The 2026-27 season is fast approaching, and it should be an interesting one in Calgary. The Flames enter the year as an unquestioned bottom feeder, with the lowest expectations we’ve seen in years. Still, though, there is a ton of intrigue around the team as they continue their rebuild.
Here are five burning questions facing the Flames as they enter 2026-27.
How good can Simon Nemec be?
For my money, this is the biggest question facing the team heading into the 2026-27 season. Simon Nemec was undoubtedly Craig Conroy’s biggest swing as general manager so far. The team paid a king’s ransom to bring in the former second overall pick, and then made him the highest-paid defender on the roster soon after. All this despite Nemec never showing he can be a top-pairing defender in the NHL through three seasons in New Jersey.
While his 11-goal, 26-point season last year was a glimmer of hope, his underlying numbers have been dreadful throughout his career so far. The young defender hasn’t registered an xGF% above 50% since his rookie season in 2023-24. Same goes for his HDCF%, which hasn’t topped 50% since 2024. His EVD WAR (even-strength defence WAR) sat at an ugly -0.71 last season, the second-worst mark among Devils defencemen. In fact, it ranked ninth-worst among all 271 qualifying NHL defencemen. Needless to say, his defensive game needs a ton of work.
It’s also worth noting that Nemec has never averaged more than 20 minutes per game in a season during his career, and clearly didn’t see eye to eye with Devils coach Sheldon Keefe. The good news is he’s a lock to break 20 minutes a game this season as the team’s unquestioned No. 1 defenceman.
So the question becomes, can an expanded role and increased trust from the coaching staff finally allow Nemec to reach the potential that made him a lottery pick in 2022? Or were his struggles in New Jersey a sign that he will never reach his ceiling?
Can Ryan Huska adapt his style to fit the Flames’ younger, offensive players?
Ryan Huska has caught plenty of flak from Flames fans over the last couple of seasons, and understandably so. The head coach has made some puzzling decisions during his tenure and has often come across as stubborn. His refusal to embrace a more offensive, open style of play has been at the centre of the criticism for a while now. So, my question is this, now that the Flames have fully committed to a rebuild centred around youth, can Huska finally adapt his style to what’s best for the future of the team?
The Flames were, in a word, terrible to close out last season when it comes to chances and expected goals against. Despite Huska’s devotion to a defence-first approach, the Flames were bleeding chances every night. From January 1st onwards, they ranked 31st league-wide for CA/60 and xGA/60. Not great from a supposedly defence-first system.
It’s time for Huska to embrace the future, and let the young guys have some fun and show us what they can do. There’s zero benefit from benching and punishing young offensive players for mistakes right now. Huska needs to open up his system, let creativity in, and extend the leash for the team’s young talent.
Will goaltending ruin the tank?
One of the biggest wild cards entering 2026-27 is the Flames’ goaltending. On paper, it’s the only position where they are even remotely competent. It just so happens it’s the only position in hockey that can drastically alter a team’s results. If anyone can prevent the Flames from landing a top draft pick in 2027, it’s the duo of Dustin Wolf and Devin Cooley.
We’ve already seen Wolf do it once, when he single-handedly carried a middling Flames roster to within one point of the playoffs in 2024-25. Last year it was Cooley’s turn, as the AHL journeyman keeper went on an incredible run, posting Vezina-calibre numbers and stealing a handful of points throughout the season.
Entering 2026-27, I’d wager that goaltending is the only threat to the Flames’ tank. If Wolf can bounce back closer to his 2024-25 form, and Cooley continues his hot streak from 2025-26, the Flames’ dreams of a top-three pick could be in danger. However, if Wolf struggles again and Cooley comes back down to earth, the Flames will be a favourite to finish last.
How impactful can Calgary’s young core be?
Outside of the goaltending, the biggest wild card on this team entering the season is the play of Zayne Parekh and Matvei Gridin. The dynamic young duo both made their NHL debuts last year, showing flashes of game-breaking talent at times. The question now is how impactful the 2025 draft duo can be in their sophomore seasons.
There’s no doubt both possess a ton of upside, particularly Parekh, but they’re both still just 20 years old with fewer than 50 NHL games under their belts. How ready they are to be top-of-the-lineup, impactful players is still up for debate. If both take huge steps and Gridin puts up 60+ points while Parekh runs PP1 and posts 40+ points, this team’s outlook looks a whole lot different on offence.
However, if both experience growing pains given their age and lack of supporting cast, there’s basically no hope for this team’s offence. How Parekh and Gridin perform this year will go a long way in determining just how bad the Flames will be.
Can Jonathan Huberdeau return to full health?
We already know Jonathan Huberdeau won’t be in the lineup on opening night, but how long his absence will last remains unknown. Given the nature of his surgery, there’s a real chance Huberdeau never returns to full health on the ice. There’s also a good chance even if he does return, he’s never the same player. It’s basically a toss-up right now whether Huberdeau returns at all, let alone bounces back.
If the veteran winger is out for an extended period and unable to return to full health this season, it will have a big impact on the Flames’ offensive lineup. Sure, Huberdeau has struggled as a Flame, but he’s still a supremely talented player when he’s on his game, and plays a huge role in the locker room. An extended absence for Huberdeau will make an already bad Flames roster even worse in 2026-27.
