With the new NHL season nearing its start, it’s worth taking a look at what statistical milestones each member of the Calgary Flames’ roster has a chance to hit in 2022–23. Every member of the roster has a chance to hit a personal milestone this year, with some more meaningful than others. Let’s take a look.
Forwards
Mikael Backlund
- 74 games to 900
- 30 assists to 300
- 34 goals to 200
- 27 points to Flames top 10 in franchise history
- 25 goals to Flames top 10 in franchise history
Mikael Backlund is the only Flame who has a chance to hit some Flames franchise marks this season. At just 27 points behind Sean Monahan for 10th all time in franchise scoring, he’s all but guaranteed to crack the top 10 this season. He’s also 25 goals behind Joe Mullen for 10th all time in goals. His career high is 22 goals in a season so passing Mullen this season is a stretch.
He’s also set up to hit some personal milestones too. Logging 74 games for 900 is the most likely as he’s played at least 74 games in a season six times. He’d need to hit career-highs in goals and assists to achieve either of those marks so it’s highly unlikely.
Blake Coleman
- 18 games from 400
- 13 goals from 100
- 28 assists from 100
- 41 points from 200
Blake Coleman is well within reach of hitting all four of the above milestones. 13 goals should be a lock as he’s hit that mark every season of his career, as should 18 games played of course.
Outside of goals, 28 assists and 41 points would both be career-highs so the chances of him hitting those milestones are low but certainly not impossible.
Dillon Dube
- 14 goals to 50
- 11 assists to 50
- 25 points to 100
If Dillon Dube doesn’t hit all three of these milestones this season it would quite frankly be a disaster. The 24-year-old hit career-highs in goals with 18, assists with 14 and points with 32 last season, so hitting totals of 14, 11 and 25 should be a guarantee this season.
Nazem Kadri
- 61 games to 800
- 7 assists to 300
- 88 points to 600
Nazem Kadri has two milestones that should be guarantees, and another that would take a career year to reach. Barring an injury he should easily pass the 61-game mark to reach 800 for his career. He’s played at least 61 games seven times in his career.
Likewise seven assists is an absolute lock. The tough one will be hitting 88 points to reach 600 for his career. Kadri had a career year last season and managed 87 points in 71 games so it’s certainly doable, but it would be a surprise. 600 points will likely have to wait until 2023–24.
Trevor Lewis
- 19 goals to 100
- 11 points to 200
Trevor Lewis hitting 19 goals would take a miracle. His career-high is just 14. However, 11 points is well within reach. The veteran has posted or been on pace for at least 11 points for 10 straight seasons so if he’s a regular in the Flames lineup he’ll certainly hit 200 career points this season.
Elias Lindholm
- 37 games to 700
- 19 goals to 200
- 32 assists to 300
- 51 points to 500
Elias Lindholm is set to reach four separate milestones this season if he’s healthy. He’s posted or been on pace for at least 19 goals, and 51 points all four seasons in Calgary so hitting those milestones should be no problem. Same goes for 37 games played obviously.
32 assists is the only question mark here. He posted 40 assists last season however he’s reached the 32 assist mark in only three of his nine seasons in the league. 32 assists is very attainable but it’s not a guarantee.
Kevin Rooney
- 5 points to 50
Kevin Rooney has been in the NHL for six years. He still hasn’t reached the 50 career points mark. If he’s a regular in the Flames lineup in 2022–23 this should be the season he does it.
Jonathan Huberdeau
- 39 games to 700
- 2 goals to 200
- 85 assists to 500
- 87 points to 700
The Flames newest superstar Jonathan Huberdeau would need another monstrous season to reach all four milestones in 2022–23. The games played and goal milestones should be no brainers. Hitting 87 points to reach 700 for his career isn’t a guarantee; however, if all goes well Huberdeau should hit that number. He’s been on pace for or reached 87 points for four straight seasons, so there’s no reason to believe that trend won’t continue in 2022–23.
85 assists is a massive number that is most likely unreachable, however he did lead the NHL in assists with exactly 85 last season. Hitting the mark can’t be completely brushed off since we’ve seen him do it before, but it’d be a pretty big surprise.
Milan Lucic
- 4 games to 1,100
- 35 points to 600
Milan Lucic is currently the games played leader on the Flames and he’s a lock to hit the 1,100 mark this season. Hitting 600 points is another story. Lucic hasn’t reached 35 points in five years so it’d be a huge shock if he hits 35 this season. His 600th career point may have to come with a different team next season.
Andrew Mangiapane
- 40 games to 300
- 22 goals to 100
- 46 assists to 100
- 68 points to 200
It would take another career season from Andrew Mangiapane to hit all four of his milestones. Nothing would surprise me with Mangiapane at this point though. Hitting 40 games and 22 goals should be no problem as he posted a career-high 35 goals last season.
46 assists probably isn’t going to happen considering he’s a goal scorer with a career-high of 20 assists. Lastly 68 points is a stretch, however after hitting 55 last season it’s far from impossible. If he’s given top line duties, he could realistically hit the mark.
Tyler Toffoli
- 49 games to 700
- 7 goals to 200
- 7 points to 400
If he’s healthy, Tyler Toffoli will hit all three of these milestones with ease. Given he’s currently playing on the team’s top line, he has a chance to pass his goal and point milestones within the first couple weeks of the season.
Defence
Rasmus Andersson
- 2 games to 300
- 4 assists to 100
Rasmus Andersson will reach both of these milestones within days of the season starting. Still just 25 years old, Andersson is just scratching the surface of his career totals with the Flames.
Noah Hanifin
- 8 goals to 50
- 41 assists to 200
Noah Hanifin has a chance to hit both of these milestones, although it’s likely he comes up just short on both. He’s hit eight goals twice in his career, and most recently last season. Getting eight in 2022–23 to hit 50 for his career is a possibility.
However, 41 assists is probably a stretch. He posted a career-high 38 assists last season, so it’s hard to see him beating that total this season with MacKenzie Weegar taking big minutes. October 2023 will likely be when he hits both of these milestones.
Oliver Kylington
- 32 games to 200
- 17 assists to 50
- 3 points to 50 and 53 points to 100
Oliver Kylington’s exact spot in the Flames lineup is up in the air at the moment, however I think it’s a safe bet to say he hits all three of these milestones. The games played will be no problem. 17 assists isn’t a guarantee, however he posted 22 last season so even with a slight drop off he should still be set to hit 50 for his career.
Three points is a lock, however hitting the 100 point mark for his career would take a monster 53 point season. Don’t expect that to happen considering he’ll likely be playing on the team’s third pair.
Chris Tanev
- 48 games to 700
- 42 points to 200
Playing in 48 games this season should be no problem for Chris Tanev however he’s had trouble with injuries in the past and is coming into the season off major surgery. That said it would take some bad luck to manage fewer than 48 games in 2022–23.
Tanev hit a career-high in points last season with 28, so expecting him to reach 42 this season is a big stretch but I guess not impossible.
MacKenzie Weegar
- 6 assists to 100
The only realistic milestone Weegar can hit this season is 100 career assists, sitting just six back of the total. He’s posted assist totals over 30 the last two seasons, so reaching six should only take him a few weeks.
Nikita Zadorov
- 15 games to 500
- 22 assists to 100
For Nikita Zadorov, 15 games is a guarantee. 22 assists is probably unlikely seeing how his career-high is just 18 which he posted last season. That said he was also playing with Erik Gudbranson all season. If he lines up with Oliver Kylington his assist totals could see a slight bump big enough to hit 22 on the year and 100 for his career.
Michael Stone
- 15 goals to 50
- 1 assist to 100
Michael Stone doesn’t technically have a contract yet but if history is any indication… it’s coming. Hitting 15 goals would take a small miracle considering his career-high is just eight, but we all know how much he loves shooting the puck.
Reaching 100 career assists should be a lock if he can get into some games with the team this season. Considering he’s all but guaranteed to be the first man up in the event of an injury, getting one assist at some point should be no problem.
Goalies
Jacob Markstrom
- 22 games to 400
- 31 wins to 200
Barring an injury which is a very real concern for Jacob Markstrom, he should be able to hit both of these milestones this season. 22 games is a guarantee if he’s healthy considering he’s the Flames unquestioned starter.
31 wins will be tougher to hit, as he’s posted a win total in the 30’s just once in his career when he had 37 last season. That said, Darryl Sutter will almost certainly play him in at least 60 games again this year, making 30 wins a near sure thing unless things go rapidly south.
Daniel Vladar
- 22 games to 50
22 games should be well within reach this season. Markstrom was healthy all season in 2021–22 and Daniel Vladar still managed to get into 23 games. Considering there won’t be a long pandemic-induced break for Markstrom again this season, expect Vladar’s workload to potentially go up. There’s no reason he won’t play in at least 22 games in 2022–23.
Coaches
Darryl Sutter
- 3 games to 1,400
- 1 win to 700
- 2 wins to top 10 all-time NHL history
- 4 games to top 10 all-time NHL history
Sutter will set some impressive milestones of his own this season. The long-time coach will reach the 1,400 game mark as a head coach, as well as earning his 700th career win as a head coach this October.
After his second win this season, he’ll enter the top 10 all-time among head coaches for wins. Similarly he’s set to enter the top 10 all-time for games coached once he hits four games this season.
Making the milestones count
The 2022–23 quest for the Stanley Cup is just about to begin. For a team like Calgary expecting to contend, they’ll need to be at their best game in and game out. So it goes hand in hand that we should expect several players to rack up some career milestones en route to the playoffs.
Photo by Brett Holmes/Icon Sportswire
