Here are the biggest storylines surrounding the Calgary Flames and their schedule for the upcoming holiday week (Dec. 22–28).
The “Battle of Alberta” Holiday Series
The upcoming week is defined entirely by the rivalry with the Edmonton Oilers. Calgary plays Edmonton twice in a “home-and-home” series surrounding the Christmas break. With the Flames fighting to stay relevant in the Pacific Division playoff picture (having won seven of their last nine home games), these four points are critical.
Rasmus Andersson Trade Watch
The holiday trade freeze may be in effect until Dec. 28, but that hasn’t slowed trade speculation around defenceman Rasmus Andersson. Following the blockbuster trade of Quinn Hughes from Vancouver to Minnesota, Andersson is now widely considered the top defenceman available on the market.
Andersson is in the final year of his contract. With the Flames still largely viewed as “sellers” for the upcoming deadline, his value is at an all-time high. Despite the noise, he is playing elite hockey, having recently passed 200 career assists (all with Calgary).
Roster Moves: World Juniors & Injuries
The Flames have officially loaned top prospect Zayne Parekh to Team Canada for the World Junior Championship. This is seen as a massive opportunity for him to regain confidence after a slow start to his rookie NHL season (one assist in 11 games).
With Parekh away and Jake Bean placed on Injured Reserve (undisclosed; out indefinitely), young defenseman Hunter Brzustewicz has been recalled from the American Hockey League (AHL) Calgary Wranglers to fill the gap on the blue line.
Recent Surge & Milestones
The Flames are coming off a morale-boosting 6–3 win over the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday (Dec. 20). Key highlights from that game include:
- Mikael Backlund: Scored two goals.
- MacKenzie Weegar: Recorded three assists, hitting his 200th career assist milestone.
- Dustin Wolf & Devin Cooley: Wolf has been a stabilizing force in net recently, though Cooley picked up the win against Vegas.
Flames Schedule Dec. 22 – 28
The NHL enters its holiday freeze mid-week, meaning a light but intense schedule featuring only the Oilers.
| Date | Time (MT) | Opponent | Venue | Notes |
| Tue, Dec. 23 | 7:00 PM | @ Edmonton Oilers | Rogers Place | Battle of Alberta (Part 1) |
| Sat, Dec. 27 | 8:00 PM | vs. Edmonton Oilers | Scotiabank Saddledome | Battle of Alberta (Part 2) |
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