Before the new NHL season gets underway, we wanted to turn to our team to ask some burning questions on what to expect from the Calgary Flames. Let’s get right into it!
1: Where do you think the Flames will finish this season?
Joshua Serafini
The Flames may be the hardest NHL team to peg coming into the season. After surprising everyone and finishing with 96 points last year, I think this team is a complete wild card coming into 2025–26. Whether it’s a bottom-five finish or firmly in the playoffs, nothing would surprise me. For that reason, I think something firmly in the middle is likely the case once again.
I do think they’ll take a step back from last season, but I also think Dustin Wolf is simply too good to let them fall into the basement. I’ll predict they finish the season in the mushy middle, somewhere in the 18–20 range.
James William
I also see the Flames finishing somewhere in the middle again this year, outside the playoff picture. They were the sixth-lowest scoring team in the league last season and did nothing externally to improve that this summer. Any change would have to come from within. I think they’ll struggle to score again, and I’m not banking on Wolf bailing them out as often as last season. The 18–20 range seems about right.
Aman Kurji
I see the Flames as a bottom-10 team in the league. Wolf is elite, and he is the reason the Flames weren’t in the basement last year. But doing that two years in a row? I’m not so sure. The Vegas Golden Knights are a much better team with Mitch Marner joining the roster. The Edmonton Oilers are still just as good. The Los Angeles Kings will be fighting for a playoff spot, and the Vancouver Canucks will hope to do the same. I really see the Flames as a bottom-three team in the division, with the Anaheim Ducks and San Jose Sharks.
Khalid Keshavjee
A lot of things went right for the Flames last season—Wolf was outstanding, the team won more than their fair share of extra time games, and the group looked better than the sum of its parts. They go into this season with the same roster and will likely lose Rasmus Andersson at some point along the way. A lot needs to go very right for this team to repeat last season, but odds are that the bottom falls out a little and they finish somewhere between 20th and 23rd this year. They’re again too good to tank and not good enough to push for the playoffs.
Tyler Rohleder
The Flames had a pretty stellar season last year, but still need quite a few pieces to complete their rebuild, mainly a solidified 1C of the future. The revelation of Wolf last year can give Flames fans a bright spot to watch this season. The Flames realistically finish in the bottom 10. The worst thing a team can be in hockey is mediocre, so if the Flames can’t be a playoff-bound team, they might as well aim for the bottom. Rental pieces like Anderson and other vets should get the Flames some extra draft capital.
Gurpal Singh
I’m unfortunately going to predict they end where all Flames fans dread: the mushy middle. While I see a decline, I just can’t see the team being bad enough to get a top pick, especially if Wolf continues to stay dominant. The Flames are in this grey area right now, which is quite frustrating
Cody Misyk
I believe the Flames will finish in the middle of the pack, once again. Their current roster is good but not bad. Outside of Wolf, this team does not have much star power to do some actual damage. It will be another mediocre year in Calgary.
Simon Szyszkowski
The team didn’t really get better and almost certainly overperformed last season with basically the same roster. My money is on Calgary falling into the low to mid-20s. They’ll be in the draft lottery, just not low enough to be in serious contention for Gavin McKenna.
Drew Ostmoen
Not much changed with the Flames this offseason. Last year, they heavily relied on Wolf’s success to push for the playoffs. I think we’ll see that get exposed a decent amount this year. The roster isn’t bad enough to shoot down into the bottom of the league, but I’m expecting a solid drop with other teams improving. I’m expecting the Flames to finish in the 20th-24th range
John MacKinnon
The Flames had a ton of overachievers last season, including Wolf, and that managed to get them a point out of the postseason. They made very few changes to their roster, not really getting better anywhere, so you’d have to imagine they fall back. With other teams in the Western Conference improving significantly, they could be hanging out with the Chicago Blackhawks at the bottom.
Jashan Parmar
If anything, this team has gotten worse since April. No real backup goaltender who can help take a load off of Wolf. Lots of veterans are taking up valuable roster spots from youngsters who have truly earned them. There doesn’t seem to be a way for this team to replicate the magic that surrounded them last season. They won’t be down at the very bottom, but I expect them to be in between the 22nd and 27th range.
2: Who will lead the Flames in goals this season?
Joshua Serafini
This seems like a two-horse race between Nazem Kadri and Matt Coronato. I don’t think Johnathan Huberdeau will get the same shooting luck that he had last season, and there’s no way I’m counting on a Yegor Sharangovich bounce back after how bad he looked in 2024–25. After signing a mega extension this summer, I’ll go with Coronato and say he finishes right around the 30-goal mark, with Kadri close behind.
James William
I counted Kadri out last season, but I’m not going to do that twice. I do think Coronato will close the gap and score close to 30, but I think Naz will be just ahead of him, around 32.
Aman Kurji
I have lots of love for Kadri, but this is Coronato’s time to shine. He will lead the team in goals.
Khalid Keshavjee
Coronato is going to push for the lead this year, but it will be Kadri once again this season. Don’t count out Connor Zary, who I can see pushing his way into third in the scoring race.
Tyler Rohleder
Have to appreciate the vets, but this is the season for Coronato to shine as a goalscorer.
Gurpal Singh
Kadri and Coronato are the two contenders in my eyes. I’ll give the edge to Kadri for this season, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Coronato takes the title away from him.
Cody Misyk
I think Coronato has a big year and scores over 30 goals. Kadri is still a good choice, but I think Coronato becomes the team’s number one goal scorer.
Simon Szyszkowski
Head says Kadri, heart says Coronato. I am convinced that Coronato is going to have a big year and is going to prove that his 24 goals from the previous campaign is just the floor of his potential. The only reason it is a debate to me is because Kadri is coming off a 35-goal year, and I can’t come up with a good reason why he shouldn’t be able to match that again. I think Kadri gets 35, Coronato just behind him with 32.
Drew Ostmoen
As everyone else is saying, this will be between Kadri and Coronato. Kadri scored a career-high 35 goals last season, which was his first 30-goal year since 2017–18. Coronato finished his first full professional year with 24. Coronato is destined to be the Flames’ best goal scorer for years to come, and I think we’ll see that starting this upcoming season. I think Coronato will get around 32 goals, narrowly beating out Kadri.
John MacKinnon
Let’s go off the board and have some fun. Morgan Frost had an amazing preseason and looks to have found some chemistry with Coronato and Jonathan Huberdeau. The odds are against the pick, but take the long shot.
Jashan Parmar
Realistically, it will be one of Coronato or Kadri, but there isn’t any fun in that. I’m going to say Joel Farabee bounces back this season and leads the team in goals. Having now settled into the environment in Calgary alongside Frost, I can see him doing some damage in the offensive zone.
3: Who will be the team’s MVP this season?
Joshua Serafini
Wolf. Without Wolf last season, the Flames almost certainly would’ve finished in the bottom 10. The Flames’ season once again lives and dies with Wolf.
James William
There’s no doubt in my mind it’s Wolf. He’s already one of the best goalies in the NHL and the best player on the Flames’ roster.
Aman Kurji
It will be Wolf, and there is no other player in my mind who I think will be able to make the same level of impact as him.
Khalid Keshavjee
If he stays healthy, it will have to be Wolf. If he doesn’t or if anything changes for him this season, look to Kadri to be the reason this team doesn’t completely fall apart.
Tyler Rohleder
Hate to sound like a broken record, but if Wolf stays healthy, the Flames are an entirely different team with the American goaltender.
Gurpal Singh
It’s gotta be Wolf. Enough said.
Cody Misyk
Wolf. No need to explain.
Simon Szyszkowski
I’m gonna go against the grain and pick Wolf.
Drew Ostmoen
I’m thinking it might be Wolf.
John MacKinnon
Awooooooooooooooooooooo!
Jashan Parmar
I’m going to go out on a limb and say Wolf.
4: Which prospect will play the most games for the Flames this year?
Joshua Serafini
There’s really only one answer here, simply because the Flames roster is so jam-packed with bodies that there aren’t really any spots up for grabs anyway. For that reason, I have to go with the obvious pick and say Zayne Parekh. Not only is he the team’s best prospect by a wide margin, but he quite literally can’t play in the AHL this year. He may not earn a full-time spot out of camp, but there’s no way he isn’t a full-time NHLer by Christmas, considering how weak the Flames’ blue line is.
James William
It has to be Parekh. He’s too good for the OHL, so the question is whether he is good enough for the NHL. He’s had a good preseason and should be in line for a roster spot. I can see Sam Honzek or Matvei Gridin earning games, too, but both will likely stay in the AHL for more seasoning. The Flames have options with them to continue their development, whereas Parekh’s only option is the NHL.
Aman Kurji
Assuming a fully healthy season, it is going to be Parekh. On top of that, Parekh is going to be leading the top power play unit by January, he will be a Calder Trophy finalist, and he might even just win the thing over Ivan Demidov. I am all in on Parekh. He has the opportunity to really showcase his skill this year, especially when Andersson is eventually traded.
Khalid Keshavjee
The obvious answer is Parekh. He’s not going back to the OHL this season—barring a complete disaster—and the team will want to get him playing a ton to see what they have in him. I would also watch for Gridin and Rory Kerins to push for NHL minutes throughout this season as well.
Tyler Rohleder
The most clear answer is Parekh, clear, cut, and dry. He could also be a Calder candidate. Secondary candidates could be Hunter Brzustewicz, Kerins, and Honzek, who should be wearing the flaming C a handful of times this year. Another possible candidate would be Gridin, but the 2006-born Russian likely needs another year or two of development before he earns a full season in the NHL.
Gurpal Singh
It’ll most likely be Parekh. The Flames gotta give him a long look with the team. I also would like to see Kerins and Brzustewicz get more looks, as I think both players are close.
Cody Misyk
It has to be Parekh. He deserves a chance to play, considering how the current defensive core looks. Gridin has also had a great preseason and hopefully gets some good playing time.
Simon Szyszkowski
I think it will almost definitely be Parekh. If I had to pick a second prospect, I would probably go with Gridin as well. Both look like studs and absolutely deserve plenty of time in the NHL this year.
Drew Ostmoen
Regardless of how his development is handled, I also think Parekh will play the most games for a Flames rookie this year. He’s a safe bet for at least 40 games, and unless Gridin impresses early, I don’t think any other rookie will be that much of a regular.
John MacKinnon
Parekh could be in and out of the lineup for the Flames this season, but is likely going to lead in the games played category. Unless Gridin comes out of the gate extremely hot, it’s hard to imagine any other prospects cracking this old roster.
Jashan Parmar
I’m going to go with Parekh. The only real blue-chip prospect in the Flames pipeline. He’s destined to not only be the number one guy on this team but also be a top-five defenceman in the league. Barring any other factors, it should be Parekh.
5: Will the Flames make the playoffs this season?
Joshua Serafini
I don’t think so. Despite how close they came last year, I think they were incredibly lucky to be in the spot they were. With no improvements to their bottom-five offence, I’m hard-pressed to say this roster is a playoff team. Getting a Pacific division spot will be tough with the Oilers, Golden Knights, Kings, and Canucks all in the mix, and a Wild Card spot won’t be any easier, given how many solid teams are in the Central.
Perhaps Wolf goes full-on god mode and carries them into the playoffs, but I think a more realistic scenario is another finish just outside the playoffs.
James William
No, as I said in question one, I think the Flames finish slightly lower than last season. They haven’t improved their offence, and it’s a big ask of a second-year goaltender to put the team on his back for another full season. I do think Wolf still has a good year, but I think a few more games go against the Flames this year.
Aman Kurji
No. The Flames will not be able to luck out on the back of Wolf again this year. Not because Wolf will be bad this year, but because it is simply too much to put on one individual. They made practically zero changes this offseason. Really, their only change to the roster will be adding Parekh to the blueline. Outside of that, it’s the same offence that was at the bottom of the league last year.
Khalid Keshavjee
Frankly, it’s hard to see this team pushing for the playoffs this season unless everything that went right last season goes right again, and Parekh is exceptional. Realistically, this team pushes again and comes up just short.
Tyler Rohleder
No, it is extremely unlikely, and not really in the best interest of the Flames to make the playoffs. It would be a better long-term plan to aim for a top-five to top-10 pick than an extra four to seven games of playoffs for the overall health of the organization.
Gurpal Singh
I honestly don’t see it. I feel it’s going to be another one of those years where the team gives fans false hope, but in the end, comes crashing down. There’s a strong possibility that the team declines, and if it gets them a top-10 pick, I’m all in for it.
Cody Misyk
Unfortunately, no. I think the Pacific Division has too many good teams for the Flames to compete with. Wolf would have to throw the team on his back again and single-handedly drag them into the playoffs. I see them finishing just outside the playoff picture.
Simon Szyszkowski
I think we saw the absolute peak of this current roster last season. If they do somehow make the playoffs, it is as a bottom seed and an easy first-round exit, but even that seems unlikely. I’m gonna say no, give Parekh, Wolf, Coronato, and all the other young guns coming down the pipe another year or two, and hopefully that changes.
Drew Ostmoen
No. The Flames couldn’t score last year, Wolf covered for the mediocre defence, and no improvements were made. The Pacific could be really weak this year, and maybe the Flames sneak in, but I don’t see it happening.
John MacKinnon
Not a chance.
Jashan Parmar
No. This team is worse than last year. It would take Wolf winning the Vezina for Calgary to make the playoffs.
6. Will Rasmus Andersson be traded or re-signed before the trade deadline? If so, where?
Joshua Serafini
I don’t see any way Craig Conroy lets a high-value free agent walk for nothing after what he witnessed in 2022, so I think Andersson will almost certainly be on a new team before the deadline. I think this scenario goes very similarly to how the Noah Hanifin one did, with Andersson sticking around until a week or two before the trade deadline.
In terms of destinations, the Dallas Stars still seem like such a perfect fit on paper, so I’ll go with them. Although I wouldn’t at all be surprised to see a lowball offer from the Golden Knights end up as the eventual outcome.
James William
Andersson will definitely be traded before the trade deadline. I wrote back in March that this situation would go down exactly like the Hanifin one, and so far, I’ve been proven right. The Flames will move him for an underwhelming return early in 2026.
As for the destination? The Stars and Golden Knights do strike me as potential landing spots, especially with Vegas losing Alex Pietrangelo for most, if not all, of this season. I’ll go with the Carolina Hurricanes, though. They’re a Cup contender with over $10M cap space according to PuckPedia, and their only right-handed defencemen are Sean Walker and Jalen Chatfield.
Aman Kurji
Well, what other choice does Conroy have? It has been widely reported that Andersson isn’t going to extend, and realistically, the price tag for Andersson does not make sense for the Flames. Teams will be itching to add him to their roster come the trade deadline, and the Flames don’t really need to extend him either. They have Parekh on the right side, who will likely replace Andersson by the end of the year. Conroy will trade him; it’s just a matter of when.
Khalid Keshavjee
The Flames didn’t make a single trade at the deadline last year and will likely move Andersson before the deadline this season. Cap constraints and a willingness to sign long-term contracts will be key considerations, but a market will emerge for Andersson’s services, and Conroy will pounce when that happens. The Toronto Maple Leafs, Stars, and Florida Panthers all make a lot of sense, but will need to accrue cap space in-season to have enough to take him on for the back-half of the year.
Tyler Rohleder
There’s been so much speculation over the past couple of months that it’s hard to believe he won’t be traded. Likely, whatever package is sent back will include a first-rounder. With possible trade partners like the Panthers, Stars, and Maple Leafs, this means the Flames could have the opportunity to draft another late first-rounder like Gridin. Just as fans have to trust Conroy to get a good return, they equally have to trust Todd Button and company to capitalize on their picks.
Gurpal Singh
He’ll be traded for sure, as the ship has sailed on the possibility of an extension, in my opinion. When he gets traded is a tough prediction, though. I personally would like to see Andersson get traded sooner rather than later, as I was quite disappointed that he wasn’t dealt in the offseason. Realistically, I think he gets traded near the deadline, and I’m not sure if Conroy will be able to secure a good return.
Cody Misyk
If the Flames are in the middle of the back by the trade deadline, I can see Conroy flipping him to a contender. Hopefully, he has a great year and can boost his trade value, as the team must avoid another Hanifin situation. I do not think they would get a spectacular return for him, but an extra first-round pick would be nice.
Simon Szyszkowski
I think he absolutely gets traded at this point, and I could totally see a world where the timing ends up being similar to the Farabee and Frost trade from last season. We saw last year that Conroy clearly prefers to get his work done before the deadline, so I think it’ll be similar again this year. It’ll go down a week or two before March 6th.
Drew Ostmoen
At this point, there’s no way Andersson doesn’t get traded. I see the rumours being played out for some time, with a trade eventually being completed in February or March. As for a destination, I could very easily see the Stars or Hurricanes based on assets and needs. However, I could also very easily see a low-end package from the Panthers and Golden Knights being the result, because that’s just how it seems to go sometimes.
John MacKinnon
Everything is pointing towards a trade, but I think his future is tied directly to how the team performs at the start of the season. If it’s like last year, the team could try to make a push to re-sign him. Ultimately, this screams like Hanifin 2.0, selling off Andersson for pennies on the dollar at the trade deadline.
Jashan Parmar
All signs point towards Andersson being traded by the deadline, potentially even before then. As some others mentioned, if this team does well to start the year, he most likely stays on the roster; if not, he will be moved.
Now that the news is official that Alex Pietrangelo will be out for both regular season and playoffs, once again, it seems that Vegas will get a Flames defenceman. The only problem is that the Golden Knights don’t have anything that would be too interesting for the Flames. Return-wise, a team like the Stars would be best; however, realistically, it will be the Golden Knights.
Hockey is back
We’re just days away from the Flames hitting the ice in competitive action. The offseason is over, and there’s a palpable excitement to see what this team really is. The puck drops soon, and we’ve got Flames coverage and more, all season long.
Photo by Brett Holmes/Icon Sportswire
Related