Speculation: Armchair GM Thread 2025-26 Part Deux; Post-Raz Edition

[RasmusAndersson]

I have been on the sell high train with Pospisil for a bit now, doubt that happens after todays trade though. I think Zary is a name Conroy is open to move, but not actively shopping. Zary needs a change of scenery, unless Frost gets moved and the Flames are going to sink/swim with him at center for a long stretch.

You think a team is giving up more than a late round pick for Pospisil with his injury history and scoring issues? I doubt it. I think we may as well give him a full offseason and see what he can do this year to see if he can become something

 

[Zirakzigil]

You think a team is giving up more than a late round pick for Pospisil with his injury history and scoring issues? I doubt it. I think we may as well give him a full offseason and see what he can do this year to see if he can become something

I dont think any player move from the Flames is a non package move. Pospisil and a 2nd to move up into the 1st round. Coleman and a pick for Geekie. Stuff like that. Flames have a crap ton of quantity, even after todays trade. Time to trade it for some quality.

 

[Lunatik]

Curious why you think it’s worth it to move Pospisil or Zary over Coleman/Sharangovich? I think we’d be selling very low on Pospy specifically — at least give him a full offseason to see if he can bounce back to 2024 form. I still think he can be an effective bottom-6 forechecker with good speed (similar to a William Carrier). I doubt we’d get more than a 4th for him now, so why sell low when there’s a chance he could bounce back a bit and be able to fetch more or grab a long-term spot? And similar argument for Zary.

I’d rather shop Sharangovich for almost anything or see if a team is offering a lottery-protected first for Coleman, or else keep Coleman until December/January and rotate one of Pospisil or Klapka or Honzy in the press box (or Honzy in the A for a stint) until Coleman is moved. By the deadline, both Coleman and Strome should be moved, which should solve the log jam. Then, if certain young guys are forcing their way up the depth chart (Stromgren, Castagna, etc.), consider trading one of Zary/Pospy or whoever doesn’t bounce back or step up.

IMO the roster logjam issues are overblown. There’s always injuries, and we can definitely survive for a few months with the roster as is even if nobody is hurt (which won’t happen). I just wouldn’t sell low on anyone just for the sake of it

It feeling like you are missing that when we make a trade can be as important to value as who we are trading.

Coleman for instance, he good value on his own, but being able to retain 50% and reduce his AAV to under 2.5m increases it substantially. So trading him before July 1st is a non-starter IMO. After July 1, it's very rare we see any trades that aren't involving unsigned RFAs and just as few trades happen early in an NHL season. So I just don't see a realistic scenario where he is moved before December where we get fair value for him. Of course all it takes is 1 desperate GM to change that.

Sharangovich... I'd f***ing love to move him... but he's not going anywhere with that contract, unless it's another player coming back on a poor deal on the other side. At this point, we're better of putting him with Huby and Stromer and see what they can do and hope he increases his value so we can trade him later on.

Pospisil... I don't "want" to trade him, but let's be real here, he's reached Ferland territory. He's a 4th liner that can move up to teh 3rd line and he's now entering his vet years, and he's one 1 wrong hit or punch from being forced into retirement. I'm sorry but as much as it sucks, I say trade him, maybe let him win a cup somewhere before that inevitable disastrous moment that we're all hoping never happens does finally come.

Zary... if he can't outplay Sharangovich for a top 9 spot, why keep him? Sure it's selling low, but as it stands, that value isn't improving. I'm not against him playing on the 4th line either though. But if the rumors of him being unhappy are true? Get him outta here. Because he's not going to be happy with how he's used unless he can steal a job from someone else.

Morgan Frost and Ryan Strome are in much the same position as Coleman, being able to retain on one of them will really help some contender and thus their trade value, so it doesn't make sense to move them until we start seeing team going ape shit for centers as teh deadline approaches.

Joel Hanley, Brayden Pachal, Maxim Tsyplakov, Yan Kuznetsov... I'd move any of them now. All could be UFAs after the season,

Olli Maatta, Joel Farabee, Adam Klapka. All eligible for UFA in the summer of 2028. Seems most prudent to hold onto them until the '28 deadline.... Also, I wouldn't be shocked if we re-signed Farabee long term and he was out next captain.

Devin Cooley... I wouldn;t shop him, but I'd keep the doors open, several teams need goaltending a a few of those teams severely lack cap space.

Zach Whitecloud... now this one is interesting. Affordable contract, still a year remaining, but he might be more important helping Parekh and Nemec develop, than any return we could get for him could be to the rebuild. Unless we're offered a 1st+ for him, I think we'll gain m ore by him being a good teammate and mentor.

As it stands, I see this as our healthy roster on opening night....

Gridin - Frost - Coronato
Huberdeau - Strome - Sharangovich
Farabee - Backlund - Coleman
Pospisil - Zary - Klapka
x: 1 of Tsyplakov, Beecher or Morton
Honzek will be sent down because there is no room for him

Bahl - Nemec
Parkeh - Whitecloud
Maattaa - Kuznetsov
x: 2 of Hanley, Pachal, Grushnikov

Wolf - Cooley