This season hasn’t been all that pleasant for fans of the Calgary Flames. They frankly haven’t been an entertaining team to watch, and currently sit 30th in the league, recently coming off a 4-1 loss against the Montreal Canadiens. With that being said, a majority of Flames fans have another goal in mind, and that’s securing a top-three pick in a stacked 2026 draft class. Losses have gained a more positive reception, as fans hope the team will bottom out to get the opportunity to draft a game-changing player.
However, as you know, the Flames will never embrace this style of thinking. Throughout the season, the team has continued to emphasize their goal of making the playoffs and remaining competitive, but let’s be real: playoffs are extremely unlikely. Yet as long as the Flames remain in the hunt, playoffs will continue to be on their minds, resulting in the dreaded mushy middle.
As the Flames continue to show hesitation towards a rebuild, many fans have lost interest in the team embracing this strategy. It’s been prevalent throughout social media and at games as well. Fan apathy within the Flames’ fanbase has considerably increased this season, and mediocrity is to blame for it.
Fan interest in the Flames is declining
At its peak, Calgary is one of the league’s most passionate hockey markets. However, the fanbase has had to endure years of mediocrity and has never really witnessed a team that has experienced continued success. When it comes to this season, combine ownership’s playoff delusions with the team’s lack of excitement, and you’re bound to get a fanbase that tunes out.
Whether it’s the disappointing state of the Saddledome’s atmosphere or the fact that people are tired of the organization embracing mediocrity, the fan base this season has noticeably been less engaged with the team. Just look at the Flames’ social media page,s for example. They get little to no engagement on many of their posts, including when they win. In fact, more fans are engaged with the team when the losses pile up, as it reinforces the idea of the “tank” in hopes that it pays off for the team come draft time.
Even I’ll admit that I’ve been less engaged with the Flames this season. For me personally, I’ve barely sat through an entire Flames game, as they’re straight up a boring team to watch. The style of hockey they play will put you to sleep, yet the team still believes they’re a threat to make the playoffs, which only makes fans less interested. Fans are tired of the mushy middle and are proving their displeasure through decreased engagement.
The Flames are still struggling with choosing a direction
With the Flames being 30th in the league, you’d think the team would be embracing this opportunity to get a high draft pick, but that hasn’t exactly been the case. In classic Flames fashion, they won’t say it’s over until it’s over.
The Flames’ organizational thinking was exposed through POHO Don Maloney’s absolute media mess. Comments like his are the reason why Flames fans are so frustrated with the team. Everything Maloney said was so out of touch and was the opposite of what the fanbase truly thought. His comments, stating that the fanbase was against a rebuild and referring to elite talent as “fantasy hockey,” were bizarre and infuriating.
While many fans have trust in GM Craig Conroy, the fear will always be there about whether ownership would meddle in his plans. After all, Maloney is Conroy’s boss and essentially has a direct line to ownership.
There’s also the fact that the Flames are still adamant about keeping their veteran core. While Rasmus Andersson will likely be traded, players like Blake Coleman and Nazem Kadri are still up in the air. If the team were truly rebuilding, their names would be on the block, especially since both players are having decent seasons.
Rivals up north are a factor
You have the Flames, who have been the textbook definition of mediocre throughout their existence, but then you have their rivals up north in the Edmonton Oilers, who have had very recent playoff success, making the last two Stanley Cup Finals.
The player leading the charge for them is former first-overall pick and the best hockey player in the world, Connor McDavid. While the Oilers haven’t had the best draft record, drafting McDavid changed their franchise for the better. Imagine if the Flames drafted a player like that?
If you’re a young hockey fan growing up in Alberta, the Oilers look more attractive as a team to become a fan of. It pains me to say that as a Flames fan, but that’s just the cold, hard truth. The Flames don’t have that superstar that’ll sell tickets and attract new fans, and they have the real opportunity to potentially draft one if their struggles continue.
This season’s result is a very important one for Calgary
The Flames have an ample opportunity to draft a real game-breaking forward in 2026. It’s important that, despite where they are in the standings, they make it known that they are willing to be sellers at the trade deadline.
If the Flames end this season in the mushy middle yet again, fan apathy will only get worse. It’s time to build something real here. Build a contender the right way. Give fans a reason to be excited for the future, so they can look forward to watching a young, promising team when the new arena opens.
