As we head into 2024, it’s time to look back at 2023 and the best moments. It wasn’t the best calendar year for the Flames, so there aren’t a whole lot of positives, but I’ve looked at five moments that really stand out to me.
1. Dustin Wolf and Matthew Coronato make their NHL debuts
Game 82 of last season was the most memorable for me from the 2022–23 season. After 81 games of misery, the Flames were finally mathematically eliminated from playoff contention. That meant that Darryl Sutter would finally play the kids.
In Game 82, we got to see both Dustin Wolf and Matthew Coronato make their NHL debut against the Sharks. This was a pivotal moment for an organization and one where both players played well. Wolf saved 1.65 goals above expected and had a .958 SV%. Coronato didn’t find the scoresheet, but he did have four shots and played 14:28.
2. Connor Zary
Most fans had Coronato as the rookie to take a spot in the top-six all season. Very few even had Zary in the lineup. But, Zary has taken the 2023–24 season by storm so far, and really been one of the few reasons to warrant watching Flames games this season. Right now Zary has seven goals and 17 points in 25 games. Most nights, his line with Nazem Kadri and Martin Pospisil (another fun story) is the only Flames line that is dominating chances and quality. Zary’s extremely high PDO and shooting percentage say he will regress from this pace, but it has been a very welcomed sight for this Flames team. He might even be making some Calder discussions by year’s end.
Hopefully, we will get more youthful injections as the 2023–24 season goes on.
3. Mikael Backlund signs an extension and is (finally) made captain
After Backlund seemingly wanted out during the summer, the focus on the next captain of the Flames shifted to other names like MacKenzie Weegar and Rasmus Andersson. However, that changed at the end of September when Backlund agreed to a two-year extension with the Flames and was made captain of the team.
For a guy who has been in the Flames organization since being drafted in 2007, this was massive. It was about time that Backlund got the captaincy since Giordano’s departure. I do feel bad for Backlund that he won’t be able to chase a Stanley Cup for the rest of his career, but he made a commitment to the Flames and that’s cool.
4. Brad Treliving and Darryl Sutter both leave the organization in the summer
Brad Treliving had been the general manager since 2014, and Sutter of course had many disgruntling moments in his second stint as Flames head coach. It was time for both to leave the organization. Funny enough, Treliving left the Flames on his own terms because he wanted to fire Sutter and Flames ownership wouldn’t allow it. Then, after Treliving left, the team conducted interviews and found a lot of Flames players wouldn’t return if Sutter was still coach. So, they made the decision to fire Sutter and head into the 2023–24 season with both a new general manager and head coach to mark a new era of Flames hockey.
5. Flames put all contract talks on hold after poor start to 2023–24 season
The Flames were reportedly close to signing Noah Hanifin to a huge long-term extension at the start of this season. That changed after the rough start for the Flames, and the Calgary decided to pause all contract talks. This was my favourite moment, as it signalled a change that this organization has desperately needed for years. Whether it is a retool or rebuild, this team needs a change. Hopefully, all of Hanifin, Lindholm, Tanev, and more are on their way out by the trade deadline and like the front office did this offseason, the on-ice roster can also usher in a new era.
But what about the worst Flames moments?
Let’s be real, 2023 was more bad than good, and that’s covered here in the top five worst Flames moments from 2023.
Photo by Brett Holmes/Icon Sportswire
