The Calgary Flames have had a surprising yet excellent run so far in the 2024-25 season, amassing an impressive 12-7-3 record. For a team most had pegged to finish in the bottom 10, if not bottom five in league standings, it’s been quite a pleasant surprise for not only the organization but its fan base.
Whether this play can be sustained over an entire season remains to be seen, but has helped increase optimism that what looked to be a few rough years moving forward may not be so ugly, after all.
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Still, it’s important to remember that this Flames team is a ways away from being a Stanley Cup contender. They’ve made the right steps so far under general manager Craig Conroy’s guidance, and it’s important they stick with their original rebuilding plan. In order to do that, they will need to make some trades ahead of the deadline, one of which should involve goalie Dan Vladar.
Vladar has combined with Dustin Wolf to give the Flames an excellent tandem between the pipes this season. After two straight down years, he’s gotten back on track in 2024-25, and has suddenly become an intriguing trade option for opposing teams needing goaltending help. Not only does he carry a friendly $2.2 million cap hit, but his deal also expires at season’s end, lowering the risk for any interested teams.
You can understand why Flames fans may be hesitant to move on from Vladar given that he’s still quite young at 27, as it seems as though he may finally be hitting his stride at the NHL level. That said, he could bring in a decent return, and the Flames have another goalie who is more than ready for NHL action waiting in the American Hockey League (AHL).
Cooley Has Earned a Shot
This past offseason, the Flames announced that they had signed Devin Cooley to a two-year deal worth $1.55 million total. Despite having just six games of NHL experience under his belt, the uncertainty in the Flames crease following the trade of Jacob Markstrom led many to believe he may have a real shot at cracking the opening night roster.
Though Cooley did play well in preseason action, the Flames chose to go with their more familiar options in Vladar and Wolf. That by no means was the wrong decision, as the two are arguably the biggest reasons why the Flames have had so much success through their first 22 games this season. That said, moving Vladar and replacing him with Cooley wouldn’t be a drop off. In fact, it may even be an upgrade.
As good as Wolf and Vladar have been for the Flames, Cooley has been even better with the Calgary Wranglers. Sure, it’s a lower level of hockey, but he is absolutely dominating with his new organization. He’s made 14 starts to date, posting a scalding 1.89 goals-against average (GAA) along with a .940 save percentage (SV%). Those numbers, to no surprise, have resulted in a pristine 10-3-0 record.
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What made Cooley such an intriguing signing at the time was that, despite being 27, he was still viewed as a goalie with a lot of untapped potential. Not only is he massive at 6-foot-5, but he is very quick and has great athleticism. He seems to finally be putting it all together, and looks like he has the makings of, at the very least, a capable NHL backup goalie.
Cooley’s Term Makes Vladar Expendable
Cooley also has the benefit of having another season on his contract. Should the Flames move on from Vladar and go with a tandem of Cooley and Wolf next season, they would have just $1.625 million between their goalies in 2025-26. The Flames by no means are struggling to create cap space, but having such a small amount tied up in their goalies could help them pursue several free agents next summer, should they have interest in doing so.
