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The Calgary Flames were white-hot to begin the season, winning each of their first four games. Things have considerably cooled since then, to be fair. But they have still shown flashes of brilliance. Rookie goalie Dustin Wolf shutout the Nashville Predators, for instance.
The Flames entered the season with a clear mandate to rebuild. Calgary traded Jacob Markstrom to the New Jersey Devils during the offseason. And the team has traded expiring contracts such as Tyler Toffoli, Nikita Zadorov, and Chris Tanev since the end of the 2022-23 season.
At this point, the Flames own a record of 9-6-3. If the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs began on Monday, Calgary would be in the postseason through their place in the Pacific Division. The Flames are in third place, tied on points with the Vancouver Canucks.
However, they are not secure in this placement. The Canucks are capable of pulling away at any time. And they face challenges from the Edmonton Oilers and Seattle Kraken. Perhaps this is why the Flames are reportedly looking to add to their roster.
In any event, there are a number of reasons for their start. Some players have stepped up huge for Calgary in the early going. And conversely, some players haven't found their stride despite the team's positive play early on. Trade discussions will happen throughout the year. For now, though, here is the biggest surprise and disappointment for the Flames early in 2024-25.
Flames' Dustin Wolf has the makings of a star
Flames general manager Craig Conroy watched the goaltending situation closely during training camp. The options heading into camp weren't exactly inspiring. Dustin Wolf emerged as the likely starting goaltender given his potential. But his cup of coffee in the NHL last season was not all that promising.
In 2024-25, however, he appears to have figured things out. Wolf has played like one of the best goalies in the league to this point. He entered play Monday with a sparkling .921 save percentage and a shutout in his previous start. Additionally, he owns the fifth-best WAR among goaltenders in the entire league, according to Evolving Hockey.
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His play has certainly helped the Flames early in 2024-25. He was seen by the franchise as their goalie of the future. And we are seeing why he had those expectations placed upon them. Calgary may still wind up as a seller around the NHL Trade Deadline. But if they remain competitive, Wolf could be the biggest reason why.
Andrei Kuzmenko cannot buy a goal
The Flames traded for Andrei Kuzmenko in the Elias Lindholm trade last season. It made sense — beyond using his $5.5 million cap hit to offset finances — why Calgary had an interest in the Russian winger. Kuzmenko debuted in the NHL by scoring nearly 40 goals in 2022-23. However, the scoring just dropped off in 2023-24.
Unfortunately, it appears as if his scoring issues have continued. Kuzmenko has skated in all 18 games Calgary has played this year. He has been productive, scoring nine points so far. However, he only has one goal to this point. That goal came on October 15 against the Chicago Blackhawks.
There are some promising signs, to be fair. He has a good Goals For Percentage (57.54%), according to Evolving Hockey. Additionally, he has the third-highest Expected Goals For Per 60 Minutes among Flames forwards.
The goals could certainly come down the line. In any event, the Calgary forward has been the team's biggest disappointment to begin the season. It will be interesting to see if he can find his scoring touch for the Flames as the season rolls along.
