The leaves are beginning to change, kids are back in school, and NHL players are returning to their cities after a long summer away. The Calgary Flames are entering the season with minimal offseason changes. The team defied all odds and expectations, even with missing the playoffs by the skin of their teeth. Is that something that is in the cards for them this time around? Did Craig Conroy do enough to combat the low-scoring problem? 

Finding the back of the net

The Flames finished second-to-last in scoring last season. General Manager Craig Conroy has told players to come in and take a job, but he didn’t clear much of any room to allow that to happen.

Based on the projected lineup, you’re banking on quite a few players to have bounce-back seasons. 

Yegor Sharangovich had just 17 goals and 32 points in 73 games. The forward battled through injuries and just could never find his footing or build any momentum to take his offence to the next level. 

Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee both had tough starts to their time in Calgary. Farabee had just three goals, six points in 31 games. His counterpart had three goals and 12 points in 32 games. The only word to describe this is unacceptable. 

There is a lot of young talent in the Flames’ prospect pool waiting in the wings. Aydar Suniev may be the dark horse of the season. Suniev made his NHL debut in the final game of the 2024–25 season. He scored 32 goals and 63 points in 41 games with the UMass Minutemen. There’s a level of finesse, speed, and offence that has been missing from the Flames’ lineup. 

Dustin Wolf’s consistency may be a saving grace 

Will Dustin Wolf be able to escape the unpredictability of goaltending and the dreaded sophomore slump? Wolf has met adversity a number of times and has managed to crush the expectations. After coming off a 29-win rookie season, where he became the fifth fastest USA-born rookie goaltender to reach 20 wins in a season. He was also a Calder Trophy finalist who, unfortunately, got edged out by Montreal Canadiens defenceman Lane Hutson. 

Goaltending is very difficult and too unpredictable to accurately project. Wolf finished with 11.9 goals saved above expected. I’d say that’s pretty decent for a rookie goaltender with pylons in front of him. 

In addition to his athleticism, Wolf possesses the emotional intelligence and maturity most athletes strive for. It sets him apart from other players his age. You don’t see his confidence waver. He shakes it off and is right back to his crease. 

If all goes right, I think we could see Wolf cross the 30-win mark. I wouldn’t be shocked if he does, but it’s understandable if that doesn’t happen. Like many things in the Flames organization, the defence is a work in progress. 

Finding a spot for Parekh

One way or another, the Flames need to make room for Zayne Parekh. The 19-year-old defenceman dominated the OHL last season with 33 goals and 107 points in just 61 games. Parekh is the first OHL defenceman to have back-to-back 30-goal seasons.

Parekh is going to be a much-needed addition to their backend. He is a solid defenceman who relies on breaking up plays rather than physicality.

There is a world where the Flames start him off in a more sheltered role. Starting on the third pair with Brayden Pachal wouldn’t be such a bad thing. The first nine games are expected to be an uphill battle for the Flames. Dipping his toes in and getting acclimated to real NHL minutes and lifestyle changes may be the safe bet.

There’s no need to rush into anything. Not everyone’s transition to the NHL is linear. Don’t write him off after five games. Once the inevitable Rasmus Andersson trade happens, you can almost bet on seeing an increase in ice time.

Can Connor Zary stay healthy?

One of the biggest concerns, of course, is Connor Zary’s health. He missed 28 games due to back-to-back knee injuries. Zary missed enough time that he can’t afford to miss much more. His development has suffered enough due to coming up during COVID and other injuries along the way.

Zary has a solid net front presence that the Flames really benefit from. His finishing touch was missed during his absence. Should Zary stay healthy, I’d put him at the 20–25 goal mark. It is doable, but it’s a matter of him avoiding freak accidents like Mikko Rantanen falling into him.

Photo by Brett Holmes/Icon Sportswire

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