Calgary Flames 2024-2025: What to Expect This Season

With hockey right around the corner, I thought it would be fitting to do a season preview for the 2024-25 Calgary Flames. The story of this offseason has been choosing the direction of finally pursuing a rebuild after years of mediocrity and missed expectations. The Flames weren’t exactly the busiest team this summer, but their moves signify the organization putting a great emphasis on the future. Let’s take a look at this year’s team and the expectations that are lined up for them.

The Flames In 2023-24

During the 2023 offseason, the Flames were coming off a disappointing season where they finished two points shy of a playoff spot. The team suffered from inconsistencies surrounding goaltending and struggles from players like Elias Lindholm and Jonathan Huberdeau. There were also various rumors surrounding the head coach Darryl Sutter and the toxicity coming out of the Flames’ locker room.

When Craig Conroy was hired as the next GM, hope was restored. Many fans expected that the team just had bad luck and that Sutter’s coaching system wasn’t working for their new players. Under head coach Ryan Huska, the expectation was that the Flames would be back in the playoff picture assuming players like Huberdeau and Jacob Markstrom had bounce-back seasons. Unfortunately, the team started the season with a 2-7-1 record and the rebuild conversation got even louder.

The Flames would end up undergoing one of the largest sell-offs in franchise history with multiple players getting traded by the 2024 Trade Deadline. Players such as Lindholm, Chris Tanev, Noah Hanifin, and Nikita Zadorov were all traded for mostly draft picks and prospects and the Flames would end up missing the playoffs by a healthy margin.

While the team wasn’t competitive, there were a lot of bright spots last season. Rookies such as Connor Zary and Martin Pospisil solidified themselves are NHL regulars along with other players like Yegor Sharangovich and MacKenzie Weegar having career seasons. The Flames also had a very successful draft weekend highlighted by picking Zayne Parekh ninth overall, who is projected to be an elite offensive defenseman.

Offseason Additions & Subtractions

As mentioned, the Flames didn’t have a super busy offseason but made smart moves to complement their rebuild.

Major additions: Anthony Mantha (F), Ryan Lomberg (F), Devin Cooley, (G), Jake Bean (D), Kevin Bahl (D).

Major Subtractions: Jacob Markstrom (G), Andrew Mangiapane (F), Oliver Kylington (D).

The Flames continued trading away pieces as Markstrom was finally dealt after months of rumors. Andrew Mangiapane was traded before the draft and Oliver Kylington left via free agency.

Meanwhile, the team was more active in the additions category. Anthony Mantha was signed to a one-year deal and likely will be trade bait heading into this season. The team also reunited with Ryan Lomberg who is fresh off a Stanley Cup win with the Florida Panthers. For the blue line, the Flames added Jake Bean on a two-year deal, as well as Kevin Bahl who was part of the return from the Markstrom trade. Finally, the team signed goaltender Devin Cooley who will be the third goalie for the organization.

Adding short-term deals was the best thing the Flames could’ve done. They now have cap flexibility as well as the chance to trade more players for assets. The team clearly has a plan and this is just the first stage of it.

What Are The Expectations For The Flames This Season?

Expectations for the Flames are pretty low. Many fans expect that the team will finish near the bottom of the standings where they’d be in a good position to secure another top-10 pick. Calgary won’t be the worst team in the league, but there definitely will be some ugly moments.

If anything, Flames fans are just happy that a rebuild is in full swing. Being mediocre for so long doesn’t get you anywhere and for the Flames, this has been the case for a while. The only major expectation fans will have is seeing more young players getting NHL chances. Players such as Matt Coronato, Connor Zary, and Jakob Pelletier are expected to take the next step as they’ll likely play a major part in the future of this team. The key for the Flames will be securing substantial draft capital and ensuring that their young players are on the right track when it comes to development.

Predictions For 2024-2025

It’s pretty safe to say that this year’s Flames roster isn’t qualifying for the playoffs. As far as where they’ll finish in the standings, I think bottom ten is very likely. The reality is that the Flames need elite, game-changing talent in their system. Besides Parekh, the Flames’ prospect pool doesn’t have any blue-chip prospects that can move the needle. We know that you need elite talent to win in this league and the draft is really the only way to get those types of players.

As for predictions go, I have the Flames finishing between 26-30th overall. While I think this team will overachieve a bit, the writing is on the wall, especially if more trades are made. For players, I have Nazem Kadri leading the team in scoring and Sharangovich leading the team in goals. I believe Sharangovich can take a big step while Kadri continues his strong play and mentorship. Overall, the Flames are potentially in for a long season, but fans trust the process with a rebuild being much needed.

Next: Kraken Lock in Matty Beniers with 7-Yr, $7.14M Contract Extension