Calgary Flames 2025-26 NHL Season Preview | The Steve Dangle Podcast

The Calgary Flames finished last year with a very surprising and impressive 96 points. It was not enough to get them into the playoffs because the Western Conference was just that competitive. But you had to you had to take your hats off to them and obviously two uh that allowed them to go out and sign uh their goalender Dustin Wolf right before the season started. $7.5 million. We’ll get to that in a second. The overunder for the Flames points this year according to Bet MGM is actually pretty low considering what they had 83 and a half. Do the Calgary Flames beat 83 a half? They had 96 points. That’s a huge impression. They only missed the playoff spot based on a tiebreaker with St. Louis Blues. They they tied in points with the Blues and they didn’t have as many uh regulation wins as them. So the Blues were a second away from the second round. Yeah. Yeah. But the odds makers are saying that they overachieved last year and that tied for the last playoff spot. Result 18 points. They’re saying that that result was a a bit of overachievement based on what the roster is. Yes. And I have to be honest with you, I agree with them. Uh I would go I I’m going under on this one. Uh and or not under, sorry. I guess you could go over 83 and a half and still think they’re going to finish with less than 96 points. That’s where I’m I’m going over. I think that’s an easy over. Yeah. Yeah. I’m That’s an easy over. 1.87, by the way. Over and under are even odds. So, yeah. Okay. Wow. Yeah. What do you think? No, I like the over, but I don’t have them finishing as high as fourth in the Pacific as last year. So, let’s talk about that, Jesse. Why? Yeah, it’s the it’s the goal scoring. It wasn’t there, and they got otherworldly goalending. We kind of know on how last season went on like how they play hockey. We’re relying on Dustin and Wolf to get this thing done. And we’re going to hopefully cross our fingers that we get a couple past the other team so we can win this game 2-1. And that’s how they went the entire season long. And it worked. Like it worked to perfection. It’s just am I going to bank on that working again? No. Well, and this is the thing. So, you know, we talk about the goal the the goal scoring and the goalending. Obviously, the goalending got them places. Mike, you know, their leading score is Nasam Kadri. 35 goals. Mhm. Extremely impressive. Career high. Career high at 34. How many times is that going to happen? That this is what what you look for with teams. Who’ they get? Who’ they lose? Who do they still have? And is what they did repeatable? Typically, your goal your goal scoring doesn’t go up as you age. Right. And people forget too that Dan Bdar is no longer there and had a great year last year and got a big fat contract in Philly. So their their their backup situation is not the same as it was. And it’s funny because they’re in a division with the Seattle Kraken and they’re both teams where their starters are so good. Mhm. And I mean the Kraken could have potentially they finished seventh in the division, could have maybe made the playoffs if they got anything from their backup at all. And as of right now, the Flames backup is Devin Culie, who’s good. He’s good. I don’t think he’s not gonna I don’t think he’s going to be their backup to start the season. Unless he is. Yeah, he might be, but I don’t I don’t And and here’s I have a hard time. There’s so many goalies who are going to be available. Well, and this is where this is the other thing I want to ask you guys because we talk about, you know, the the goalending being very, very good. You lose Lar, there’s a there’s a step back. There’s no question in the backup goalie position. The other one I wonder about is how quickly does this Rasmus Anderson deal get done. And what I mean by that is he from all int for all intents and purposes not resigning unless something drastically changes, right? Unless they have a come to Jesus. What were we thinking and it could never let you go? Uh my what I understand too is that he he wants to go um okay without their top scoring defenseman and their and then their top scoring forward had 35 goals last year and that’s a careerhigh like that I think even takes it further down. Um and it’s not that Calgary is bad you know they’ve still got McKenzie Mackenzie Weaguer Kevin Ball’s good uh but you know Zayn Perk’s a real wild wild card there. Yeah, I that could be the place to step in, but are we gonna see that until Anderson goes, right? He’s gonna get the opportunity. That’s that’s going to be a very delicate dance uh in Calgary. Um if Perk earns that in training camp and in exhibition, does that maybe accelerate the process like, all right, we need to create a spot here, right? I don’t know. Now, the other thing is they could score more this year because you look at who they brought in last year. Uh Sharon Govich was a couple years ago, but he has scored since coming. Joel Faraby and Morgan Frost, which they got for a full season of them now. Yeah. And and coming in in like in training camp rather than just jumping in. Connor Ziri and Matt Coronado both got extensions. And Coronado’s was a really healthy one. He’s 22. He’s going to make six and a half million bucks. Good for him. Zer got hurt. So if and and and also I think you know uh down the lineup there’s some other guys that you go, “Okay, yeah, I could see them scoring a little bit. There could be more group scoring here. It could make up for it, but I don’t I don’t know. I’m a bit surprised they were the lowest scoring team in the league. You know, a name that we didn’t even mention is Jonathan Hubedo. And like at the end, they’re 29th. Oh, it was 29th. Yeah. In the world. They were they were uh contending for last for a bit there. Like I mean, your 10.5 million dollar player’s got to [ __ ] score. Yeah. and he’s like now that he’s a couple years into Calgary, he’s been finding his his space out of the new last season his was his best year in Calgary, I think out of all of the years. But yeah, I think like going into the season, if you’re a Calgary Flames fan, there can’t be any expectations on this team. Like you shouldn’t be, hey, I think this team’s going to be a playoff team. I’ll be disappointed either way. Or I think they should tank completely for last because they’re going to be hovering on one side or the other. You know, it’s either going to start off really slow and then that’s kind of good. you’re building you hopefully your prospects just get better and all the young guys you mentioned hopefully they take a next step or hey they’re playing a little above their head and then you’re like plus because we do have a lot of veteran talent and maybe they’re overperforming right now or performing to what we think they can be so it’s kind of just let’s wait and see if you’re Calgary and there shouldn’t be expectations on either side of what direction this team should be whatever the players on the ice kind of show us they’re going to unveil what direction this roster should be taking come that trade deadline. There are some really nice pieces if they’re selling at the deadline. There are some good I mean beyond Raspis Anderson, one name if they were going to sell that sticks out is Blake Coleman. Blake Coleman in the playoffs. People forget how great he was with Tampa. You’re not going high enough. That’s a great name. It’s a great name and you’re 100% right. But with Calgary, I mean, they’re always just so damn noisy. Like that noisy, leaky front office. And my name was Cadri. Well, his name’s been out there, but he’s got four years left and he’s their topline center. And and I I don’t see it because I look at them and I go, “Okay, so then what?” Well, they got to be How many more years before you find another center like Nazam Codri? Cuz they don’t have I mean, maybe Morgan Frost Morgan Frost is not Nazim Codri. No, but he’s 34 and then he’ll be 35 and then he’ll be 36 and then he’ll be 37. You You see the trend? This season doesn’t feel like the season to trade Kadri just because of the control he has over this season’s movement. So he has a full no move clause this year. So he decides wherever he wants to go he will go a draft thing next year the contract at the draft or no it would be have to be after draft have to be July 1st and on um when the the um season calendar turns over. He has a 13 team no trade list. So you have a collection in the NHL you can just negotiate whatever deal you want with. So, I feel like it makes more sense if you’re going to trade Cal Cadgery to do it, not this season. Well, and you could also you could say at the draft, you say to him at the draft, hey, listen, so that uh that 13 team list uh expires in a few days, so we are going to trade you there one way or the other. Do you want it to be now or seven days from now? Yeah. So, the draft can be a place where they can do this deal. I don’t think it happens during this regular season. This this team a couple years ago was annoying because they were like the lead on every 32 thought segment on hockey night in Canada and all we heard about was uh oh they’re going to move this to this person. It was a lot of Toronto rumors. I look at this roster and I’m I’m intrigued. It’s not hopeless. They can do it. They can hit 96 97 98 points. Everything has to go right like it did last year. They’ve got to do some more group scoring. But there’s pieces here that are really strong and if they got into the playoffs, yeah, they’d be a pain in the ass. But without Rasmus Anderson, I’m having a hard time with it. In the 2025 NHL, backup goalending is so important. You need those points. If I mean, if if Wolfe goes down, they’re boned, right? Uh, so I I do generally like what they’re doing, but they’re they’re gonna lose a lot of points that way unless Kulie’s unbelievable, right? Or they make a goalending move after after we record this and everybody’s like, “Oh, you’re an idiot. You didn’t do imagine they get a goalie for Anderson.” 100%. Probably not. Probably not. So So here’s my question. Okay. Calgary Flames finished fifth in the division last year with 96 points. It it it truly is at the top. It’s a have and have not division. 96 points, outperformed even the Vancouver Conucks, which I don’t think anybody could have called, 41 wins. We I think we all agree that we don’t think 96 is repeatable, and I’m happy to be wrong. Where do you have them finishing in the division this year based on what you’ve seen? They were fourth last year. What will it be this year? I There are two teams in the Pacific. I don’t have an answer written down yet because I just Well, you’re running out of time. Yeah, you might want to write them down. Yeah, you might have to do in the next five seconds. I’m putting around between two numbers and I’m going to say five. You have them at five. Five. Okay. Yeah. Jesse Blake, where do you have the Calgary Flames finishing this year? Yeah. Like it their their finish last year when you look at the numbers about it’s so unbelievable that they did it. They were 26th in penalty kill, 29th in goals for power play was 15th. They wereif even in the part of the the team where they’re supposed to be good in goals against, they’re still 15th in goals against per game. So like I think yeah, they overachieved. I’m going to have them fitting finishing fifth again in the Pacific, but on a a less points total. I think they’re just better than those bottom feeding teams cuz they have so much so much more matured talent. And Dustin Wolf. And Dustin Wolf. So, I have fifth uh division finish as well. So, this is not going to be popular, but I have them sixth behind the Anaheim Ducks. I I think there will be a precipitous fall-off. I would not be shocked if they finish with 86 rather than 96 points. And that will not be a failure. That will just be part of the transition progress process that the Calgary Flames are in. This season is about individual development of their young guy. Yes. Yeah. You have them dropping 10 points and you still have them above the over or above the over under. Yeah, that’s Come on. Yeah, 100%. Take very least take the over. 83 is disrespectful. My god. There’s your Calgary Flames season preview.

Steve Dangle, Adam Wylde, and Jesse Blake preview the upcoming season for the Calgary Flames and predict where they will finish in the Pacific Division.

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22 comments

  2. Hey guys, they signed Ivan Prosvetov this past off season, heres what sportsnet wrote about him;

    Prosvetov spent 2024-25 with CSKA Moscow of the KHL, earning a 20-16-2 record with a 2.32 GAA and a .920 save percentage in 38 regular-season outings. He went 2-3 in five playoff contests. Prosvetov has had limited success at the NHL level, but he turned a corner with a .921 save percentage over 21 games with AHL Colorado during the 2023-24 regular season. He'll be in contention for the backup goalie job in Calgary during training camp, though neither Prosvetov nor Devin Cooley should be expected to get much playing time behind Dustin Wolf.

  3. It’s like a 90% chance the backup is Prosvetov is the backup, not Cooley. Flames are really high on him, and they’re less worried about Cooley getting claimed on waivers.

  5. I think Cooley is going to be a sleeper. It's just a feeling, but I think he is trending into a solid goalie. Flames have a lot of potential, they were dogs last year. At the very least, I think they will be fun to watch. Some of their players just seem undervalued across the league. Kirkland, Lomberg, Zary have the potential to make this team better than expected. Parehk might be a huge asset as well.

  10. The Flames season depends almost 100% on what they get for Rasmus Andersson. If they get prospects and draft picks, then Nazem Kadri is almost certainly going to be traded shortly afterwards and they are in a full rebuild. On the other hand, if they make a hockey trade, then could still at least compete for a playoff spot.

  11. Flames are fine. Those kids are good, and they'll score more and there is zero chance Coleman is as ridiculously starcrossed with bad luck scoring. Huberdeau and Kadri rarely miss a game despite their ages and ice time. Biggest concern is backup goalie. Vladar won games for them and he isn't there now.

    As far as Huberdau is concerned he's a workhorse. He had to change his game because the Flames have no finishers. They put Kadri on his line so somebody would score. Huberdeau with Coronato or a healthy Zary might be good. Or they pick up someone for Andersson who could play with Kadri.

    Ideally, Huberdeau and Kadri play on separate lines that both produce. That puts Backlund on the 3rd line, which at his age is perfect. Backlund is still excellent and had 759 defensive starts last season, which is by far the most in the NHL.

  12. That would be mean to say, wash, rinse, repeat…but they didn't significantly improved this summer ? They pretty much are still in phase 1 or 2 of rebuild, which is identifying the core, trade bad assets, develop prospects. Its okay, they are going to go the right direction but unless 3 prospects explode, they are wildcard at best…Flames fan, be patient, your team is going the right direction !

  13. I’m not high on the Flames. I’ll be even lower on them if they move Andersson. The team is asking for miracles from Wolfe. I would not be surprised if they finished 7th.

  15. Calgary has a lot of X-factors with their young talent. Coronato was getting better as the season progressed and if Zary stays healthy, he can be quite good. Klapka was someone that flew under a lot of peoples radars but he was VERY impressive down the stretch. He earned his way onto the top line and was lighting it up with Kadri. It’s hard to say, but there’s reasons to be optimistic if you’re a Flames fan (and that’s not even mentioning Wolf).

  17. Flames 3 in the pacific. they don't take in consideration, 2 season ending injuries, trades(new additions) a carousel of players between AHL and NHL, top producers (Zary and Sharangovich) had major injuries. These guys see the "overachieving) because Wolf, I see the underachieving. Coronato started to produce consistenly towards the end of the season, Also Sharangovich. This year will be better than the one before.

  18. I think they might be sneaky good, some of those young players were only just finding consistency at the back end of the year. Coronato was starting to really light it up, Sharangovich was finally finding footing post-injury. Their scoring could honestly take a bit of a leap. lol Also not surprised Leafs fans missed it, but they also signed another backup goalie already way back in July to challenge Cooley for the spot, that situation may be better than you guys think too.

  19. I watched every ten minute recap game of the calgary flames
    season…It took me 14 hours but what I noticed is
    Mark Coronato is underrated
    Nazem Kadri super clutch super competitive
    Jonathan huberdeau is underrated and overpaid at the same time😅
    Their forward depth is very poor
    And they are in desperate need of a rebuild Immediately

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