The Calgary Flames enjoyed one of the better seasons in franchise history in 2021-22, winning 50 games and capturing the Pacific Division crown in the process. Although it ended in a five-game loss to rival Edmonton in Round 2, there was hope that the team could continue to build on the success from the promising campaign.
Instead, Matthew Tkachuk was traded to the Florida Panthers in a blockbuster summer move, the late Johnny Gaudreau left to sign with the Columbus Blue Jackets, and the team looked completely different in the fall of 2022. The Flames haven't made the playoffs since, finishing three consecutive years on the outside looking in.
Heading into training camp in just a couple of weeks, Calgary is looking to return to the dance after a near miss in 2024-25. They've got a goaltender of the future in Dustin Wolf, who was named a Calder Trophy finalist after a terrific rookie campaign. The roster looks mostly the same from last season; the Flames missed out on a Stanley Cup Playoff berth by just a single point back in April.
Although this doesn't project as a Stanley Cup contender, there's a realistic chance that the team will be right back in the thick of the playoff race in 2025-26. That'll be especially true if these three young players can make a difference.
Matt Coronato is looking to build on a great rookie year
Aside from Wolf, the Flames had another terrific rookie showing in 2024-25 from forward Matt Coronato. The Huntington, New York native ranked third on the Flames in goals (24) in his first full NHL season, finishing just behind only Nazem Kadri and Jonathan Huberdeau.
He was also tied for third in points, managing 47 in just 77 games. Originally selected 13th overall by the Flames in the 2021 NHL Draft, he enjoyed three over point-per-game campaigns — two with the Harvard Crimson and one with the AHL's Calgary Wranglers — before breaking into the National.
Still just 22 years old, Coronato is a full-fledged breakout candidate and a future franchise cornerstone along with Wolf (and another young rookie mentioned later). The winger is pencilled into a top-six spot either beside Nadri or captain Mikael Backlund, per Daily Faceoff, and he's also a lock to play with the first powerplay unit all season long. If he can avoid the sophomore slump, he could be challenging for the team lead in points in 2025-26.
Connor Zary needs a new contract — but he's primed to breakout
Along with Coronato, Connor Zary also represents the Flames' youth movement in 2025-26 and beyond. Although he remains unsigned — and there are no indications player and club are close to a new deal — the 23-year-old has enjoyed two very solid NHL seasons. Zary managed 34 points in 63 games in his rookie year and added another 27 points in nine less games in 2024-25.
Like Coronato, Zary will be playing in Calgary's top-six, and Daily Faceoff has him on the top line alongside Kadri and Huberdeau. That's an excellent spot for the Saskatoon, Saskatchewan native to be as he looks to increase those totals in his third campaign. The key for Zary is staying healthy; he's dealt with two injuries to the same knee, once against the Anaheim Ducks in January and again vs. the Dallas Stars in March.
If Zary can stay healthy and put together a full season, there's a very real chance he could breakout in 2025-26. That will be especially true if he can earn a promotion to the top powerplay unit, a spot that Morgan Frost is currently occupying alongside Coronato, Kadri, Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar. Zary is another former first-round pick (No. 24 overall in 2020) who is looking to prove himself, and he should be uber-motivated to perform in order to maximize the earnings on his next contract.
Zayne Parekh is a key rookie to watch in 2025-26
While Coronato and Zary are going to be critical pieces in the Flames' goal to return to the postseason, another player who looks ready to make the jump to the NHL full time is defenseman Zayne Parekh. Just 19 years old, Parekh has absolutely dominated the Ontario Hockey League in each of the last two seasons.
In 2023-24, he amassed an astounding 96 points in 66 games from the back end with the Saginaw Spirit. Last year, he was even better, recording 107 points in just 61 OHL contests — first for D-men and fifth among all skaters in the league. That earned him First Team All-Star honors, and he was named the Canadian Hockey League Defenseman of the Year in 2024. He also helped the Spirit win the Memorial Cup that season.
Parekh gave NHL fans a preview of his talent, scoring a goal in his first big league game. The Nobleton, Ontario native is the real deal, and he will be pushing hard for a roster spot in 2025-26. Not only should he make the team out of training camp, he should be considered a top-seven rookie for the season.
It's looking very likely that longtime Flame Rasmus Andersson will be getting traded, which opens up a spot in the top-four — and Parekh very well could take it. While Weegar is likely to run the top powerplay, Parekh's offensive talent could get him a look on the second unit over someone like Jake Bean, Kevin Bahl or Joel Hanley.
The No. 9 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft is the sixth-youngest defenseman to score in his NHL debut, and alongside Coronato and Zary, he should be a key piece of the core long into the future. Considering he's too young for the American Hockey League, expect the youngster to be thrown right into the fire in 2025-26. If he can quickly adjust to the level that saw him dominate the OHL from the back end, he could immediately make an impact for the Flames this season.
If all three of these players can make a significant impact, and Wolf continues to shine between the pipes, Calgary should again be right in the thick of the playoff race next April — and there's a very real chance they finish as one of the last eight standing in the Western Conference.
