The 2026-27 Calgary Flames season is fast approaching, and while the team itself won’t be much fun to watch, there will be some big-time milestones to track. Here are the biggest individual and team milestones to watch for this season.
Individual milestones
Below are some major individual milestones Flames players have a chance to hit this coming season, some more monumental than others.
Jonathan Huberdeau is 38 games from 1000
It could be a huge milestone year for Huberdeau, assuming he’s healthy. First off, he’s currently just 38 games from hitting the 1000-game mark. Even with his lingering hip issue, 38 games should be a breeze in an 84-game season.
He’d become the 422nd player in NHL history to hit 1000 games, and just the 45th active player to do so.
Jonathan Huberdeau is 56 assists from 600
Another major milestone for Huberdeau, arguably even more impressive than playing 1,000 games. Although this one will be much tougher to reach this season. The veteran winger is sitting 56 assists away from 600 in his career. The odds of him hitting this mark are low, given he hasn’t recorded more than 40 assists in a season since 2021-22 with Florida.
With that said, if he’s able to pull it off, he’d become just the 110th player in NHL history to record 600 assists. He’d also be just the 18th active player to reach the mark. Elite territory.
Jonathan Huberdeau is 37 goals from 300
Yet another milestone to watch for Huberdeau. The veteran winger is 37 goals away from 300. Much like the assists milestone, this one is unlikely to come to fruition this season. Huberdeau has never hit 37 goals in one season throughout his 14-year career, but maybe he pulls off a miracle?
Regardless, 37 isn’t an impossible number by any means, and it would make him the 247th player in NHL history with 300 career goals and the 40th active player.
Ryan Strome is 84 games away from 1000
Normally, this one would be impossible to reach this season, but not under the new 84-game format. If Strome were to play every single game this season, he would hit exactly 1000 games played on the final day of the Flames season.
Along with Huberdeau, he would become the 423rd player in NHL history with 1000 games, and the 46th active player.
Franchise history milestones
The following players have the opportunity to etch their names into the Calgary Flames’ record books this season, becoming top-five players in major franchise categories.
Mikael Backlund is 71 games from becoming the franchise leader in games played.
This is without a doubt the biggest milestone on here. Captain Backlund is 71 games away from surpassing Jarome Iginla’s 1219 games played in Calgary to become the franchise’s all-time leader in games played. When he left the Flames in 2013, it seemed like most of Iginla’s franchise records would never be topped.
However, here we are 13 years later, and Backlund is entering his 19th season as a Calgary Flame. Simply an unthinkable achievement for the 2007 draft pick. Backlund has hit 71 games in every single full season since 2011-12. In other words, this record will almost certainly be broken this season.
When he breaks the record, Backlund will move into 28th all-time in NHL history for games played with one franchise.
Backlund is 4 points from being top-five in franchise history
It could be a huge year for Backlund when it comes to the Flames’ history books. The veteran already moved into the top-five in franchise history for goals last season, and now he’s basically a lock to move into the top-five for points.
Sitting just four points away from passing the late Johnny Gaudreau for fifth all-time in Flames history, Backlund likely hits this very early into the 2026-27 season. He’d join Jarome Iginla, Theo Fleury, Al MacInnis, and Joe Nieuwendyk in the top five.
Backlund is 26 assists from being top-five in franchise history
Yet another big milestone for Backlund. He’s currently 26 assists away from moving into the top five in franchise history. If he can reach that mark in 2026-27, he’ll pass Gaudreau for fifth all-time among Flames players, joining MacInnis, Iginla, Fleury, and Gary Suter.
Fun fact, Backlund hit exactly 26 assists last season. If he can do it again, he’ll end the season top-five in Flames history for games played, goals, assists and points.
Dustin Wolf is 13 wins from being top-five in franchise history
Dustin Wolf came close to reaching this mark last season but fell short. However, it should be a guarantee in 2026-27. The 25-year-old is already just 13 wins away from moving into the top-five in franchise history, a stunning achievement for a player this young.
Whether that’s a testament to how bad Calgary’s goaltending has been over the years or how impressive Wolf is, it’s up to you.
Dustin Wolf is 51 games from being top-five in franchise history
Yet another mind-blowing milestone for Wolf. The young goaltender is only 51 games away from moving into the top-five in franchise history for games played by a goaltender. For context, he’s played over 51 games in both of his NHL seasons thus far.
He’d join Miikka Kiprusoff, Mike Vernon, Reggie Lemelin, and Jacob Markstrom in the top five.
A big year for milestones
This won’t be a big season for the Flames in the standings, but there are some major milestones up for grabs in 2026-27. It could be a huge year for the likes of Backlund, Huberdeau, and Wolf.
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