As we head into 2024, it is time to look back at the worst moments for the Calgary Flames in 2023. It was a less-than-ideal year, so there is no shortage of moments to include on this list. I have shortened it to the top (or bottom?) five.
1. Darryl Sutter remarks what number Pelletier was
Sutter was a beacon of negativity during his final season with the Flames. This was exemplified in Pelletier’s debut, when Sutter was asked and remarked that he didn’t even know what number he was.
Look, Sutter has always been quippy with reporters and his comments aren’t always to be taken seriously. But after how the season had played out so far, this seemed to be a breaking point for the room. Flames players were incredibly unhappy with this comment and I’m sure this caused a lot of stir. This kind of seemed like the nail in the 2022-23 season coffin.
Pelletier did come back at Sutter this year when he changed his number from 49 to 22:
2. Flames don’t sell assets at the 2022–23 NHL Trade Deadline
A major mistake from the Flames front office was not selling assets at the trade deadline last year. Mathematically the Flames were not in a playoff spot, and weren’t likely to make it either. Instead of making the smart decision and selling assets, the Flames made an AHL move and one NHL move at the deadline. That move was sending Connor Mackey and Brett Ritchie to the Arizona Coyotes for Troy Stecher and Nick Ritchie.
The Flames probably won this deal, as Stecher was a nice fit on the bottom pairing. But Stecher walked back to Arizona in the summer, and Ritchie signed overseas. It’s a net zero gain for the Flames when they could have begun their sell-off.
Here’s hoping they don’t make this same mistake this time around.
3. Nick Ritchie in the shootout with the season on the line
Look, the season was pretty much over at this point. But they weren’t mathematically eliminated yet. With the season on the line, and this shooter needing to score, Sutter and the Flames elected to go with Nick Ritchie. This was just the perfect end to the 2022–23 season. You couldn’t come up with a funnier end to such a disappointing season.
4) Jonathan Huberdeau still hasn’t found his game
Sigh. We all thought there was no way Huberdeau would repeat his awful 2022–23 season, where he set the NHL record for a biggest point drop from one season to the next. Well, Huberdeau has somehow been worse in 2023–24. He has zero points in December, and 15 points in 35 games altogether. In the first year of his massive eight-year, $10.5M AAV deal, this is painfully bad. It’s getting to the point where we have to question if we will ever see the vintage Huberdeau, or if this is just what he is.
5. Matthew Phillips scores his first NHL goal against Calgary
This was such a funny start to the 2023–24 season.
Phillips, a Calgary kid, was famously overshadowed last year and given basically zero playing time by Sutter after Treliving called him up. So, Phillips leaves the Flames organization and signs a one-way deal with the Washington Capitals in the offseason. Phillips makes the Capitals NHL roster and scores his first NHL goal against none other than the Calgary Flames. How bout that? Just picture-perfect stuff.
But what about the best Flames moments?
2023 wasn’t all that bad though was it? Here are the top five best Calgary Flames moments from 2023.
