The Calgary Flames are a team with plenty of question marks entering the preseason. They traded away their starting goaltender, Jacob Markstrom, to the New Jersey Devils, and it seems like they are rebuilding despite some large contracts doled out to veterans. It's hard to decide which way this season will go for Calgary. However, we'll try to make some bold predictions for the Flames' 2024-25 season.
The Flames entered the 2023-24 season with the same mindset as this year. They believed that some of their stars could turn around an abysmal 2022-23 season and get them back on track. The Flames began the season poorly, winning two of their first seven games to go behind in the Pacific Division. They rebounded with an 8-4-2 record through November but were never able to make up the ground.
The Flames ended the season 17 points out of the wild card race and 18 points out of the final playoff spot in the Pacific. It was a terrible season all around, with the only bright spot being Nazem Kadri's output with 75 points in 82 games. However, a true Stanley Cup contender doesn't have Kadri as their first-line center and leading scorer. It was an impressive campaign for Kadri, but his finishing 16 points up on the second-leading-scorer is concerning.
Jonathan Huberdeau doesn't find his form
The Jonathan Huberdeau acquisition for the Flames could be one of the worst trades in decades. It looked like the Flames were getting a steal when the trade happened, but the ensuing aftermath has been a disaster.
The deal's core was the Flames trading Matthew Tkachuk to the Panthers for Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar. Tkachuk didn't want to stay in Calgary, so it made sense for the Flames to acquire some assets before his contract ran out. The initial trade made it look like the Flames received plenty of value. Huberdeau was coming off a 115-point season, and Weegar was a defensive commodity.
The result of that deal has been well-told. Huberdeau's 2021-22 season with the Panthers was 115 points in an 80-game campaign. He played 160 games with the Flames over the last two seasons, recording just 109 points. Huberdeau's points-per-game average has lowered by over half a point, which is more than disappointing.
Calgary fans would have handled this outcome well if Tkachuk had gone to the Panthers and became a forgotten former team member. However, Tkachuk has done nothing but take the hockey world by storm in South Florida.
He recorded a career-high 109 points in his first season with the Panthers, which is the same number that Huberdeau has in two seasons. Tkachuk has also led the Panthers to back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals and the franchise's first championship last season.
It doesn't get much worse for the Flames, and there's likely no coming back for Huberdeau from another disappointing season.
Calgary Flames finish last in the NHL
There are plenty of reasons to believe that the Flames can turn some things around and get back into contention in the Pacific Division. Huberdeau could regain his form and become the elite point producer they thought they were acquiring. Kadri might become a valuable second-line center and bring Stanley Cup-winning experience to a young forward group. Another possibility is that Dustin Wolf will be the goaltender the Flames believed they had when he won the American Hockey League MVP.
However, if the heading didn't clarify, I don't think any of that would happen. The Flames trusted the wrong players to keep them in playoff contention, and they'll pay the price for it again this season. Any team could've gotten fooled by Huberdeau's 2021-22 season, but they overpaid for Kadri after one successful season with the Colorado Avalanche.
The Flames aren't concerned about giving away Markstrom if they plan on rebuilding. They believe Wolf is their future starting goaltender and aren't worried about losing an aging Markstrom.
Look at Wolf and Dan Vladar's stats from last season. Wolf appeared in 17 games, owning a 3.16 goals-against average and a .893 save percentage. Vladar was even worse, with a 3.62 goals-against average and a .882 save percentage. Let's assume both goaltenders have similar seasons this year while splitting time between the pipes. It's easy to see a path where the Flames are the worst team in the league if they struggle again.
The San Jose Sharks nearly set records in losing last season, and their goalies had very similar numbers to Wolf and Vladar. Kaapo Kahkonen had a 3.81 GAA and a .895 save percentage, while Mackenzie Blackwood had a 3.45 GAA and a .899 save percentage.
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