Calgary Flames fans need to be patient. After narrowly missing out on the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season by a tiebreaker, there will be a sense of ‘need to improve’ this season in Calgary. However, that is not what is being predicted.
The strength of Dustin Wolf’s rookie season has expedited the Flames’ rebuild process, allowing the team to remain competitive. They are also expected to have 2024 ninth-overall pick Zayne Parekh join them this season. Once he gets comfortable at the NHL level, he has the potential to become one of the best offensive defencemen in the league.
Related: Flames’ Rookie Zayne Parekh Could Redefine Calgary’s Blue Line
Looking to the future, it appears the Flames have addressed two of the most challenging positions to fill in hockey: a star goaltender and a number one defenceman. If Wolf and Parekh continue to perform as advertised, the Flames’ baseline will be a competitive team; however, the concern for the future remains the same as now: who can consistently put the puck in the back of the net?
Flames Need More Offensive Firepower to Compete
While the Flames will feel more comfortable with their goaltending and blue line going into this season, they did very little to address their offensive deficiencies.
Last season, the Flames finished with the fourth-fewest goals scored and ended the season with a negative-16 goal differential. They were also a bottom-10 offence in high-danger chances and a bottom-three offence in high-danger goals scored, which led to the Flames having the second-worst team shooting percentage in the NHL.
The Flames’ offensive core of Nazem Kadri, Jonathan Huberdeau, and Matthew Coronato is a strength; they will be able to keep the Flames in low-scoring games, but there is not enough depth to consistently rely on.
While the Flames still have $11.5 million in cap space, there were options on the market in free agency that could have bolstered this forward group. Instead, they have chosen to run it back and wait on some of their young prospects.
The Flames are sitting on 2023 first-round pick Samuel Honzek, who has a ton of offensive skill at 6-foot-4. They also have Jacob Battaglia, who is coming off a 40-goal, 90-point season in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), and Matvei Gridin, who has scored 36 goals in the Quebec Maritime Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). This group could also include Rory Kerins, who had a 33-goal season in the American Hockey League (AHL) last season, and Andrew Basha, a 2024 second-round pick. Along with 2025 first-round picks Cullen Potter and Cole Reschny.
Flames 2025-26 Expectations
Last season, the Flames’ success was something very few predicted. Many thought they were going to be a bottom-feeder headed for a rebuild. However, the strength of Wolf in net, and their ability to win tight checking close games, led to them shocking the NHL world.
The Flames’ core of Huberdeau, Kadri, Coronato, Andersson, Wolf, and MacKenzie Weegar is good, and I don’t think it is a fluke that they ended up just outside of the playoff bracket last season. However, they are not explosive and rarely come away dominating their opponent. They are a strong defensive team, but the low-scoring nature of their games makes it challenging to predict whether they can replicate last season’s success, regardless of whether they achieve similar numbers or not.
This will be the case for the Flames again this season. In The Athletic‘s recent season preview for the Flames, they suggest the worst-case scenario is 69 points and the best-case scenario is 94 points (From ‘Calgary Flames 2025-26 season preview: Playoff chances, projected points, roster rankings,’ The Athletic, Sept. 23, 2025).
Their most likely projection is 80.3 points and 25th in the NHL. This feels relatively safe considering the strength of the Flames’ defence and goaltending. However, in a season with so much uncertainty surrounding when Rasmus Andersson will be moved, or if Kadri is potentially moved, holding anyone to a projection of this team feels unfair.
In addition to the potential moves, the Flames’ low-scoring, tight-checking style, which lacks consistent offence from high-danger opportunities, is something the team needs to address before they will be taken seriously as a playoff contender.
For all we know, the Flames could very well replicate their results from last season, or even improve if Coronato continues to develop and if Parekh plays to a Calder candidate level, as some are expecting. However, the more likely outcome is that the Flames’ record regresses in one-goal games this season, and they move off a couple of their more valuable veteran pieces before the deadline, and be willing to take a step back this season.
The Flames are in a strong position moving forward. They have found a franchise goalie and potentially a superstar defenceman. They do have a prospect pool loaded with offensive talent. However, many of these players still require a season or two to be ready to make an impact in the NHL.
The 2025-26 team will be competitive, but Flames fans need to be patient with this team and not get caught up in last season’s results. The future is bright, and help is on the way. It will just be about letting the Flames’ long-term plans come to fruition.
