The next two games will be the biggest games of the season for the Calgary Flames. Both are games they should be able to win, as they come against inferior opponents in the Columbus Blue Jackets and Chicago Blackhawks. If we have learned anything from this team in the past, however, it is that this Flames team is a hard group to predict.
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Just one week ago, things were going quite swimmingly for the Flames, who were tied points-wise for a playoff position after winning their fourth-straight game versus the Arizona Coyotes. All of a sudden, a team that everyone expected to be major sellers at the trade deadline looked like they may have postseason aspirations. Since then, they have gone on to lose three straight, and talks of selling have jumpstarted once again.
Flames’ Deadline Approach Will Soon Be Decided
As of today, the Flames sit four points out of a wild-card spot. They could quickly make up that ground, assuming they can defeat both the Blue Jackets and Blackhawks. If they do that, they’ll head into the break with a 23-21-5 record. A record like that won’t have general manager Craig Conroy think about buying, but it would make him far more reluctant to sell.
What that would entail is that pieces such as Jacob Markstrom, Blake Coleman, and perhaps even Dan Vladar (if Markstrom were to stay put), would be sticking around. One of the big three in Chris Tanev, Noah Hanifin, or Elias Lindholm could even stick around if Conroy doesn’t get an offer he deems as fair value. Doing this would still help benefit the Flames in the future, but also give this current group a shot at the playoffs. If they drop both, or even just one, those plans could change drastically.
The Flames already suffered an embarrassing defeat at the hands of the Blackhawks recently. If they were to do the same again, it would be crystal clear that they aren’t anywhere close to being a playoff calibre team, making Conroy’s decision to sell a rather easy one. That would all but guarantee all of Tanev, Hanifin and Lindholm are gone. It could also see Conroy look to ship out other names like the ones listed above, or perhaps anyone else on the roster that generates interest.
Why would the next two games decide this, you ask? Well, with the All-Star break being a week long, it will allow for things to calm down slightly for Conroy so he can reflect. Say, for example, the Flames somehow dropped both games ahead of the break. They would not only have lost to two of the NHL’s worst teams, but would have a 21-23-5 record, and likely be anywhere from six to eight points outside of a playoff spot. Not only would they be that far back, but there would be anywhere from 4-5 teams between themselves and the team holding down the second wild-card position. With time to sit and think on it, Conroy would be able to see logically that the playoffs aren’t an option.
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Now, if the team wins both, it may give Conroy and his staff a sense of hope. Some may argue a false sense, but one nonetheless. Two wins, which would have them right on the cusp of a playoff spot, may have the management group decide to stand relatively pat in hopes of a miracle. This may not be the best strategy, but it is hard not to consider when you are in the heat of the battle.
Flames a Tough Team to Get a Read On
As mentioned at the beginning of the article, this Flames team is extremely frustrating to try and figure out. One day, they look like contenders out of the West, and others they look like a lottery team. What group we get for these two upcoming games remains to be seen, but it will have a huge impact on what the remainder of the season will look like.
