With the Flames finally picking a direction and going all-in on a rebuild, the future in Calgary looks brighter than ever. With under 100 regular-season games to go until Scotia Place opens, it’s time to look at an updated projection on the team’s opening night lineup at Scotia Place.
The projected lineup should, of course, come with a grain of salt. It’s impossible to predict exactly how an NHL team’s lineup will look 1.5 years in the future. However, with the Flames finally picking a direction, it’s becoming clearer what the lineup might look like for the first-ever game at Scotia Place.
Let’s have some fun and predict how the Flames will line up with what should be one of their most exciting lineups in years.
Flames under contract in 2027–28
First off, let’s take a look at who the Flames currently still have under contract in 2027–28. The list is quite long after a year of re-signing core players and bringing in veterans in trades.
| Player | Age in October 2027 |
|---|---|
| Mikael Backlund | 38 |
| Jonathan Huberdeau | 34 |
| Olli Maatta | 33 |
| Zach Whitecloud | 30 |
| Devin Cooley | 30 |
| Yegor Sharangovich | 29 |
| Kevin Bahl | 27 |
| Joel Farabee | 27 |
| Martin Pospisil | 27 |
| Dustin Wolf | 26 |
| Conner Zary | 26 |
| Matt Coronato | 24 |
| Samuel Honzek | 22 |
| Matvei Gridin | 21 |
| Zayne Parekh | 21 |
As it stands right now, the Flames already have a whopping 15 players under contract for the 2027-28 season. That list includes nine forwards, four defenders, and two goalies.
Last summer was a big one for Craig Conroy and the Flames, as they locked up multiple young pieces for their future past 2027, including Coronato, Wolf, Bahl and Zary. On the veteran side of things, the Flames have nine players under contract who will be 27 or older by October 2027.
The youngest in the group are Parekh and Gridin, who will both still be just 21 when the new arena opens.
The 2027–28 opening night lineup
First off, I won’t be creating any hypothetical trades for this lineup. I’ll only consider players currently in the Flames organization, potential 2026 and 2027 draft picks, and any current NHLers who are set to become free agents over the next two years. Let’s get into it.
Forwards
| LW | C | RW |
|---|---|---|
| Gavin McKenna* | Cole Reschny | Matt Coronato |
| Jonathan Huberdeau (A) | Alexis Joseph* | Matvei Gridin |
| Joel Farabee | Conner Zary | Yegor Sharangovich |
| Ryan Lomberg | Mikael Backlund (C) | Aydar Suniev |
| Andrew Basha |
For the forward group, I looked to realistically predict what veterans would still be around, which youngsters would take a leap, and any incoming top draft picks over the next two seasons.
Not around by 2027
It may be a bold take, but my prediction is that both Martin Pospisil and Morgan Frost are no longer around. Pospisil has had a rough 2025-26 season after a down year in 2024-25 due to injury and poor play. He’s already losing his grip on an NHL job. Frost meanwhile seems like an obvious trade candidate this coming season as a pending UFA and younger centres coming up the ranks.
Veterans staying in Calgary
Both Huberdeau and Sharangovich are on unmovable contracts, so they won’t be going anywhere. Ditto Backlund, who is fully committed to staying in Calgary. Farabee seems to have earned a lot of respect around the organization, even wearing an A recently, so I have him in the Blake Coleman role by 2027-28.
Lastly, I have Lomberg re-signing with the team this summer as a good vibes guy for the fourth line.
Young guns taking over
Among young players, I have Gridin, Basha, Zary, Coronato, Reschny, and Suniev all playing roles in 2027-28. Coronato is already an established top-six player, and I have no doubt he’ll look much better once Ryan Huska is gone. Gridin looks to be a budding star, with very real top-six potential. He may already be the team’s best winger. Zary has struggled to earn ice time under Huska, but I still have faith he can turn things around with some better coaching and become a middle-six centre.
Reschny is currently the top forward prospect in the organization and is very likely to make the jump to the AHL next year and should hopefully be ready to play NHL hockey by 2027-28. Will he be a top-line centre in 2027? Absolutely not, but the Flames won’t have a choice given their lack of depth.
Lastly, I have Aydar Suniev and Andrew Basha earning NHL minutes come 2027-28. By then, both should have AHL experience and be ready to make the jump.
NHL Draft dreaming
It wouldn’t be a roster projection without a little dreaming, right? Sitting 31st in the NHL with only a month to go, Gavin McKenna coming to Calgary looks more real than ever before. The Flames are currently the second most likely team to get the top pick, which is enough for me to pencil in McKenna on the top line in 2027-28.
With the way the Flames are trending, they already look like one of the favourites for a top-five pick at the 2027 NHL draft, too. There, I have them taking the current consensus top centre Alexis Joseph. This would be a dream scenario for the Flames, who desperately need a high-end young centre in the organization. A 6’4″ centre from Huberdeau’s St. John Sea Dogs? He fits like a glove in Calgary.
Defencemen
| LD | RD |
|---|---|
| Kevin Bahl | Zach Whitecloud (A) |
| Yan Kuznetsov | Zayne Parekh |
| Matlte Gustafsson* | Hunter Brzustewicz |
| Brayden Pachal |
Unlike at forward, where there are multiple newcomers, I think the 2027-28 blueline looks very similar to right now. Between veterans sticking around and young guys taking leaps, the 2027-28 blueline is likely going to look very similar.
Key veterans sticking around
Both Kevin Bahl and Zach Whitecloud have become pillars of the Flames’ defence. With MacKenzie Weegar and Rasmus Andersson both getting traded this season, Bahl and Whitecloud look to be the team’s top veteran defensive duo for the foreseeable future. Even with trade rumours, I don’t see the organization parting with Whitecloud given the lack of veteran talent at the position.
I also wouldn’t be surprised to see the Flames re-sign Pachal, who has been a great fit as a bottom-pairing fringe guy.
Youngsters taking over
Next up, I have a trio of young Flames defenders who have all played NHL minutes this season in Parekh, Brzustewicz, and Kuznetsov sticking in the lineup. I don’t think it’s bold to assume all three are still NHL regulars by 2027-28. The hope, of course, is that they will have continued to get better by then. Particularly Parekh, who should be ready for more regular, tougher minutes in the NHL in 1.5 years as he slowly becomes the team’s top defender.
Draft additions
I really don’t see any other current defenders in the pipeline playing NHL minutes by 2027-28. Players like Etienne Morin and Maceo Phillips likely won’t be ready, and time seems to have already run out for Artem Grushnikov. For that reason, I think the Flames would be wise to pick up an LD at the 2026 draft. How about Malte Gustaffson? The Swede is a big, rangy defender who would be a perfect complement to Parekh or Brzustewicz and is already playing pro hockey in Sweden at 17 years old.
Goaltenders
| G |
|---|
| Dustin Wolf |
| Devin Cooley |
There’s not much to elaborate on here. Dustin Wolf is one of the best young goaltenders in the world and is signed long-term. By 2027, he’ll be 26 years old and entering what should be the prime of his career. Cooley recently signed an extension and looks to be locked in as Wolf’s backup for another couple of years.
Looking to the future
The Flames have finally committed to a rebuild, and their future looks brighter than it has in a long time. There should be plenty of exciting young talent on display come opening night in 2027.
