Before the new NHL season gets underway, we wanted to turn to our team to ask some burning questions on what to expect of the Calgary Flames. Let’s get right into it!
1: Where do you think the Flames will finish this season?
Khalid Keshavjee
The Flames will go through ebbs and flows. On the ups, the team will make us believe that they just might sneak into a playoff spot, and on the downs, the team will look like a lock for the first overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. When all is said and done, the Flames probably finish above San Jose in the Pacific Division.
Gurpal Singh
As much as the team claims that people are doubting them, reality will set in. The Flames are expected to take a step back this season and finish among the bottom of the standings. I believe the team will finish sixth in the Pacific and could finish lower if more veterans are shipped out.
Alex Russo
I think the Flames are going to be as poor of a team as everyone thinks they will be. I have them finishing seventh in the Pacific division, enough to hopefully lock in a top-five pick in next year’s draft. The team finished ninth last season ago with the services of Nikita Zadorov, Elias Lindholm, Chris Tanev, Noah Hanifin, Jacob Markstrom and Andrew Mangiapane for most or all of the season. They won’t have any of those guys this year with a very depleted defence and more players likely being traded before the deadline. It is going to be a tough year for the team, but hopefully, it ends with a high pick in the 2025 draft.
James Johnson
When comparing the Flames lineup to those around the league, I think they will definitely be a bottom-ten team. Their record dipped massively after they moved on from Noah Hanifin and Chris Tanev. Now, you don’t have Jacob Markstrom to bail you out of games you should be losing. I think they are likely to finish sixth in the Pacific Division, and sixth or seventh last in the overall league. I can’t see them being worse than the Columbus Blue Jackets, but the division matchups against the San Jose Sharks and Anaheim Ducks should be a lot closer than they were in previous years.
James William
With a depleted back-end, the Flames fall a little further in the standings this year. I see them finishing sixth in the Pacific Division since it will be tough to be worse than the San Jose Sharks and Anaheim Ducks. I also see them being better than the Columbus Blue Jackets and Chicago Blackhawks. I think they’ll finish fifth-last across the league (28th) with room to be a little better (25th to 27th isn’t impossible).
Aman Kurji
This team is going to be bad. Let’s get that out of the way. They won’t win a lot, and the main focus will really be on the growth of the younger players. I can’t see this team finishing outside of the bottom 10 teams in the league. I actually think that they will finish in the bottom five in the league, and likely sixth in the Pacific. The only teams that I can see being worse than the Flames this year are San Jose, Anaheim, and Colombus.
Joshua Serafini
The Flames are very much in the mushy middle to me. I don’t think they’re bad enough to bottom out completely, but I also don’t think they’re anywhere close to good enough to push for the playoffs. Their roster still has plenty of win-now veterans, which makes me believe they’ll be better than the true bottom feeders in Chicago, San Jose etc. despite what some of the early season predictions will tell you.
I think they land somewhere in the middle between the bottom five and the playoffs. Finishing outside the bottom 10 and not in the playoffs would be a catastrophic disaster due to the conditions on the Sean Monahan deal, and I think the Flames keep us sweating all year before eventually landing 24th overall, or ninth last.
Drew Ostmoen
This season is not going to be very good. The defence is scarce, the offence looks alright, and the goaltending is unproven. League-wide, there’s only a handful of teams I see placing above the Flames. I think a fifth- or sixth-last-place finish seems realistic for this team. In terms of divisional, it’ll be tight between them, the Anaheim Ducks, and San Jose Sharks. I don’t see them being worse than the Sharks but a big development year from the Ducks could see them finishing above the Flames. I think the Flames will finish seventh in the division.
2: Who will lead the Flames in goals this season
Khalid Keshavjee
The totals will probably be close between a few players, but I’m going to go with Nazem Kadri. He’s going to be a staple on the top power play and will likely play with Yegor Sharangovich and Andrei Kuzmenko. This can’t hurt his point totals.
Gurpal Singh
I’m picking Yegor Sharangovich. I believe the sky’s the limit for him to put up major numbers with Nazem Kadri and Andrei Kuzmenko. He possesses a lethal shot and has embraced taking on a bigger role in Calgary. He scored 31 goals last season, so this season I’m saying he scores 34.
Alex Russo
I think there will be a couple of players in and around the same totals, but at the end of the day, I think it will be Nazem Kadri. He was terrific a season ago, and that was with one of the worst starts to a season in his entire career. He is going to get a ton of ice at both even strength and the power play and he seems to be as motivated as ever to help push the Flames in the right direction.
James Johnson
Has to be Andrei Kuzmenko, if he stays a Flame all year. he had 14 goals in 29 games after being acquired by the team. That’s just short of a 40-goal pace. He’ll get PP1 opportunities and has lined up next to Nazem Kadri and Yegor Sharangovich through most of camp. I imagine that will be a high-octane offensive line.
James William
At the rate he scored since being acquired from the Vancouver Canucks last season, I think it’ll be Andrei Kuzmenko. It’s what the Flames are paying him $5.5M to do. His 14 goals in 29 games as a Flame last year is a 40-goal pace in a full season, and he hit 39 with the Canucks in 2022–23. The career highs for the Flames’ other leading scorers are all around 30 to 32, with two of those—Yegor Sharangovich and Blake Coleman—coming last year. Given a full season in a prime role with the Flames, he should easily score 35+.
Aman Kurji
If Andrei Kuzmenko remains on the team the whole year, I think it has to be him. Ever since he came to Calgary he was the main offensive producer for the team. However, Kuzmenko only has one year left on his current deal, and it is very plausible that he will get traded at the deadline (along with other players). So, in the situation that Kuzmenko does get traded, the Flames leading goal scorer this season will be Nazem Kadri.
Joshua Serafini
I think this is a two-horse race between Nazem Kadri and Yegor Sharangovich, but I’ll give the edge to Kadri. We’ve yet to see Sharangovich string together two successful seasons in a row during his young career. I also have some doubts about how well his production from last year will carry over. Kadri meanwhile is the team’s best forward and as the only top-six centre on the roster, he’ll likely be getting a ton of minutes all season. I think he comes right around his 29-goal mark from last year to lead the team.
Drew Ostmoen
The goal totals will be super close this season and the leading goal scorer will come down to a matter of a few. Like many others are predicting, if Andrei Kuzmenko stays for the majority of the year I see him leading the team. But with his one year remaining, he could easily be traded. Yegor Sharangovich is another good shout but he’s out week-to-week to start the year. With all of that considered, when the season comes to an end, I believe Nazem Kadri will be the team’s leading goal-scoring somewhere around 30.
3: Who will be the team’s MVP this season
Khalid Keshavjee
Call me crazy but I’m going to go with Martin Pospisil. I feel like he could be the centre that gels with Jonathan Huberdeau, and if that happens and the team gets a spark out of the $10.5 million man, you can only thank his linemates for that.
Gurpal Singh
I’m going to have to go with Kadri. He really impressed me with how much he embraced being a mentor for players like Martin Pospisil and Connor Zary. He’s also coming off one of the best offensive seasons of his career. It seems like, for now, he wants to stick around for the long haul, and I expect him to become a prominent leader for this team as more youth enter the Flames’ lineup.
Alex Russo
My answer is simple, MacKenzie Weegar. He was phenomenal a season ago and he was one of the Flames most consistent skaters on a night-to-night basis. He has embraced the team and the city and he is one of the few players that has said he wants to be in Calgary for the long haul through the rebuild. I don’t know if he will score 20-goals again, but I will bet on him being the Flames’ best player night in and night out.
James Johnson
A bit of a Hail Mary, but I’m going to go with Rasmus Andersson here. 2023–24 did not go how he planned. With his name in trade rumours already, I can see him putting up a great season and proving people wrong. I expect him to be right around his career high of 50 points, which would be a big increase from last year.
James William
I’m fully confident MacKenzie Weegar will be the MVP this year. It’s a close second for Nazem Kadri, but Weegar is just too consistent on both sides of the puck. With a depleted blue line and the potential for Rasmus Andersson to be traded in-season, Weegar will be tasked with an even bigger workload. I just don’t see how he doesn’t thrive under the spotlight this year.
Aman Kurji
Just for fun, I am going to go way off the board here but hear me out. Connor Zary will be the team’s MVP. If this team is going to get through this season, they will need the energy of the youth to get them going. We saw this happen when Zary got called up last year, he performed exceptionally and got Kadri’s game to pick up too. Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t think Zary is going to be the team’s leading scorer, but I do think he is going to have a big season, and that his progression and energy on the ice are what is going to make his teammates better.
Joshua Serafini
It’s not a great sign when there are no obvious candidates for MVP. My immediate reaction is to pick MacKenzie Weegar. The 30-year-old had a tremendous 2023–24 season and I think he’s set for an even bigger year this season given how many holes there are on the blueline. Weegar is likely going to be playing heavy minutes on the top pairing, top power play, and top penalty kill. He’s going to have to do it all and his performance last year has shown there’s no reason to doubt him. As one of the Flames’ primary leaders and their best defenceman, I think Weegar will be the teams most valuable player this year.
Drew Ostmoen
I’m betting on Connor Zary to have a big sophomore season. His impact was felt around the team last season and he’s looked pretty strong in the pre-season. Zary’s play style is one that does well quickly in the NHL and at 23, I think he’ll be ready for the next step. He’s starting the season on wing but I see him grabbing a centre spot sometime this year. Even if he doesn’t I still see him having a good year. I think we will see Zary put up around 60 points while being the team MVP.
4: Which prospect will play the most games for the Flames this year?
Khalid Keshavjee
This feels like Matt Coronato’s coming out season. He should start the season with the team and earn himself a sizable role, especially as the Flames add draft picks at the Trade Deadline. I have high expectations for the first-round pick—let’s see if he gets there.
Gurpal Singh
It has to be Coronato, right? He’s had a great camp, and in my opinion, he’ll take a step this season. He’s expected to be an integral part of the Flames’ future core, and he’ll have all the opportunities in the world to prove that he belongs in the NHL.
Alex Russo
I think it absolutely has to be Matt Coronato. He has looked great through the preseason and got better with every NHL game he played last season. The youth movement is now, and the Flames have to do something to fit him into the NHL roster this season. Another year of development in the AHL wouldn’t be the worst thing, however, the time is now to make Coronato a permanent fixture with the Flames.
James Johnson
If you still count Adam Klapka as a prospect, I think it’ll be him. If not, I’m going to go with Matt Coronato. It seems like an obvious succession plan to deal with one or both of Anthony Mantha/Andrei Kuzmenko before the trade deadline and give Coronato their spot.
James William
I feel like Dustin Wolf has a real shot at this, but if he struggles, it’s easy to shelter him in the AHL while letting Daniel Vladar and Devin Cooley take the heat. For this reason, I’ll agree with James Johnson and suggest it’ll be Adam Klapka. He had a good preseason with three goals on 10 shots through five games. But I think it’s his size and style that’ll land him a depth role.
Matt Coronato is the Flames’ top forward prospect, but he’s a small skill player, and the top nine wingers are loaded already. He’d likely be relegated to the fourth line, and playing so little minutes will only hinder his development. I think—at least until the Flames start dealing—Coronato plays a big role with the Wranglers. Once roster spots become available, he’ll get a long look, but I think Klapka’s more likely to see the most NHL games this season.
Aman Kurji
The answer is Matt Coronato. Right now, Anthony Mantha and Andrei Kuzmenko are just keeping Coronato’s lineup spot in the top six warm. Once one (or both) of them are traded in February, Coronato will be looked at as one of the team’s top options to score goals. He had a great start in the preseason and has shown he can produce at an elite level in the AHL. The time is coming for Coronato to show what he can do in the NHL, and although he may start off the season with the Wranglers, I firmly believe he is going to be the first call-up.
Joshua Serafini
Like the question above, it’s not a great sign when there are no obvious candidates here. Jakob Pelletier was placed on waivers, Matthew Coronato has shown flashes but has been incredibly inconsistent, and I highly doubt Sam Honzek gets more than nine games this season. Before preseason, I would’ve said Ilya Soloyvov here, but that’s obviously not going to happen after he was placed on waivers last week.
The reality is the Flames really don’t have any exciting forward or defence prospects pushing for roster spots right now. For that reason, I’ll say Dustin Wolf as there isn’t much competition for starts right now.
Drew Ostmoen
The obvious answer to me would be Dustin Wolf if he wasn’t a goalie. I think he’ll do well this year but I hope they don’t overload a rookie goalie. Out of the all young guys the Flames have, I think Adam Klapka will realistically play the most games this season. He has the easiest spot to hold as a fourth-line power forward while others need more playing time and a higher role. Klapka’s physicality and ability to put up some points should be able to keep on the team for a while.
5: Where will the Flames finish in the draft lottery?
Khalid Keshavjee
The Flames should challenge for the bottom of the league but will fall short of that. My bet is they end up with the fifth overall pick this year.
Gurpal Singh
It wouldn’t surprise me to see the Flames overachieving a bit this season, but it won’t be enough to create serious noise. Getting a top-five pick would be amazing, but I will go with Calgary drafting sixth overall in 2025, which would still be a success.
Alex Russo
Let’s get a bit spicy here, I am not going to pick the Flames to get first overall just because they have that all but locked up in 2026 for Gavin McKenna (let me dream ok). I am going to predict the Flames to pick 2nd overall and avoid the disaster of losing their pick to the Montreal Canadiens.
James Johnson
The Flames have a recent history of picking sixth overall with Sean Monahan and Matthew Tkachuk, so why not again? I think they will surprise and get off to a decent start, making us all worry that we will lose our first-round pick to the Canadiens. But I think the wagon will begin to lose some wheels and they’ll be down around the fifth–eighth worst team spot by season’s end.
James William
I see the Flames finishing with the fifth-worst record in the league and picking sixth overall. The defence is depleted, and the goaltending is inexperienced at best. Obviously, young players can prove me wrong—I’m looking at you, Wolf—but even if the Flames are able to score, I think they’ll really struggle to keep pucks out of their own net. I also have no confidence that the Flames will win the draft lottery. In fact, I think a team will even jump them in the lottery, knocking them down a spot.
Aman Kurji
My heart really wants to say that the Flames finish with the first overall pick (please I am begging for this). However, I think it would be safer to use my brain for this question. I see the Flames finishing fifth last in the league. Their defence is a lot weaker this year as they really only have two solid NHL defencemen. Additionally, they “added” to their forward group in a way by picking up Anthony Mantha, but he will be traded by the deadline. Add in the loss of Jacob Markstrom, this team is much worse than last year. Now when the lottery comes around, because I am an optimist and I think Flames fans have suffered and deserve something to cheer for, I think the ping pong balls do Calgary a favour and the Flames move up two spots to get the third overall pick.
Joshua Serafini
No team in the entire league deserves a lottery win more than the Flames. For that reason, I doubt they’ll actually get one. Going off my prediction above that the Flames will finish ninth last, their lottery odds will be slim to none once again. As is tradition, I think the Flames miss the lottery spots and stick at ninth overall.
Drew Ostmoen
With all the moves made by the team and the depleted roster, the Flames are not in for a good season. I predicted the Flames would finish fifth or sixth last in the NHL. With the Flames lottery luck, I think they’ll finish with the sixth overall selection. As James mentioned, good history there with Sean Monahan and Matthew Tkachuk.
Hockey is back
We’re just days away from the Flames hitting the ice in competitive action. The offseason is over, and there’s a palpable excitement to see what this team really is. The puck drops soon, and we’ve got Flames coverage and more, all season long.
Photo by Brett Holmes/Icon Sportswire
