{"id":385544,"date":"2026-01-01T22:34:14","date_gmt":"2026-01-01T22:34:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/385544\/"},"modified":"2026-01-01T22:34:14","modified_gmt":"2026-01-01T22:34:14","slug":"looking-forward-looking-back-the-flames-in-2025-and-the-year-ahead","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/385544\/","title":{"rendered":"Looking forward, looking back: The Flames in 2025 and the year ahead"},"content":{"rendered":"

On January 1, 2025, the Calgary Flames<\/a> were one point ahead of the chasing pack and sitting not-so-comfortably in the Western Conference\u2019s second wild card position.<\/p>\n

Today, a year later, they are one point out of a playoff spot.\u00a0<\/p>\n

If you added up every game the Flames played in 2025, they finished with the ninth-most points in their record.<\/p>\n

As much change as there might have been \u2013 and it wasn\u2019t enough for some fans \u2013 the last year has pretty much shown that the Flames are somewhere between the eighth and 10th-best team in the West. The teams around them might be climbing or falling, but the Flames were what they were in 2025.<\/p>\n

Is there change coming in 2026, or is it more of the same? Do they need to go full rebuild and tear things down or can things get better without first getting worse?
Here, we\u2019re going to look forward while also looking back. What were the more important storylines that emerged in 2025 and what are the biggest questions that need to get answered in the 12 months ahead?<\/p>\n

Looking back: Dustin Wolf becomes a cornerstone<\/p>\n

By the time the calendar flipped to 2026 last year, Wolf had started to pull away from Dan Vladar in the fight for the Flames\u2019 starting goaltending job. Even then, though, he\u2019d only started in six of the 12 games the team played in December of 2024.<\/p>\n

In January, though, he took over. Wolf played in 10 of the Flames\u2019 13 games last January and really began solidifying his place as a Calder Trophy contender. He finished the 2024-25 season with a .910 save percentage and a 2.64 goals-against-average in 53 games. He was an unquestioned starter.<\/p>\n

That led to the Flames giving him a seven-year, US$52.5-million contract in the summer that reaffirmed his role as one of the most important pieces of the next era in Calgary hockey.
This season hasn\u2019t all been smooth sailing, but Wolf has rediscovered his form in December and it\u2019s a big reason why the Flames have managed to claw their way back into the playoff fight.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a lot of handwringing amongst Calgary hockey fans about the need to draft a true superstar. It\u2019s absolutely true that getting one is a big part of any rebuild. So is finding a No. 1 goaltender, though.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In 2025, the Flames found out for sure that they\u2019ve got theirs.<\/p>\n

Looking forward: Draft, draft, draft<\/p>\n

When Wolf is on his game, it\u2019s pretty hard for the Flames to be bad enough to truly bottom out in the standings.<\/p>\n

That presents a dilemma. There are a lot of fans who feel like the Flames need to tank, at least for a year. They feel like the organization\u2019s unwillingness to truly embrace a rebuild and secure potential superstars through high draft spots is going to keep the Flames stuck in the \u201cmushy middle.\u201d<\/p>\n

This debate has been going on for years but hit a crescendo in late-November when president of hockey operations Don Maloney did an interview with Sportsnet where he dismissed the idea of tanking. It didn\u2019t go over well, to put it plainly. The Flames were right at the bottom of the standings at the time and fans were dreaming of how a guy like Gavin McKenna or Ivan Stenberg might look with a Flaming \u2018C\u2019 on their chest.<\/p>\n

The debate isn\u2019t going anywhere and will get louder as the trade deadline approaches and the Flames need to make decisions on what to do with the veterans who are currently keeping them in the fight. A couple trades and this team might be drafting in the top-3 in late-June. If the current roster has them close to the playoffs, though, will ownership and management be willing to make the tough decision to prioritize the future? Should they?<\/p>\n

Looking back: The Youth Movement<\/p>\n

For all the focus on next year\u2019s draft, it\u2019s worth noting that the Flames are already deep in the process of getting younger.<\/p>\n

They kept Zayne Parekh<\/a> around instead of sending him back to the OHL for another year of junior. Both Yan Kuznetsov and Hunter Brzustewicz have graduated from the AHL and are full-time NHLers as we kick off 2026.<\/p>\n

\"<\/p>\n

Calgary Flames Matvei Gridin scores on Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck in first period preseason NHL action at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary on Friday, October 3, 2025. Darren Makowichuk\/Postmedia<\/p>\n

Matvei Gridin started the year with the Flames as a 19-year-old and while he\u2019s getting a little more seasoning with the Wranglers right now, isn\u2019t far off. Sam Honzek came out of training camp and established himself as a regular before his season was ended early with an upper-body injury.<\/p>\n

Aydar Suniev, Sam Morton and Rory Kerins all made their NHL debuts in 2025, too.<\/p>\n

The Flames may get even younger in 2026, but there were definitely steps taken this year.<\/p>\n

Looking forward: The Big Move<\/p>\n

Rasmus Andersson is going to get traded before the deadline.<\/p>\n

His scintillating start to the 2025-26 season might make it tempting for management to try to get him re-signed, but there are other factors that need to be considered.
For one, both Brzustewicz and Parekh are right-handed blueliners, just like Andersson. They\u2019re younger and less expensive and should be key pieces as the Flames hopefully emerge as true contenders in a few years\u2019 time. Does re-signing a 29-year-old who might block their progress actually make sense for the Flames? Isn\u2019t there a better fit out there for Andersson himself?<\/p>\n

The Swede has done an incredible job of not letting his contract situation become a distraction. He\u2019s a class-act and a great player who has put up eight goals and added 18 assists so far this season.
In an ideal world, you\u2019d love to see a guy like Andersson spend his entire career in Flames colours, but a trade is the best option for all parties.<\/p>\n

It should also net a nice return for the Flames that includes a couple nice draft picks.<\/p>\n

Looking back: Searching for offence<\/p>\n

If you look back at the offensive numbers the Flames put up in the last calendar year, there\u2019s Nazem Kadri and then there\u2019s everybody else.\u00a0<\/p>\n

We\u2019re not saying he\u2019s a one-man show, but in 85 games in 2025, he scored 29 goals and added 44 points. That\u2019s 73 points. The second highest-scoring Flames player was Jonathan Huberdeau, who had only 53 points.<\/p>\n

Now, it\u2019s worth noting that Matt Coronato had the third most points last year, with 51, and is still just six weeks past his 23rd birthday. He was rewarded handsomely for an encouraging 2024-25 season with a seven-year contract extension.<\/p>\n

But the Flames\u2019 youth movement hasn\u2019t produced anyone else who is a proven points-producer. Connor Zary\u2019s year was mired by injuries, Adam Klapka is more of a fourth-line guy, Honzek looks more defensively-minded and while Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee have improved since being acquired from the Philadelphia Flyers in January, they\u2019re not going to be point-per-game types.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s certainly hope in Gridin and 2025 first-round picks Cullen Potter and Cole Reschny, but they\u2019ll require some patience.<\/p>\n

In 2025, Kadri stood alone.<\/p>\n

Looking forward: Is Andersson the only vet available?<\/p>\n

When the Flames trade Andersson, they\u2019re going to be a worse hockey team. That could very well see them drop fast in the standings.\u00a0<\/p>\n

If that\u2019s the case and the draft does become the priority, could they put anyone else on the market?\u00a0<\/p>\n

Kadri has said openly that he\u2019s happy in Calgary and wants to stay with the Flames. As we just noted, he\u2019s had a very good year. When Andersson\u2019s moved, could Kadri be tempted by a move to a true Stanley Cup contender? There aren\u2019t many teams in the league who wouldn\u2019t be interested in acquiring his services.<\/p>\n

\"<\/p>\n

Calgary Flames Rasmus Andersson during warm up before taking on the Seattle Kraken in NHL action at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary on Thursday, December 18, 2025. Darren Makowichuk\/Postmedia<\/p>\n

What about Blake Coleman, who is leading the Flames in goals so far in 2025-26, with 12, and is a two-time Stanley Cup winner?\u00a0<\/p>\n

These are valuable pieces for the Flames and important leaders in the lockerroom. If management goes all-in on building through the draft, though, they\u2019d also yield some intriguing assets in return.<\/p>\n

Trading away your leaders shouldn\u2019t be taken lightly, though, and even the fans who are adamant that the team needs to tank can recognize the value of ensuring the environment around the rink remains competitive.\u00a0<\/p>\n

These aren\u2019t easy decisions.<\/p>\n

daustin@postmedia.com<\/a><\/p>\n

www.twitter.com\/DannyAustin_9<\/a><\/p>\n