The Calgary Flames failed to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the third consecutive season.
The Flames (40-27-14) were eliminated from contention prior to a 5-4 shootout win against the Vegas Golden Knights at Scotiabank Saddledome on Tuesday. They needed a win against Vegas and help from either the Anaheim Ducks, who were defeated 3-2 in overtime by the Minnesota Wild, or the Utah Hockey Club, which lost 6-1 to the St. Louis Blues.
Calgary is a team in transition under general manager Craig Conroy, who replaced Brad Treliving on May 23, 2023, and inherited a roster with several expiring contracts that needed to be addressed in his first season. The Flames traded players who were pending unrestricted free agents while staying competitive with a young core bolstered by a handful of key veterans. They’re considered a team on the rise and likely exceeded expectations by staying in the playoff hunt for as long as they did.
Here’s a look at what happened in the 2024-25 season for the Flames and why things could be better next season.
The skinny
Potential unrestricted free agents: Anthony Mantha, F; Kevin Rooney, F; Justin Kirkland, F; Dryden Hunt, F; Joel Hanley, D; Tyson Barrie, D; Dan Vladar, G
Potential restricted free agents: Morgan Frost, F; Matt Coronato, F; Connor Zary, F; Adam Klapka, F; Kevin Bahl, D
Potential 2025 Draft picks: 7
What went wrong
Still retooling: Conroy said it would be a retooling season heading into training camp with young players getting an opportunity to compete for ice time. Several exceeded expectations, and although there were times when it looked like the Flames would drop out of the playoff race, they managed to stay alive until the final week. Inexperience proved to be a factor in tight games throughout the season, especially down the stretch.
Scoring issues: Calgary displayed plenty of heart but was unable to convert their work ethic into enough goals. The Flames are 30th in scoring (2.65 goals per game) and their 135 goals at 5-on-5 are tied with the Ottawa Senators for 30th. Though they played well defensively and received solid goaltending from Vladar and Dustin Wolf, they needed to generate more offense as a group to get over the hump and into a playoff spot in the Western Conference.
Special teams struggle: The Flames had difficulty on the power play (19th, 21.2 percent) and penalty kill, which presented an issue too big to overcome. The kill (76.2 percent) is 25th and they’ve allowed 53 power-play goals (26th). A better power play would have gone a long way considering Calgary has 231 opportunities with the man-advantage (tied for seventh with the Montreal Canadiens and Detroit Red Wings).
Reasons for optimism
Wolf: The 23-year-old had an outstanding rookie season. Wolf was selected in the seventh round (No. 214) of the 2019 NHL Draft. He worked his way up through the American Hockey League, where he was named most valuable player in 2023 and goalie of the year twice (2022, ’23). Wolf is 29-16-8 with a 2.64 goals-against average, .910 save percentage and three shutouts in 53 games, and a top candidate for the Calder Trophy awarded to the NHL rookie of the year. He did not look particularly comfortable in 17 games last season (15 starts), going 7-7-1 with a 3.16 GAA and .893 save percentage, so whatever issues he had during his first stint in the NHL were resolved.
Young core: A “retool” gave younger players more of an opportunity than they would have gotten on an older, more experienced team, which will prove valuable next season. Along with Wolf, Calgary received contributions from forwards Coronato, 22, Zary, 23, Klapka. 24, Martin Pospisil, 25, Frost, 25, Joel Farabee, 25, and Yegor Sharangovich, 26; and defensemen Bahl, 24, Brayden Pachal, 25, and Jake Bean, 26. Zayne Parekh, a 19-year-old defenseman selected with the No. 9 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, was recalled April 8 after he had 107 points (33 goals, 74 assists) in 61 games for Saginaw in the Ontario Hockey League. If the Flames can keep the young group together, they should grow and become more competitive.
Veterans led the way: Jonathan Huberdeau had his best season for the Flames since he was acquired with MacKenzie Weegar in the trade that sent Matthew Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers on July 22, 2022. The 31-year-old forward has 62 points (28 goals, 34 assists) in 81 games, exceeding his production from his first two seasons in Calgary. Though Huberdeau is still a long way from the 115 points (30 goals, 85 assists) he had in 80 games in 2021-22, he’s trending in the right direction, which is a positive. Nazem Kadri has scored an NHL career-high 33 goals while leading by example. The 34-year-old is in the third season of a seven-year, $49 million contract ($7 million average annual value) he signed Aug. 18, 2022, and will continue to be a valuable veteran voice to a young team.
