Calgary Flames

Flames News & Rumors: Sharangovich, Vladar, Huberdeau, Trade Needs

Calgary Flames are hanging in the playoff race. How did they hang on to beat the Seattle Kraken last night? What does the team need next?

by
Old Prof
February 3, 2025

The Calgary Flames are hanging in there. In a game they desperately needed, they came through. On the road, the Flames held off a late rally from the Seattle Kraken to win 3-2 last night. By doing so, they retained their hold on the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

The Flames jumped to a 3-0 lead in the first period. Power-play goals from Yegor Sharangovich, Jonathan Huberdeau, and Morgan Frost (with his first since coming to the Flames) helped them get the jump they needed. Still, it almost wasn’t enough. The Kraken fought back with goals from Kaapo Kakko and Brandon Tanev. However, fortunately for the Flames, the Kraken couldn’t complete the comeback despite a late surge. Dan Vladar did his part in the crease to help his team. He stopped 27 shots to secure the victory.

Item One: Sharangovich Steps Up to Play Key Role

Yegor Sharangovich played a key role in the win. He ended a three-game point drought with an assist on Frost’s first goal as a Flames player. He followed up with a power-play goal minutes later to give Calgary a 2-0 lead.

Shifting back to his natural wing position benefited Sharangovich. He has scored 10 goals and added 10 assists (for 20 points) in 45 games. His two-point game helped set the right tone early. And that was crucial in moving Calgary to the win. Before Sunday’s game, the Flames had struggled during first periods. Not so much last night.

Item Two: Vladar Gives His Team a Strong Game in the Net

Dan Vladar was sharp in the net. He stopped 29 of 31 shots to help his team take home the win. The Kraken pushed hard in the final two periods, but the Flames goalie bent but didn’t break. With the win, he halted his six-game personal losing streak.

Vladar’s career record against Seattle now stands at 6-1-1. While he’s had a bit of a roller-coaster season (7-10-5 record, 3.07 GAA, .888 SV%), his play last night was a positive step forward. The Flames will need both goalies if they hope to continue their playoff push. With the Flames rotating Vladar and Dustin Wolf, strong games from each could be the key to making the postseason.

Item Three: Huberdeau Scores the Game-Winner

Jonathan Huberdeau scored the Flames game-winning goal to beat the Kraken on the power play. He’s had a bit of a resurgence this season, but he’s slowed down recently. His goal snapped a five-game goal drought. His 20th goal of the season marks a return to form after a poor 2022-23 campaign.

With 37 points, including 12 on the power play, Huberdeau is crucial to the Flames’ postseason hopes. If he can provide scoring and leadership on the wing, he can help stabilize the team’s forward group.

Huberdeau is starting to score goals for the Calgary Flames

Rumor: Flames Still Looking to Buy and Are Seeking a Center

If Flames fans wondered if the team would be done after picking up Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee in a recent trade, Flames GM Craig Conroy set the record straight between periods of the Hockey Night in Canada game. He confirmed that the team is still searching for a long-term solution at the center position. Right now, Frost will get a chance to play center. However, Conroy shared that finding the right fit remains a quest he will undertake.

“We’ve been looking for a younger center for a while,” Conroy said. “It’s not easy to do, but we believe Frost can make an immediate impact.”