The Calgary Flames leadership group for the 2026–27 season is veteran-heavy. It usually is in Cow-Town.
Alongside Flames captain Mikael Backlund, wearing the A’s for the club will be Zach Whitecloud and Jonathan Huberdeau. Huberdeau is currently injured. Until his return, the A will rotate between Jake Middleton, Joel Farabee and Ryan Strome.
While they are all good picks to wear a letter for the Flames, there’s a candidate who didn’t seem to get much consideration and has earned the right to be an alternate captain for this team:
Matt Coronato.
Coronato has earned it
Matt Coronato is entering his 4th full season with the Calgary Flames. He has amassed 102 points in 196 career games played.
Coronato is a mature, gritty player who has been the backbone of a very young Flames team.
When it comes to an alternate captain, Coronato would be a great choice. The Flames are currently without a face of the franchise. When most people are asked to name a player on the Flames, Coronato is the first to be named.
The 23-year-old Greenlawn, New York native had the opportunity to learn from the best, too. Former teammate and friend Mackenzie Weegar was arguably the Flames’ strongest leadership figure in the dressing room aside from Mikael Backlund. It wouldn’t be a surprise if some of that wisdom and maturity rubbed off on Coronato.
The Flames’ 7–3 loss to the Avalanche on October 8 showcased Coronato’s leadership at its finest. After the Flames allowed three straight goals, Coronato attempted to rally the troops. He dropped the gloves with Avalanche forward Zachary L’Heureux.
To see a young player whose role is to score goals drop the mitts in order to give his team a spark drew a ton of praise from both Flames fans and others.
Give him the A
Heading into Scotia Place in the fall of 2027, having a young leader who will be one of the faces of the franchise for years to come wear a letter is the right call.
Some comparable players would be Sean Monahan and Matthew Tkachuk.
The Flames drafted Monahan 6th overall in 2013. He was named an alternate captain in October 2015. Monahan was just 20 years old when he earned a letter on his chest.
Matthew Tkachuk, who, like Monahan, was drafted 6th overall by the Flames in 2016, was named an alternate captain in October 2018, also at 20 years of age.
Both the 2015–16 and 2018–19 Calgary Flames rosters were young and in transition. Naming a young first-round pick alternate captain was a sign that the Flames’ youth were the future of the organization. That’s never been clearer than this season.
Ryan Huska is quite fond of his veteran group. It may be nice to see veterans like Huberdeau or Strome wearing a letter while they mentor the next generation of Flames leadership, but it would be better suited to a player like Coronato.
To have a new, fresh leadership group take to the ice on opening night in Scotia Place, would kickoff the next era of Calgary Flames hockey.
Flames management should consider giving Matt Coronato alternate captaincy, something he’s earned.
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