6 Flames Chasing Major Milestones in 2026-27

The 2026-27 season may not see the Calgary Flames win a lot of games, but that doesn’t mean it’s not an important one. Still in the early stages of a rebuild, this coming season will serve as a great opportunity for young players on this roster to establish themselves as true NHLers, which, in turn, gives fans plenty of excitement as to what the future looks like.

While an exciting season lies ahead for the Flames’ youth, there are also plenty of veterans with a ton to play for. There are a number of more established players on this roster coming up on some pretty significant milestones, so, with that said, here’s a look at six Flames players closing in on some impressive feats.

Backlund Continues to Climb All-Time Games Played List

It’s been quite the career for Mikael Backlund, who has spent all 1,148 regular-season games he’s played in a Flames uniform after being selected 24th overall in the 2007 draft. Even at the age of 37, he’s still found ways to be productive, having scored 17 goals and 43 points this past season.

Backlund sits second in Flames history for games played, trailing only Jarome Iginla’s 1,219. He needs 71 games this coming season to tie that record, and could end up surpassing it late in the 2026-27 campaign. He’s also just 52 games away from 1,200, a mark which only 141 NHL players have ever hit.

Huberdeau Set to Receive Silver Stick

Though Jonathan Huberdeau’s tenure with the Flames hasn’t panned out as expected, it doesn’t take away from the excellent career he’s had thus far. The 33-year-old, who was selected third overall by the Florida Panthers back in 2011, is just 38 games away from 1,000 in his career.

It’s uncertain as to when Huberdeau will hit that mark, largely due to the fact that he may not be ready at the start of the 2026-27 season after undergoing hip resurfacing surgery in the spring. Either way, it’s probable that he does hit the illustrious mark this coming season, which will earn him a silver stick and a well-deserved ceremony.

Farabee Nearly Halfway to 1,000 Games

While nobody else is closing in on the 1,000-game mark on the Flames’ roster, they do have a number of others closing in on some big accomplishments. That includes Joel Farabee, who is just three games away from the 500th of his career.

Farabee hasn’t become the point producer the Philadelphia Flyers had hoped for when they selected him 14th overall in 2018, but has become a very impactful player for the Flames in a middle-six role. He finished the 2025-26 campaign with 20 goals and 38 points and is expected to put up similar totals this coming season.

Sharangovich Has Shot at 500 Games

After an excellent first season with the Flames in 2023-24, Yegor Sharangovich’s game has fallen apart. The 28-year-old managed just 15 goals and 29 points in 2025-26, his lowest total since entering the NHL back in 2020-21 with the New Jersey Devils.

Despite some frustrations over Sharangovich’s play the past two seasons, his high-end skill has allowed for him to suit up for 438 regular-season games to date. That means that if he can log 62 games in 2026-27, he too will hit the 500-game mark in his career.

Zary Closing in on 100 Points

Though there was some buzz earlier in the offseason surrounding a trade, it looks as though Connor Zary will return to Calgary for the 2026-27 season. He has plenty to prove after a frustrating 2025-26 campaign in which he had just 12 goals and 25 points.

What’s easy to forget when it comes to Zary is that he’s still quite young. At just 24 years of age, he’s only 14 points shy of 100 in his career. It’s a good reminder that despite some recent struggles, he does have the ability to produce offence when put in the right situations. Flames fans are desperately hoping he can get back on track this coming season.

Whitecloud One Game Away from Big Feat

Another player closing in on a big milestone is newcomer Zach Whitecloud. The 29-year-old served as mainly a third-pairing defenceman throughout his time with the Vegas Golden Knights, but saw his minutes increase drastically when acquired by the Flames in the Rasmus Andersson deal.

Whitecloud, who averaged north of 22 minutes in his 31 games with the Flames last season, is just one game away from the 400th of his career. Assuming he is healthy for the beginning of the 2026-27 campaign, he’ll hit that mark on Oct. 1 in the Flames’ season opener against the Seattle Kraken.

Silver Linings in a Trying Season

While the Flames are taking steps in the right direction in their rebuild, the next few seasons could be long and gruelling. The good news is that they have several reachable milestones as mentioned above that give both the team and fans plenty to look forward to in 2026-27.