The Calgary Wranglers have been in serious trouble lately. They are one of the best teams in the Western Conference and had been doing great until an eight-game losing streak caused major concerns. What has gone so wrong to cause the Calgary Wranglers’ recent struggles? This situation must be figured out soon, as the final stretch of the season looms closer.
The offence has been cold
The previous losing streak has lacked that offensive threat for a team that usually has no problem scoring. In their last ten games, the Calgary Wranglers have scored less than three goals a game in eight of those ten contests.
This is not the only concerning stat. One third-period goal had been scored during their losing streak, and that is a recipe for disaster. It is extremely difficult to win hockey games when goal-scoring is invisible in the third period. The majority of the time, the Calgary Wranglers are scoring in the first period and are unable to continue for a full sixty minutes.
During this tough stretch, one player has been on the score sheet consistently. Martin Frk is on fire, recording six goals and five assists in ten games. Rory Kerins, the leading goal scorer on the Wranglers, has just two goals in February. William Stromgren has also struggled, putting up two assists in the entire month.
The top players on the Wranglers must regain their scoring touch, as it is the main driver for producing offence. Multiple other players could be called out for their lack of scoring. It has been a major factor in this terrible stretch of games.
Consistent roster changes
Something that must be hard to deal with in the AHL is the constant roster changes. We have seen this a fair bit throughout the season with the Calgary Wranglers. Injuries on the Calgary Flames led to multiple AHL players getting called up to the big league.
Players who have played with both clubs this year include forwards Rory Kerins, Clark Bishop, Adam Klapka, Dryden Hunt, and Sam Honzek. Adam Klapka was recently called up for the fifth time this season. He is one of the stronger forwards on the Wranglers, making it a significant loss when he is called up.
Meanwhile, defenders who have played for both squads include Tyson Barrie and Ilya Solovyov. These constant roster changes can make it difficult to form chemistry through line pairings. Not to mention, with the trade deadline upcoming, there could be more roster changes on the way.
Are these constant roster changes a factor in the Calgary Wranglers’ struggles?
Potential call-ups to the NHL
Depending on what happens down the stretch of the season, we could see some other Calgary Wranglers getting the call-up. Forward William Stromgren could receive a call-up near the end of the season. He has progressed well in the AHL and is in the middle of his strongest season.
After putting up just twenty-seven points last year, the Swedish forward already has thirty-nine points in sixteen fewer games. He still has some great potential as he is only twenty-one years old. Within the next few seasons, he will be a full-time NHLer on the Calgary Flames.
Jeremie Poirier is a promising defenceman with the Calgary Wranglers. The twenty-two-year-old defenceman has been excellent this year, with all things considered. In October of 2023, Poirier received a brutal injury that kept him out of the lineup for months. A laceration in his arm is a serious injury that could have had a major impact on his career.
Luckily, Poirier has been able to stay healthy this season, playing in almost every game. He has put up acceptable numbers of twenty-nine points across fifty-three games. If injuries impact the Calgary Flames’ blue line, expect him to be one of the potential call-ups.
Goaltender Devin Cooley was one of the best stories out of the NHL preseason. It all started when he stood on his head in a game against the Edmonton Oilers on September 23. He earned the first star with a 0.936 save percentage. Ever since the start of the regular season, Devin Cooley has continued to be lights out in the AHL.
The Calgary Wranglers goaltender won AHL Player of the Week back in November and secured a spot in the 2025 AHL All-Star game in January. If the Flames trade goalie Dan Vladar, Cooley will get the call-up. Regardless of what happens at the trade deadline, I believe Cooley deserves some NHL starts. His 0.921 save percentage deserves some attention.
What is next for the Wranglers?
The final stretch of the season will be crucial for the Calgary Wranglers. They have 11 games in March, including some against fairly weak teams. Four out of the 11 games are against bottom-10 teams in the standings.
The Calgary Wranglers have weekend sets against the Manitoba Moose and another against the Bakersfield Condors and San Diego Gulls. These weekends should be easy points to win in meaningful matchups.
The remaining games in March will be intense games against division opponents. Four against the Coachella Valley Firebirds and three against the Abbotsford Canucks will help determine the final standings. After this stretch, the Calgary Wranglers only have eight games remaining in their push to the playoffs.
Will the Calgary Wranglers overcome their struggles in March? An eight-to-four loss against the Abbotsford Canucks is a rough way to begin the final stretch.
