What's working for the Flames this year?

[Regal]

I think it's Calgary just doing the most Calgary thing can in being too good for a quality pick and not good enough to be a playoff lock, keeping the trapped in that evil middle ground.

They should really sell Iginla while he still has value.

 

[Laus723]

How’s Huby been this year?

 

[qc14]

I didn't really buy the conclusion a lot of pundits were making that Calgary was a for sure bottom 10 roster before the season started. The Flames still have a pretty solid and proud veteran group, and the distractions and uncertainty from last season have all been bounced.

Yep. Not a good roster but noticeably better than the real bottom feeders in SJS, CHI, ANA, MTL, CBJ, PHI, PIT. By true talent level I'd still say they're in the bottom third of that next tier -- DET, NSH, STL, UTH, BUF, OTT, NYI, SEA, BOS -- but certainly not a big enough difference between those teams that good coaching, player buy-in, and a really good goalie can't rise you to the top.

 

[viceroy]

I've said it before, I would not be surprised to see the Flames as buyers at the trade deadline.

 

[DJJones]

I've said it before, I would not be surprised to see the Flames as buyers at the trade deadline.

There's really nothing for them to buy. You're not getting a 1C at the deadline which is what we need. Maybe a 3C if all the internal options can't figure it out. Possibly a #4 defense to push Miromanov down but they seem to like him and are willing to give him time to figure things out.

Unless they trade Kuzmenko and just replace him with a similar player, maybe one that's overpaid for a year or two.

Not any obvious improvements to make at the deadline that would make sense unless they get some unicorn RFA center that is for some reason cheap.

 

[HighLifeMan]

How’s Huby been this year?

So-So. It's tough to say any forward on this roster had stood out consistently from an offensive standpoint.

He gets to much hate, though. Leads the team in goals despite not playing with a single full time NHL centermen yet (Pospisil, Sharangovich, Zary)

 

[nturn06]

I have only seen one Flames game this year against the Jets, and a couple of preseason stints. What's working for the Flames this year? Does it start in net? Skating of the defense? I would call them one of the early surprises out of the gate, a team that was supposed to be rebuilding, that's staying ahead of the pack.

The first 6 games worked for the Flames, and since then, they are slowly moving towards the bottom of the standings.

 

[syz]

Andersson will be a good TDL pickup for somebody.

 

[GOilers88]

I would say playing with desperation is more Edmonton's shtick this year.

I wish the Oilers played with more desperation on a regular basis. They pretty consistently go from looking like they don't give a shit to putting the pedal down when things look bleak.

 

[HighLifeMan]

The first 6 games worked for the Flames, and since then, they are slowly moving towards the bottom of the standings.

Are they though? I think the next 8 games will be very telling. Tough games vs NYR/MIN then a stretch of six against teams under .500.

5-0-1
1-5
4-1-2

And, that's with a 6.86 SH% during the last 15 games. They've had one poor stretch in which they played some very good teams.

 

[BertCorbeau]

Glad to see Calgary being competitive

I hope they don't .. burn out.

 

[GeeoffBrown]

Flames are better in the D+G position than anticipated

We'll come to your town and win 2-1. Bringing the 90s back

 

[Uncle Scrooge]

I don't see their start much different than the 21-22 Sharks. Missed the playoffs 2 consecutive years, team going through changes with veterans who are going to keep regressing as the years go by.

People expected things to get worse before they got better, but the Sharks came out and played well. Some young guys stepped up and they rolled lines. At christmas break they were over .500.

By the end of the season though they fell below and well, things did get worse the last couple of years.

I don't know how you delay the inevitable if you're the Flames. They were supposed to be in the heart of their contending window right now. Things didn't go according to plan, but there's still a price to be paid at the end of the day.

Avoid paying that price by trading guys soon and they're even further away. Keep the veterans and father time makes sure they're going to fall off (and we've already seen they're not good enough to contend anyway).

Seems to me just like SJS, they're headed for the eventual rebuild. This team needs a new core to build around.

 

[Figgy44]

It's the 10 year anniversary to Hartley's come back kids, eh?

Unsustainable.

 

[Lunatik]

I don't see their start much different than the 21-22 Sharks. Missed the playoffs 2 consecutive years, team going through changes with veterans who are going to keep regressing as the years go by.

People expected things to get worse before they got better, but the Sharks came out and played well. Some young guys stepped up and they rolled lines. At christmas break they were over .500.

By the end of the season though they fell below and well, things did get worse the last couple of years.

I don't know how you delay the inevitable if you're the Flames. They were supposed to be in the heart of their contending window right now. Things didn't go according to plan, but there's still a price to be paid at the end of the day.

Avoid paying that price by trading guys soon and they're even further away. Keep the veterans and father time makes sure they're going to fall off (and we've already seen they're not good enough to contend anyway).

Seems to me just like SJS, they're headed for the eventual rebuild. This team needs a new core to build around.

The rebuild already started.
In the last 18 months...

OUT	IN
Tyler Toffoli	Yegor Sharangovich 3rd in '23 (Aydar Suniev)
Nikita Zadorov	5th in '24 (Traded for Nikita Okhotiuk) 3rd in '26
Elias Lindholm	1st in '24 (Matvei Gridin) Hunter Brzustewicz Joni Jurmo Andrei Kuzmenko
Chris Tanev	2nd in '24 (Jacob Battaglia) Artem Grushnikov
Noah Hanifin	1st in '26 (Unprotected) 3rd in '24 (Karill Zarubin) Daniil Miromanov
Jacob Markstrom	1st in '25 (Top 10 protected) Kevin Bahl
Andrew Mangiapane	2nd in '25 (Avalanche Pick)