In 2021-22, the Calgary Flames were the class of the Pacific Division, winning 50 games for just the third time in franchise history and looking like a juggernaut heading into the playoffs. Although the run was ended by the Edmonton Oilers in Round 2 — who themselves lost to the eventual champion Colorado Avalanche — it was a supremely encouraging campaign in Calgary.
A key part of that success was the top line of Johnny Gaudreau, Matthew Tkachuk and Sean Monahan, which was one of the best trios in the National Hockey League at the time. Fast forward two years and Monahan just joined Johnny Hockey in Columbus, while Tkachuk is a Stanley Cup champion with the Florida Panthers.
It's hard to pinpoint exactly when it all started going downhill, but it probably had something to do with then-general manager Brad Treliving trading Tkachuk for Jonathan Huberdeau and Mackenzie Weegar, and Gaudreau shockingly leaving Alberta in free agency around the same time.
Although the Flames have tried to stay competitive, they've missed two straight postseasons, and the front office finally decided that enough was enough. This roster is unrecognizable from the one that won the Pacific Division, with Jacob Markstrom, Noah Hanifin, Andrew Mangiapane and Chris Tanev all no longer part of the equation, among others.
As it stands, Calgary is going to have a real rough time competing for a playoff spot as currently constructed, and it's looking like it will be a full-scale rebuild two years after nearly making the Final Four. That's hard to believe, but that is the business. This team is not expected to do much in 2024-25; here are a few bold predictions anyways.
Dustin Wolf will fill void Jacob Markstrom has left
Dustin Wolf is arguably the number one goaltending prospect in all of hockey. Despite being significantly undersized, the 23-year-old is a four-time goaltender of the year between the Everett Silvertips in junior and Calgary Wranglers/Stockton Heat in the American Hockey League.
Although he's yet to prove himself at the NHL level, the 2024-25 campaign will be the perfect time for the California native to earn the starting nod in Calgary after Markstrom was traded to the New Jersey Devils this summer. Wolf was named the goaltender of the year in both of his full-time seasons in the AHL, posting league-leading statistics in the process.
The Flames do have a much-depleted blue line, and not having Tanev and Hanifin on that unit is going to be really hard to come back from. But Wolf is the presumed starter come October — with Dan Vladar as the backup — and he has an excellent opportunity to establish himself as an everyday netminder in the National Hockey League. As the Flames enter a rebuild, a strong campaign would go even further in proving that the former seventh-round pick is ready for the spotlight.
Calgary will very likely struggle next year, but expect Wolf to hold his own and turn heads across the league in his rookie campaign. It may take some time, but this kid is going to surprise some people.
Jonathan Huberdeau will find his game, score 60 points with Flames
It's hard not to feel bad for Jonathan Huberdeau. He poured his heart and soul into the Florida Panthers, even amassing a ridiculous 85 assists and 115 points in 80 games in 2021-22. But there's no loyalty in hockey anymore, and the French-Canadian was dealt to the Flames mere weeks after the best season of his career.
And while the 31-year-old has struggled mightily to recreate that magic — and been on back-to-back non-playoff rosters — the team that drafted him No. 3 overall in 2011 marched to two consecutive Stanley Cup Finals, losing to the Vegas Golden Knights last year and finally bringing a championship to South Beach after beating the Edmonton Oilers in seven games this time around.
That's brutal for Huberdeau, who still has a ton of friends on the Panthers. His point totals dropped to 55 in 2022-23 and just 52 last season, his lowest in a full season in over a decade. But he did seem to figure it out near the end of last year, and he remains a bounce-back candidate. Expecting this player to get back to point-per-game status is bold — even too bold for the bold predictions — but on a fairweather team, he should be good for at least 60 points in 2024-25.
Despite a fire sale, Flames hang around in wild card race
No, the Flames are probably not going to make the playoffs next year. The roster has been completely gutted over the last 12 months. But the center depth is still strong with Mikael Backlund, Yegor Sharangovich and Nazem Kadri, while the supporting cast still has some game. Blake Coleman is coming off a career year, Andrei Kuzmenko was solid after being traded from the Vancouver Canucks, and Huberdeau is still a lock for at least 50 points. Add Anthony Mantha to that equation and the top-nine really isn't too bad.
The problem is on the blue line, with Weegar and Rasmus Andersson set to take on huge roles with Tanev and Hanifin traded. Besides them, it's thin; Daniil Miromanov, Kevin Bahl, Jake Bean and Brayden Pachal will have big shoes to fill, and the likelihood of them filling those is unlikely — at least next season.
The big X-factor here is Wolf, who could turn this roster from a bottom-four club in the Pacific Division to a squad that can chase a wildcard spot in 2024-25. The dark days are probably just beginning for the Flames, but there's still quite a bit of talent on the forward core, a couple of mobile young D-men, and a goaltender of the future.
It's going to be very intriguing to see if Calgary can remain competitive all year, or if they'll be doomed to mediocrity from the start. But if we're being bold, let's expect this team to surprise the hockey world and at least hang around in the wild card conversation until well into the New Year.
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