Rumor: 2026 Trade Rumors and Free Agency: Offseason Edition

[NOTENOUGHRYJOTHINGS]

This guy seems to think Nuke could fetch two 2nds, Chicago posters like it
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Can they trade Nuke for conditional picks that get better if he has a better year?

It would add some fun to the score board watching.

Getting a couple second rounders for Nuke and two firsts and a prospect for Makar would help kick off the retool.

 

[LOFIN]

Low tax and sun belt states. Honestly, the way NHL players pick and choose the same teams over and over is quite nauseating.

It has less to do with the taxes and the weather in this instance, and more that those teams are top contenders right now. And that in turn, also has less to do with taxes and weather, and more that they actually have very competent front offices.

 

[BaconNater]

The punishment for requesting to go to 1 - 3 teams should be that you HAVE to be traded to a Canadian team then.

If a player requests a trade and says I want Vegas or Florida then their No Trade Clause should be zapped away and they can go anywhere

 

[EdAVSfan]

I've been told we had Benoit in the McMann deal, but basically dropped that as soon as we got word Calgary would retain on Kadri.

Yeah that makes sense.
I hope they re-explore a Benoit trade this offseason if he can be had for cheapz
He would be a good player for the bottom pairing LD spot. Instantly gives us size and a PKer.

 

[AllAboutAvs]

I don't think the Avs sign Burns if the Nuke/Miller trade happens last summer.

When it comes to the TDL Roy only happened because it looked like the Kadri trade was not going to happen. So IMO all the Burns cap money (or at least 85-90% of it) would have gone against the 25-26 season instead of next season if the Kadri trade happened when it was supposed to happen because we would have had Roy's cap hit.

 

[Tommy Shelby]

Imagine if this was the blueline

Toews-Makar
Miller-Manson
Kulak-Malinski

F***ing coward Rangers

 

[The Abusement Park]

Everything reminds me of her.

I should call her.

 

[The Merchant]

Listen to the group chat, Brock!

 

[Balthazar]

I'm not sure how Winnipeg is supposed to remain competitive, keep their good players and attract new ones.

 

[Balthazar]

Listen to the group chat, Brock!

Prediction: all the players on the picture who are playing for a Canadian team will ask for a trade within a year, including Matthews.

Hughes is already out, Hellebuyck is next, then Brady, then Matthews.

Edit: Connor too.

 

[LOFIN]

I'm not sure how Winnipeg is supposed to remain competitive, keep their good players and attract new ones.

It's not an even playing field, never was. The NHL draft does provide an avenue to get better.

 

[The AntiBob]

I'm not sure how Winnipeg is supposed to remain competitive, keep their good players and attract new ones.

Samberg available?

 

[LOFIN]

Prediction: all the players on the picture who are playing for a Canadian team will ask for a trade within a year, including Matthews.

Hughes is already out, Hellebuyck is next, then Brady, then Matthews.

I think Hellebuyck will ask for a trade. The Jets are not going anywhere any time soon, and he just got a great taste of success. His end of season remarks were something as well.

I don't think Matthews and Brady will ask for a trade, but I do think it's more likely than not that they will be informing their teams that they don't intend to re-sign when their contracts are up in two years. Which probably will, if Toronto and Ottawa are smart, force an actual trade before the contracts are up.

 

[dahrougem2]

Hellebuyck
Tkachuk
Matthews
Connor

In that order will be traded over the next year and a bit. I'll say:

Hellebuyck to Florida
Tkachuk to St. Louis
Matthews to Los Angeles
Connor to Boston

 

[LOFIN]

I know that some people don't like this new "player empowerment" movement (and obviously it sucks if it's your team). But I do like it if players are going to be more proactive in increasing player movement. Free agency is dead, so if the trade market is revitalized, that's good for entertainment.

 

[dahrougem2]

I know that some people don't like this new "player empowerment" movement (and obviously it sucks if it's your team). But I do like it if players are going to be more proactive in increasing player movement. Free agency is dead, so if the trade market is revitalized, that's good for entertainment.

Double edged sword. If the 7 Canadian teams have to now avoid an entire country's worth of players, that's a massive problem.

 

[Balthazar]

I know that some people don't like this new "player empowerment" movement (and obviously it sucks if it's your team). But I do like it if players are going to be more proactive in increasing player movement. Free agency is dead, so if the trade market is revitalized, that's good for entertainment.

Every fanbase should be able to believe its team has a chance, one day, to win the Stanley Cup. To me that’s the single most important thing.

 

[LOFIN]

Every fanbase should be able to believe its team has a chance, one day, to win the Stanley Cup. To me that’s the single most important thing.

My European brain can't comprehend this level of socialism in sports

 

[Balthazar]

My European brain can't comprehend this level of socialism in sports

There's literally no point (zero) to have a franchise, in any sport, if they can't win a championship. The fact that you accepted that as a reality is f***ed.

 

[LOFIN]

There's literally no point (zero) to have a franchise, in any sport, if they can't win a championship. The fact that you accepted that as a reality is f***ed.

Go ask AHL fans, would you rather have your AHL team win the AHL championship, or get your team into the NHL but never win the championship.

 

[EdAVSfan]

Go ask AHL fans, would you rather have your AHL team win the AHL championship, or get your team into the NHL but never win the championship.

I’d rather win a peewee soccer championship than guaranteed never win a title in a higher league.

 

[Balthazar]

Go ask AHL fans, would you rather have your AHL team win the AHL championship, or get your team into the NHL but never win the championship.

If my NHL team can't win because of rules and geography then give me the AHL team.

 

[LOFIN]

I’d rather win a peewee soccer championship than guaranteed never win a title in a higher league.

Ok, fair play to you. I think the vast majority of people disagree, at least over here. My team has just spent 9/12 last seasons in the 2nd division, and f*** that shit. I don't even know if there was a trophy for winning the 2nd division, nobody cares about that. Promotion to the top tier is what matters.

In the end, in my opinion, you are always going to have some teams that are more desirable than others in the world of sports, no matter how much you artificially try to balance the playing field. NHL is doing probably the most, and they are doing a pretty good job. Even that can't fix the fact that Winnipeg is a small town in the frozen north, not exactly a top-tier destination for anyone. Unless they could pay more than others, but they can't because of the salary cap.

 

[Pokecheque]

They look old and slow because they play a system built around transition and speed. Another coach with a different approach could potentially give them a second life.

It can’t be overstated: you don’t need to be fast to be good.

I'm not so sure of that, it ain't like Burns can play trap/clog-it-up defensive hockey either.

It comes down to separation. You need separation to make plays. You can create that space for yourself three different ways. Be big, be fast, or be smart. Sometimes players are varying combinations of those three.

Avs couldn't get any separation and I don't think it was the fault of the system they were using. If they were going to become a more defensive-style slog team then their makeup would have to be radically different, it's not like some guy could come in and just incorporate a new system and it would suddenly work.

 

[dahrougem2]

At the end of the day you have to compete with other owners where you can.

Winnipeg's owner can't compete with the climates of southern American cities, or the size of those cities and their urban developments.

So what do you do? You have to compete where you can.

You have to spend a f*** ton on amenities for the players and their families. You have to provide perks outside the scope of money like private jet access, car services, daycare services at the arena, bringing families on road trips, highest of high end gyms, practice facilities, stick budgets, staff, etc.

If you are serious about owning a sports franchise you can't nickel and dime shit and expect to compete, ESPECIALLY in an already less desirable market.