With 2024 on the horizon, it means we are getting closer and closer to the 2024 NHL All-Star festivities. In such a disappointing year for the Calgary Flames, it’s hard to think about All-Star candidates on the team. With that said, given the NHL’s rule that each team must send at least one player to the festivities, the Flames will be sending at least one player as their All-Star at the end of January. However, with the NHL’s new All-Star format, the Flames’ player may be a part of the skills competition if selected, or they may just feature in the All-Star game.
Given the team’s struggles, there aren’t many great options to choose from this season as there haven’t been many standouts on the roster. So who do you think should represent Calgary at All-Star Weekend?
We asked, you answered.
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Picking the Calgary Flames’ All-Star representative
We presented the below options as the four most likely picks for the Flames 2024 All-Star. As mentioned above there haven’t been any major standouts this season, so the results were very even across the board.
MacKenzie Weegar
Leading the vote by a slight margin was MacKenzie Weegar. The 29-year-old has bounced back from an up-and-down 2022–23 campaign and looks like the player the Flames thought they were getting when they acquired him. Weegar has arguably been the team’s best player at any position this season. He currently sits with eight goals and 20 points in 35 games, a pace of right around 18 goals and 47 points. Both totals would be career-highs.
He leads all Flames blueliners in goals and points. In fact his eight goals rank as the fourth most on the entire team. As well, his eight goals rank tied for third league-wide among all defenceman, and his 20 points rank 28th. On top of his production, he’s also averaging over 22 minutes a night and plays on the team’s power play and penalty kill units. There’s a strong case that Weegar has been the team’s MVP this season and should be the team favourite to make the All-Star game.
Nazem Kadri
After a disastrous first couple of weeks of the season, Nazem Kadri has really turned it around and has been the Flames’ most effective forward. After starting the year with just one point in his first eight games, Kadri has racked up 24 points in his last 27 games and currently leads the Flames in scoring with 25 points. He also leads the team in assists with 16, shots with 115 and is third for goals with nine. On most nights, he’s one of the only forwards who stands out.
As well, his chemistry with youngsters Conner Zary and Martin Pospisil has been one of the lone bright spots for the Flames this year as the trio have regularly been the team’s best line most nights. Despite how poor the Flames have looked this season, Kadri is still on track to post more points than he did last season. That deserves some major praise and is why he’s the leading Flames forward candidate for the All-Star game.
Blake Coleman
No offence to Blake Coleman, but when a third line veteran is one of your leading All-Star candidates, you’re probably not having a great year as a team. To his credit, Coleman has been tremendous this season. He’s racked up 12 goals and 24 points in 35 games thus far, and leads the Flames in goals and ranks second in points. He’s currently on pace to shatter his career-best 38 points last season as he’s on track for 56 points and 28 goals.
On top of that, he’s been a crucial part of the team’s top 10 penalty kill and currently ranks second in the entire NHL with four shorthanded goals. His current pace of nine shorthanded goals on the year would tie the franchise record set by Kent Nilsson all the way back in 1984. That alone earns some consideration for the All-Star game given the team’s lack of options this year.
Connor Zary
Coming in just behind Coleman by the slightest of margins is rookie Connor Zary. If you had Connor Zary as one of the Flames leading All-Star candidates back in October, you’re lying. Zary has burst onto the scene this season after many expected him to remain in the AHL for most of the year. Across his 25 games, he’s posted 17 points—a 56-point pace across a full season. He’s also added on seven goals—a 23-goal goal pace across 82 games.
Zary has been one of the lone bright spots on the team this year and has regularly been the spark the Flames have desperately needed on most nights. He’s currently sitting ninth in the NHL among rookies for points, but ranks second behind only Connor Bedard for points per game. He may not get the attention some other Flames do for the All-Star game given he only has 25 games under his belt, but make no mistake he fully deserves to be considered.
Flames have a lack of All-Star options
It’s been a long season for the Flames and it’s only December 31st. Perhaps the All-Star festivities will be a nice break that allows everyone to take a step back and breathe. No offence to the above names, but when players on pace for under 60 points are some of your strongest candidates to represent you at the All-Star weekend, it’s a sign that your season hasn’t exactly gone to plan thus far. Either way, it’ll be nice to see one of the Flames’ better players this season get recognized for their strong results.
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