More delay and risk.....F....

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

That’s not by design, it’s because there is a building failure in that ten year period that requires a retool. Pittsburgh and Chicago are outliers because they actually surrounded their young players with quality veterans instead of sitting in their hands until they realized they had to trade off some of the players they drafted to compete.

Tampa as well. They were in the finals with a 24 yo Stamkos and Hedman and a 21 yo Kucherov.

LA won with a 24 yo Kopitar and 22 yo Doughty.

Colorado opened their contender window with a 24 yo MacKinnon and 21 yo Makar.

Celebrini will be 20 next year, with the rest of their core (Askarov, Dickinson, Misa, Smith) in the 19-24 range. You’re off base if you think they aren’t trying to compete in the next 3-4 years.

They will try and compete and I am sure will have some nice runs but teams typically win in that 8-10 year range after guys are drafted. LA traded guys they picked in the top 5 in Johnson and Schenn to land Richards and Carter who along with captain Dustin Brown were picked 9 years before that run. Kopitar won the second cup 9 years after his draft.

I just am not sure going with a 30 year old Dman on an 8 year deal makes sense for a team with 18-21 year olds they will be handing out huge money for very soon. If Rasmus was 26-27 it would make sense but he will be 30 at the start of the contract. He is a 2-3 Dman in his prime that doesn’t line up with the Sharks core. I agree they will be pushing for a playoff spot soon and adding to their roster soon but I think they will be going the route the Habs did with Dobson and go after a mid-20’s guy who can step in right away but be a factor for 8 years.

I personally think Andersson makes a lot more sense for a mature team that has been competing and looking to bolster their lineup rather than a young up and coming team who haven’t paid their young stars paying the price to trade for and then sign Andersson

[This post is terrible]

That’s fine with me the “major” contenders don’t have the pieces we want. Tampa might be the only one with O’Reilly/Geekie, but I just really want that Toronto pick from Boston.

[Strange Brew]

Yeah it makes no sense to make a major acquisition right before the Olympics if that player is on one of the teams. If Rasmus not moved very soon it will be after the break.