When the Calgary Flames made the inevitable decision to fire Darryl Sutter this past offseason, many believed the team was poised for a bounce-back 2023-24. After all, it was no secret that many players in the dressing room had soured on Sutter to the point that it was reported players may request trades if he remained in charge.
Given that it is far easier to replace a head coach than an entire roster, the Flames made the decision to fire Sutter and eventually promoted then assistant coach Ryan Huska. Though the decision to give Huska the job felt like an underwhelming choice to some, most still believed that the toxicity being removed from the locker room would help the Flames get things back on track. Based on their 12-14-5 record through the first 31 games of the season, however, that hasn’t been the case.
Flames Worse at Both Ends of the Ice
Through their first 31 games, the Flames are worse in nearly every statistical category than a season ago. Their power play clicked at a mediocre 19.8% last season. That is far from outstanding, but miles better than the dreadful 12% they find themselves at right now.
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Despite missing the playoffs last season, the Flames still ended with a goal differential of plus-11. This season, however, they sit at minus-12. This in large part has to do with their even strength play, as they have a minus-9 goal differential at five-on-five play, whereas last season they ended the year at plus-13. They are not only failing to score as many goals under Huska, but are also giving up more, which to no surprise has resulted in them struggling thus far.
Players Regressing Even Further
What many fans also believed the coaching change would help with was getting players that struggled last season back on track. The most obvious of the bunch was Jonathan Huberdeau, who managed just 55 points last season after a career-high 115 the season prior. Somehow, the 30-year-old has been even worse this season, as he has just 15 points through 31 games, putting him on pace for just 39.
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Huberdeau isn’t the only player who has regressed even further. Elias Lindholm had a bit of an off season in 2022-23 with 64 points, after putting up a career high 82 the season prior. Through 31 games this season, he has 20 points, putting him on pace for just 52. Others who have seen their stats take a turn for the worse include Mikael Backlund and Rasmus Andersson, while Nazem Kadri and Andrew Mangiapane are having very similar seasons to year ago, both of which were disappointments.
Sutter Not the Main Problem
While it seems safe to say that the relationship between Sutter and his players had gotten far too negative, it seems that he may not have been the main issue in Calgary. The downfall of a player like Huberdeau is impossible to explain, but what is clear is that there are many — likely himself included — who don’t seem thrilled to be a part of the Flames organization. For the second straight season, a team that looks as though they should be quite competitive on paper is performing far below their capabilities.
What this does make clear is the this roster is in need of some serious revamping. Luckily for general manager Craig Conroy, he has a good chance to do that in the near future, beginning with selling players at the Trade Deadline such as Lindholm, Noah Hanifin, and Chris Tanev. With the big contracts players like Huberdeau and Kadri have, things could remain ugly in the coming years, but moving the aforementioned three would be a big step in the right direction.
