A lot things have gone wrong for the Calgary Flames as of late, but there’s always been one recurring issue this season: the team’s offensive numbers have been mediocre. Of course that problem can be attributed to a lack of elite talent, but for Flames fans, it’s not been fun to watch.
Since the team is supposedly falling back down to earth, it isn’t going to get much easier as the season continues. As for what the team can do about it, there isn’t much that can be solved right away. The only instant solution the Flames have is to switch up the line combos to try something different, in hopes that something clicks.
Flames players are on pace for some low offensive numbers
Whether you agree with me or not, this team has been sort of a snooze fest to watch. Obviously, with a rebuild, this is what you’re going to get, but it’s still pretty miserable to witness especially after the recent road trip the Flames are coming off of. Additionally, the Flames haven’t scored more than three goals in 22 straight games now.
When it comes to individual statistics, there isn’t a single player on the Flames right now who is on pace for more than 50 points. Take a look at some of the “top” players on this team and the totals they’re projected to hit with the quarter mark of the season done:
| Jonathan Huberdeau | On pace for: 46 points |
| Nazem Kadri | On pace for: 49 points |
| Yegor Sharangovich | On pace for: 29 points |
| Andrei Kuzmenko | On pace for: 29 points |
| Blake Coleman | On pace for: 32 points |
| Rasmus Andersson | On pace for: 46 points |
| MacKenzie Weegar | On pace for: 43 points |
| Mikael Backlund | On pace for: 33 points |
As you can see, it’s not pretty. Nazem Kadri is on pace to hit significantly lower totals than last season and Jonathan Huberdeau keeps regressing. Meanwhile, Andrei Kuzmenko has had a miserable season in a contract year and Yegor Sharangovich hasn’t been able to justify his contract extension.
Is there still lots of time for improvement? Yes absolutely. However, on the flipside would fans be shocked if no player reaches the 50-point mark? Definitely not.
The Flames’ youth seem to dictate the pace
It’s not surprising to me to see players on this team on pace for such low totals, as this was expected to come during a rebuild. However, the best part about this situation is watching the young players develop as they grow into the roles of becoming everyday NHLers.
A common trend with this Flames team is how impactful the youth is. Players like Connor Zary and Matt Coronato have developed nicely and are expected to be cornerstone pieces for the future. As more young players enter the lineup, it helps with adding an energy boost. At the end of the day, raw talent will always come out on top, but with the Flames, working with what they have for now is important.
Either way, the Flames have to find a way to get things going offensively. Whether it’s the addition of more youth or changing up line combos, the team can’t keep low-scoring efforts going forever, especially in a league where the offence has risen dramatically.
