The Calgary Flames have a storied history that includes one Stanley Cup Championship since they migrated to Alberta in 1980. There have been some excellent players in the Flames' history including recent Hall of Fame inductee and current front office member Jarome Iginla and Stanley Cup hero Lanny McDonald. Who else ranks in the top 10 in Flames history?
Greatest Calgary Flames player ever: Jarome Iginla
The greatest player in Flames history is Jarome Iginla. He is the only player in franchise history with 1000 games played, 500 goals, and 1000 points. Iginla was the team captain and spent the first 14 seasons of his career in Calgary. He bounced around chasing a Stanley Cup with Colorado, Pittsburgh, and Boston at the end but did not win a ring.
His number 12 is retired by the franchise. He is a four-time All-Star, won two Art Ross trophies for most points, one Rocket Richard for most goals, and was a Hart Trophy finalist three times. Iginla was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2020. He was dominant in the 2004 Cup Final, best remembered for “The Shift.”
#2: Al MacInnis
Al MacInnis is a rare player who ranks in the top 10 for two franchises, as he spent the end of his career with the St Louis Blues. The defenseman played 13 years in Calgary, raking up 609 assists which is the most in franchise history. He was a dominant playoff player, putting up over a point per game in his 95 postseason games.
His best playoff performance for the Flames came in 1989 when he led the team with 24 assists and 31 points on their championship run. He won the Conn Smythe Trophy for playoff MVP that year, was a four-time All-Star with the Flames, and was a four-time Norris Trophy finalist. He is also a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.
#3: Theo Fleury
Theo Fleury spent 11 seasons with the Flames and remains one of the great players in franchise history. He ranks second in goals and points and third in assists in franchise history. He was part of the Stanley Cup team in his rookie season and put up 62 points in his 59 playoff games with the Flames.
Fleury is just a one-time All-Star and is not in the Hall of Fame. While he never won or was nominated for a major award, he should be considered among the greatest Flames ever.
#4: Lanny McDonald
Lanny McDonald played his final eight seasons with the Calgary Flames and had an iconic ending. He retired after the Flames won the 1989 Stanley Cup, finishing off his Hall of Fame career with his only championship. He scored 215 goals with the Flames, the sixth most in franchise history.
McDonald was named to one postseason All-Star team with the Flames. He split his career between the Flames, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Colorado Rockies and ended with exactly 500 goals over 16 seasons. He is also the owner of one of the most iconic mustaches in sports history.
#5: Miikka Kiprusoff
The top goaltender on the list, Miikka Kiprusoff is the only goalie with 300 wins in Flames history. He also leads the franchise in career save percentage and goals-against average. He was fantastic in the 2004 Cup Final run, posting a 1.85 goals-against average in 26 games during that run.
Kirpusoff has his number 35 retired by the Flames because of his fantastic nine seasons in Calgary. He won the Vezina Trophy and was a first-team All-Star in 2005-06 and was a Vezina finalist two other times. With the recent trade of Jacob Markstrom, Kirpusoff's records are safe for now.
#6: Gary Suter
Another defenseman comes in at number six with Gary Suter. He is the brother of Miracle on Ice defender Bob Suter and the uncle of active blue-liner Ryan Suter. Gary Suter was an offensive-defenseman, putting up 436 assists with the Flames, fourth-most in franchise history.
He won the Calder Trophy for best rookie in 1986 but won no other major awards. Suter was a second-team All-Star in 1988 when he notched 70 assists and 91 points in 75 games. He was part of the Stanley Cup team, but only played in five games during the playoffs.
#7: Joe Nieuwendyk
One of the premier goal scorers in franchise history, Joe Nieuwendyk put up over a point per game in his nine seasons with the Flames. His 314 goals rank third in franchise history. He had a tumultuous ending with the franchise, as he refused to report to training camp and was traded to the Dallas Stars before the 1995 season. That ended his captaincy with the Flames, passing it to Fleury.
He won the Calder Trophy in 1988 because of his 51 goals in 75 games. He scored ten goals on the Flames' run to the 1989 Final. Nieuwendyk is in the Hockey Hall of Fame and has his number 25 honored by the franchise.
#8: Gary Roberts
Another goal scorer from the 1989 championship team, Roberts ranks fourth in goals in Flames history. He scored 12 points in the 1989 playoffs and put up 43 points in 58 playoff games. His Flames career features six-straight 20-goal seasons, including 53 goals in 1991-92.
While he never was a postseason All-Star and was never nominated for a major award, he was a key piece to the franchise's lone championship team. He has stayed connected to the sport as a fitness coach training professional players in all different leagues. His fitness levels kept him in the league until he was 42.
#9: Mark Giordano
Mark Giordano was with the Flames for 15 seasons and was the captain after Iginla retired. He ranks third in franchise history with 949 games and averaged over 22 minutes per night with Calgary. He sneaks in at number ten on the franchise points leaderboard.
His career peaked in 2018-19 when he won his lone Norris Trophy and was named to his lone postseason All-Star team. He was 35 years old when he put up a career-high 57 assists and 74 points that season. He went to the Seattle Kraken in the expansion draft and was traded at the deadline to the Maple Leafs. Stump your friends with “Who was the first captain in Kraken history?” Giordano's 55 games might win you a bet.
#10: Johnny Gaudreau
A player who could have rocketed up this list, Johnny Gaudreau decided to leave in free agency in 2022. He went to the Columbus Blue Jackets, where it has not gone as well as it did in Calgary. Gaudreau ranks fifth in points and goals in franchise history despite only playing 602 games with the Flames.
He was a one-time All-Star with Calgary, earned in his 115-point final season with the Flames. He had all-time great potential but he will stay here at number ten as he continues his career in Columbus.
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