The 2023-24 season for the Calgary Flames looked like it could be a disaster. They started with a 2-6-1 record and all the concerns about the team were becoming real. The Flames fixed some of the issues and their younger players began to step up, but they didn't come close to qualifying for the postseason. Most of the Flames' flaws are still true heading into the 2024-25 season, and there are some significant roster concerns.
It's hard for the Flames front office to accept a rebuild, but they're heading in that direction. The Flames have legitimate talent on the roster, but losing Elias Lindholm and Jacob Markstrom over the last year creates significant holes. The Flames must embrace the rebuild for a few seasons before the team hits rock bottom.
Calgary isn't an easy market for a team to succeed. The Flames play their games deep in Western Canada, where the winters are a long, cold marathon. It's difficult to get players to sign there in free agency and even harder to get players to want to stay. Those fears became true when the Flames were contenders in the early 2020s but couldn't convince Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk to stay.
The Flames are now left wondering where they can go from here.
How much will Flames miss Jacob Markstrom?
The Flames didn't have a choice when trading Jacob Markstom this offseason. He had two years remaining on his contract, and his value would only drop. The Flames didn't get much in return, but it was much more than they'd have gotten if they kept him around through the rebuild.
The Flames have been trying to find a way to fit Dustin Wolf in the lineup for years. The 2022-23 American Hockey League Most Valuable Player dominated in the minors since joining the Flames but hasn't been able to replicate the success in Calgary. The Flames decided to cut bait with Markstrom early and find out what Wolf could do in the NHL.
Wolf isn't your typical star goaltender. The roster lists him at a generous 6-foot-0, three to four inches shorter than the average. We've seen undersized goalies excel in the league, such as Nashville Predators' Juuse Saros. However, Wolf hasn't shown a reason to believe he will reach that level with the Flames.
Wolf has been spectacular in the AHL, never dipping below a .920 save percentage or above a 2.45 goals-against average. It's hard to put up good numbers in the minors, so Wolf's success is promising for being a future starting goaltender with Calgary.
The question is: what will happen if Wolf falters? The Flames don't have any valuable pieces in the pipeline, and their current backup, Dan Vladar, is coming off his worst season as a professional. The Flames want to be bad this season to get a good draft pick, but all their hopes for future success rest on Wolf's shoulders.
Will Jonathan Huberdeau rediscover his game?
There's no easy path forward for Huberdeau and the Flames. Calgary acquired him and MacKenzie Weegar from the Florida Panthers for Matthew Tkachuk. In hindsight, the trade was one of the worst the league has seen in the modern era, as Huberdeau has been a bust, and Tkachuk led the Panthers to two straight Stanley Cup Final appearances and a championship in 2024.
The Flames would love vindication on the trade by Huberdeau becoming the 115-point player he was in his final season with the Panthers. However, if Huberdeau rediscovers that form and Kadri has a successful season, it could elevate the Flames higher in the standings. Calgary's goal is a few years of rebuilding, and getting top picks in the following two drafts would help the cause.
The goal for the Flames could be for Huberdeau to round into form and drop the deadweight of the $10.5 million annual contract. The Flames will pay Huberdeau until the 2030-31 season ends, which could get hilariously bad if his production continuously declines.
Despite the large Huberdeau and Kadri contracts, Calgary has $21 million of cap space. It isn't terrible for a rebuilding team to have the contracts keeping them above the cap floor, as they won't contribute to many wins, and staying above the cap floor with the least amount of production possible should get the Flames a top draft pick.
Huberdeau's continued negative form will get the Flames a good shot at James Hagens and Gavin McKenna in the next two seasons. Both look like generational players who will reinvigorate the Flames and accelerate the rebuild. The problem is that fan support will continue to wain if Tkachuk succeeds and Huberdeau continues to decline.
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