Some argue faceoffs aren’t a major part of the game. Others argue they are more essential to giving your team the puck first. Either way, one common and concerning trend through the first ten games is the faceoff circle, and where the Calgary Flames sit.
All Flames have faceoff woes
At a faceoff percentage of 44.4%, the Flames are a bottom-three team in the faceoff circle so far in 2024–25. The two teams lower than them are the Florida Panthers and Anaheim Ducks with faceoff percentages of 44.3% and 41.3%, respectively.
Here are the totals for all five centremen so far:
| Player | Faceoff Percentage |
|---|---|
| Nazem Kadri | 47.3% |
| Mikael Backlund | 45.8% |
| Justin Kirkland | 44.2% |
| Martin Pospisil | 38.7% |
| Kevin Rooney | 37.5% |
We’ve seen Martin Pospisil shift back to the wing over the last few games. His faceoff percentage is certainly a factor in that decision.
A lack of right-handed centreman could factor in this
It’s no wonder the team is browsing the trade market for a centre with a preference for a right shot. With every one of your centres being a left shot, you’re at a disadvantage. Opposing teams can line up on the left side of their defensive end with their right-shot and the Flames have no counter.
Going forward, the Flames could try some new options at centre. They shifted Yegor Sharangovich between Jonathan Huberdeau and Andrei Kuzmenko in the last game. They haven’t tried Connor Zary at centre yet. He looked great next to Huberdeau to finish last year.
The immediate problem is that those options are also left shots. There are no right shots in the AHL system, either. This is why losing Cole Schwindt to Vegas on waivers hurt the team a little more than most thought. The only two right-shot forwards on the Flames roster are Kuzmenko, Matthew Coronato, and Adam Klapka.
Accepting the Flames’ faceoff fate
The Flames likely will not see impactful improvements unless something drastic changes. Instead, they’ll be better off focussing on the play after the faceoff and be quicker to check and apply pressure. We’ll see if management addresses this need, but for now, the team can’t expect possession off the draw as a well below-average faceoff team.
