Things have gone from bad to worse for the Calgary Flames. After yet another drubbing last night at the hands of the Colorado Avalanche, the Flames remain winless through four games and alone at the bottom of the NHL standings. The Flames haven’t just been losing; they’ve been getting embarrassed. All four losses have been by three or more goals, and it’s earned the 2026-27 Flames a spot in the NHL history books.
The 5th worst start in NHL history
As mentioned, the Flames have been losing by wide margins every night. It’s led to a disastrous -17 goal differential through four games. Not only is it the worst start in the NHL this season, but it also ranks among the worst in league history. All numbers are courtesy of Stathead.
| Season | Team | Record | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Differential |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995-96 | Edmonton Oilers | 0-4-0 | 5 | 24 | -19 |
| 1948-49 | Chicago Blackhawks | 0-4-0 | 7 | 25 | -18 |
| 1917-18 | Montreal Wanderers | 1-3-0 | 17 | 35 | -18 |
| 1978-79 | Colorado Rockies | 0-4-0 | 7 | 25 | -18 |
| 2026-27 | Calgary Flames | 0-4-0 | 6 | 23 | -17 |
Anytime you’re in contention with a pre-WWII team for a negative record, it’s not a good sign. The Flames have been so bad that two of the teams that have been worse don’t even exist anymore. Given today’s NHL, with much lower-scoring contests than in the rest of NHL history, the Flames landing here is truly remarkable.
For context, the next team on the list from the 21st century is the 2013-14 New York Rangers, who rank 15th worst all-time at -14. The Flames’ -17 start is the worst the NHL has seen in 30 years, since the 1995-96 Edmonton Oilers.
You could argue the Flames actually have the fourth-worst start in NHL history, given the 1917-18 Wanderers at least picked up a win in their first four games, something the Flames have yet to do.
The worst Calgary Flames team ever?
We’ve established that the 2026-27 Flames are among the worst teams in NHL history so far, but when matched up against previous Flames rosters, their start is equally shocking as no other Flames team comes even close.
| Season | Record | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Differential |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | 0-4-0 | 6 | 23 | -17 |
| 1999-00 | 0-3-1 | 8 | 16 | -8 |
| 2025-26 | 1-3-0 | 8 | 16 | -8 |
| 2005-06 | 1-3-0 | 12 | 20 | -8 |
| 2008-09 | 1-2-1 | 12 | 19 | -7 |
The Calgary Flames have existed for 46 years. Ryan Huska has coached two of the three worst starts in franchise history, in 2025-26 and now in 2026-27. This year takes the cake, though, sitting a whopping nine goals worse than any other team in franchise history.
Their six goals for through four games rank as the fourth-worst total in franchise history, while their 23 goals against is the worst in franchise history. No Flames team has ever allowed this many goals through four games. Fun times.
The lowest of lows
There’s tanking, and then there’s this. The Flames and Huska have taken it to a new level altogether, establishing themselves as one of the worst teams in NHL history through four games. Only 80 more games to go.
