Flames’ Hard Question: Who Wants to Make Calgary Home?

The Calgary Flames lost to the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday, 4-1. That leaves them stuck in one of the league’s least comfortable places. Fourteenth in the Western Conference, five points out of a playoff spot, and surrounded by teams that aren’t going anywhere quietly. On paper, it looks close. In reality, it feels complicated. Craig Conroy is trying to steer a team that hasn’t quite decided what it wants to (or can) be.

---

The Tension of Being Stuck in the Middle of the Standings

That tension came through clearly in the Hockey Central discussion. Calgary isn’t bad enough to tear everything down, but they’re not good enough to pretend the status quo is working. That’s a difficult middle ground, especially in the West, where climbing over half a dozen teams usually costs more than it returns.

The roster itself tells the story. There are veterans who’ve played meaningful games, who know what NHL pressure feels like. Some still have value. Some are nearing the end of their runway. At the same time, there’s younger talent coming along.

These are players the organization drafted, developed, and hoped would form the backbone of the next version of the Flames. The problem, and it’s a familiar one in Calgary, is what happens after those players arrive. Too often, they don’t stay. Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk are the most obvious of those who decided to leave.

The Weight of Conroy’s Decisions

This is where Conroy’s job gets uncomfortable. He has to decide who is part of the solution and who is simply buying time. Trading veterans can restock picks and prospects, but it also strips away experience. If you keep the group as is, you’ll probably stay respectable for a while. The danger is ending up right where you’ve been before — hovering, but never quite threatening.

That’s what the panel kept circling: is this the time to lean in, or is it the time to pull back? Calgary could squint and see a path into the playoff picture, but the cost matters. What do you give up, and what does it actually buy you? A brief appearance, or something more durable?

There Are Flames Players Who Would Be Coveted Elsewhere

Names inevitably come up — Nazem Kadri, Rasmus Andersson, others — not because anyone is rushing them out the door, but because those are the kinds of players teams ask about. Their value isn’t just what they do on the ice, but what they could return in picks, prospects, and flexibility. Conroy has to weigh that against culture, leadership, and the risk of becoming a team that never keeps its own.

This might be where it really breaks down. The Flames can’t keep doing all the hard work of developing players just to watch them leave once they’re established. Eventually, someone has to be part of the bridge to what’s next, not just another exit.

The Flames Need to Figure Out Their Direction

So the next two months aren’t just about standings. They’re about direction. Whether Conroy chooses patience, boldness, or something in between will tell us a lot about where the Flames think they’re going — and how long they’re willing to wait to get there.

Related: Empathetic Roy Had Front Row Seat to Markstrom Meltdown