In what was supposed to be a rebuilding season, the Calgary Flames are tied points-wise with the Dallas Stars for a wild-card position in the Western Conference. This team has played some great hockey systematically, and have an impressive 17-11-7 record to show for it.
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Fans are somewhat worried about where the Flames sit right now, as many expected they would end up with a top-five pick at the 2025 NHL Draft. Such fate doesn’t seem likely anymore, which has increased the worry of many who would be devastated to see the Flames miss playoffs and end up with a pick in the midrange of the first round. With that said, here are three bold predictions for the Flames as they get set to enter a new calendar year.
Flames Make the Playoffs
The Flames have arguably been the biggest surprise in the NHL this season. Despite a lack of top-end talent, they’ve managed to play some tight-checking, low-scoring hockey that has allowed them to rack up 17 wins through 35 games. They’re far from elite, but have proven to be a tough matchup for opposing teams on a nightly basis.
Given how consistent they’ve been through their first 35 outings, it seems fair to suggest they will remain on a similar trajectory for the remainder of the season. With players like Jonathan Huberdeau and Nazem Kadri heating up, this team could very well find themselves in a playoff spot once the 82-game season has come to an end.
While making playoffs isn’t what everyone in the fanbase would prefer, getting young players like Matt Coronato, Connor Zary, and Dustin Wolf some playoff action early in their careers could wind up being very beneficial down the line. At this point in the season, it’s worth everyone getting on board to cheer for.
No Moves Made at Deadline
The Flames were never expected to be as busy in terms of trades as they were a season ago, but most still envisioned some moves ahead of the 2025 Deadline. Pending unrestricted free agents such as Andrei Kuzmenko, Anthony Mantha, and Dan Vladar all felt like locks to be moved, but that may no longer be the case.
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Mantha is off the market after suffering a season-ending ACL injury in November. Meanwhile, both Kuzmenko and Vladar have struggled, which will have teams very hesitant to acquire them. With where the Flames sit, holding onto both rather than trading them for late-round picks may wind up being more beneficial.
Andersson Signs Extension in Offseason
Another name who has been mentioned in trade speculation is Rasmus Andersson, though the Flames are in no rush to move him. The 28-year-old stalwart defenceman has been great this season, and is a big part of the Flames’ success through their first 35 games.
Andersson still has another season remaining on his contract, which allows the Flames to be patient when it comes to his future. They could get a major haul for him at the deadline, but instead are likely to wait until the offseason to work out an extension with him. With Calgary being the only city he’s called home during his NHL career, the two should be able to find common ground and get a long-term extension worked out this summer.
The benefit for the Flames in this situation is that they have an abundance of cap room, meaning they can afford to give Andersson a slight overpay. It’s well worth it for a city that has seen multiple other stars choose to move on with their playing careers elsewhere.
Fun Team to Rally Behind
This Flames team may not be the most talented group, but their effort level on a game-to-game basis has been extremely admirable. They are seemingly never out of games, and have been able to scratch and claw their way to some solid success to this point. While it remains to be seen how deep of a playoff run they are capable of going on, they wouldn’t be an easy out for any team in the league.
