Calgary Flames

The Calgary Flames: What Is This Team, Anyway?

The Calgary Flames are an enigma the season. Are they the real deal? Or are they pretenders? Can the Flames make the postseason?

by
Old Prof
December 11, 2024

The Calgary Flames entered the 2023-24 NHL season with tempered expectations. After an offseason filled with moves signaling a shift toward the future—trading away core players like Elias Lindholm, Chris Tanev, and Jacob Markström—the consensus was clear. The Flames were heading toward a rebuild. However, Calgary has defied those expectations by hanging around in the playoff race, leaving fans and analysts alike wondering: Are the Flames legitimate contenders, or is this just an early-season mirage?

Conroy Was Building for the Future, Right?

Heading into the season, the Flames looked like a team ready to hit rock bottom. General manager Craig Conroy‘s moves were focused on acquiring future assets, and the roster was seemingly built to give younger players valuable experience while setting the team up for a shot at drafting a franchise cornerstone. Analysts pegged them as a 78.9-point team destined to dwell near the bottom of the standings.

A complete rebuild seemed inevitable. But then, the Flames started the year with a surprising four-game winning streak, turning heads and challenging the assumption that they’d be competing for lottery odds.

The Flames Surprising Start Fooled Everyone

Since that early winning streak, the Flames have shown flashes of competence. They’ve beaten strong teams like the Oilers, Wild, Kings, and Devils, proving they can hold their own against contenders. Key performances have come from Dustin Wolf, who has delivered solid goaltending at a fraction of Jacob Markström’s cost, and steady contributions from veterans like MacKenzie Weegar and Rasmus Andersson.

Yet, the Flames are hovering near .500, a classic sign of mediocrity in the NHL. Before last night’s win, their record reflected inconsistency: just ten wins in their last 25 games and only two in their last eight. Their eight regulation wins place them alongside teams like the Ducks, Sabres, and Canadiens—not exactly elite company.

Chart: Are the Flames a Good Team or Not?

Criteria	Argument for Flames Being a Good Team	Argument for Flames Not Being a Good Team
Goaltending	Dustin Wolf has stepped up, providing steady and cost-effective play.	Goalie inconsistency leaves questions that linger.
Veteran Leadership	Weegar and Andersson have been steady, anchoring a solid blue line.	Veteran talent was traded away; remaining vets may lack game-breaking ability.
Performance Against Strong Teams	Wins over playoff teams like the Oilers and Devils show their potential.	The lack of consistent secondary scoring remains a concern.
Depth Scoring	Young players and role players are gaining valuable experience.	Lack of consistent secondary scoring remains a concern.
Pacific Division Weakness	A wide-open division offers a path to a playoff spot.	Other teams in the division, like the Kings and Kraken, are improving.

What’s Next for the Flames Over the Season?

With just over a third of the season gone, the Flames find themselves at a crossroads. Their early-season success seems to have slowed, and their mediocre record doesn’t scream playoff contender. Yet, the team’s work ethic is solid. They’ve shown flashes of competitiveness, suggesting they could still make a run if they find consistency.

The key question is whether the Flames will compete over the rest of the season or if they will fall back to earth and embrace the rebuilding that many expected.

Dustin Wolf has been a hot young Flames goaltender.

It’s tempting not to root for the Flames because they are a team punching above their weight class. However, the signs of regression are hard to ignore. Although the team beat the Nashville Predators last night, their slow slide down the standings may already be underway, making their October success seem like a brief flash in the pan.

The Flames’ Reality Check Remains Underway

Still, if young players like Wolf continue to develop and veterans hold the line, the Flames could surprise us again. More likely, though, this season will be remembered as one of growing pains—setting the stage for a brighter future, even if it comes at the cost of a higher draft pick. For Flames fans, patience may be the most valuable virtue this season.