This offseason has been quite the drag for hockey fans, especially if you follow the Calgary Flames. Many people are counting down the days until hockey returns, and for the Flames, it’s going to be yet another season of uncertainty.

The Flames almost made the playoffs in 2024-25 but unfortunately fell short. As a result, expectations for how the team will perform this upcoming season vary among fans. Will they yet again be in the playoff race, or will the team regress? In this article, I want to cover three big questions surrounding the Flames for the 2025-26 season. There are still a lot of questions surrounding this team, but I picked three that I believe are the most prominent right now.

1. Will Dustin Wolf carry the Flames on his back once again?

There’s no denying that Dustin Wolf was the story for the Flames this past season. His performance was worthy of him being a runner-up for the Calder Trophy, as he was the biggest reason why the team almost made the playoffs.

The 2024-25 season saw Wolf as the team’s official starter, and he didn’t disappoint. He put up a strong 29-16-8 record in 53 games, combined with an impressive 0.910 save percentage as a rookie. It’s safe to say that the Flames’ future in net is very bright, but it has only been one season.

There’s no doubt among Flames fans that Wolf can be a top-10 goaltender in this league. He’s proven the critics wrong in every level of hockey he’s played in, so why should the NHL be any different?

Wolf is bound to get a larger workload next season, as the Flames’ backup goalies lack NHL experience. Either way, one storyline to follow is his performance in the net and if he can continue dominating in between the pipes. After all, the Flames’ season largely depends on how he plays.

2. When is the Rasmus Andersson drama going to end for the Flames?

One of the biggest storylines all offseason has been the future of Flames defenceman Rasmus Andersson. After various insider reports and press releases, it looked like Andersson’s time as a Flame was coming to an end. However, at the time of this article being written, Andersson continues to remain in Cowtown.

So what gives? Well, the Flames have no doubt dealt with some challenges when it came to trading the Swedish defenceman. Despite Andersson only having a six-team no-trade list, he has the power to refuse to extend with teams that try and trade for him, due to his status as a pending UFA. It has resulted in the Flames being in a bit of a pickle, as they have already attempted to trade Andersson, just for him to nix trades by not committing to extensions.

While frustrating, it is in Andersson’s right to do whatever he feels is best. This situation dragging on is more on the Flames letting it go this far. In my opinion, Andersson should’ve been moved at the 2025 trade deadline, but since the Flames were chasing a playoff spot, that wasn’t an option for them.

The team is now dangerously close to this situation blowing up in their face. It’s likely now that Andersson begins the season in Calgary, which will be a huge distraction for the Flames. Additionally, what if he gets injured or has a rough start to the season? His value could tank, and the Flames would get little to nothing in return for a prized asset. Andersson has been a good Flame, but his time is likely up. It’s just a matter of when it gets resolved and if the Flames get the return they’re looking for. It’s a risk.

3. Which young players will compete for a roster spot this season?

Ever since Craig Conroy was named GM, his philosophy has always been to get younger. The Flames have certainly done so, adding the likes of Connor Zary, Matt Coronato and Martin Pospisil to their roster. But now, more players are set to fight for jobs to make camp more competitive.

The first prominent player is top prospect Zayne Parekh. The 19-year-old defender has become too good for the OHL and scored in his NHL debut in the final game of the 2024-25 regular season. He’s coming into camp with a chip on his shoulder, hoping to earn himself a roster spot with the Flames next season. Flames fans are more than excited to see Parekh in the NHL, and I think he inevitably does earn a spot out of training camp. But he’ll still have to earn it fairly.

There’s also Hunter Brzustewicz, who also appeared in the final game of last season for his NHL debut. It may be harder for Brzustewicz to earn a spot right away, but he’s close. I think he gets a longer look in the NHL this season. Then there’s Ilya Solovyov, who’s a strong contender for earning a spot on the left side. There are other defenders like Yan Kuznetsov and Jérémie Poirier who are more of a long shot to earn a spot straight from camp.

Then there’s the forwards. A player like Adam Klapka likely already has an advantage for a roster spot, so you’ll have players like Rory Kerins and Sam Honzek looking to stand out. Honzek did make the team last year, but only played five games before being sent down. Kerins had four points in five NHL games, so he’s a player who honestly I’d like to see more of. Other players like Sam Morton and William Stromgren are likely to be mid-season call-ups.

What can we expect from the Flames this season?

Honestly as a fan myself, I have no clue what to expect. Part of me is annoyed by that, but the other part of me is also intrigued. With the Flames you really can’t tell, and it’s an issue this organization has had for what seems like forever.

The season could go either way. The Flames could yet again make things competitive, or everything falls apart, and they get a high draft pick. Or they could also finish in the mushy middle again (a constant nightmare fans are tired of).

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