Calgary Flames
A preview of the 2026-27 NHL season for the Calgary Flames, including predictions from VSiN NHL Expert Jonathan Davis. For all other NHL team previews, check out our NHL page.
Key Additions: Simon Nemec, Jake Middleton, Maxim Tysplakov
Key Departures: Blake Coleman, Olli Maatta, Ryan Lomberg, Victor Olofsson
Overview
The 2025-26 season saw the Calgary Flames miss the playoffs for the fourth straight season as they embrace a full rebuild. In the last 12 months, the Flames have said goodbye to Nazem Kadri, Rasmus Andersson, Blake Coleman and MacKenzie Weegar.
Despite finishing seventh in the Pacific Division and 14th overall in the Western Conference, their 27 regulation wins were more than both the Anaheim Ducks (26) and the Los Angeles Kings (22), who each made the playoffs.
Offense
To say it was a struggle for the Flames to find the back of the net last season would be an understatement. Calgary was dead last in goals scored (212), scoring two goals or less in 45 of their 82 games. The Flames’ biggest need up front is for a number one center. For now, Morgan Frost, who led the team last season with 22 goals, centers the top line. He was just one of three Flames players to score at least 20 goals (Joel Farabee and Blake Coleman each had 20). Thirty-seven-year-old Mikael Backlund fills the “2C” position, but he has eclipsed the 40-point mark just once in the last three seasons. At $10.5 million (AAV), Jonathan Huberdeau is the Flames’ highest-paid player, and he finished with just 10 goals (50 games). His 2025-26 season was cut short as he required hip surgery, and he won’t be available to start the season. Matt Coronato is hoping for a bounce-back season after falling from 24 goals in 2024-25 to just 18 last season.
Defense
The Flames are rebuilding around high-upside defenders while relying on a mix of youth and physical veterans for structure. That youth includes a pair of first-round draft picks. The Flames selected Zayne Parekh ninth overall in the 2024 Draft, and this summer Calgary acquired 22-year-old Simon Nemec (selected 2nd overall in 2022) from the New Jersey Devils and signed him to a five-year, $36 million-plus deal. Nemec scored 11 goals last season for New Jersey, more than any Flames defenseman did. Zach Whitecloud and Jake Middleton will provide stability and keep the opposing players “honest”. Kevin Bahl, Brayden Pachal, Joel Hanley and Yan Kuznetsov round out the back end.
Goaltending
A Calder Trophy finalist (Rookie of the Year) in 2024-25, Dustin Wolf had a tough start to last season, dropping nine of his first 11 decisions before settling in and winning nine of his eleven December starts. Wolf, like the team in front of him, must like home cooking far better than dining out on the road. The Flames netminder earned 17 of his 23 wins on home ice, and he gave up slightly more than one fewer goal per game at the Saddledome than he did on the road. Devin Cooley developed into a solid, reliable backup goalie with 10 wins and points in 16 of his 26 starts. Cooley’s post-game interviews have become must-watch television.
Player to Watch
With the trades of Ramus Andersson and MacKenzie Weegar, Zayne Parekh will be given every opportunity to display his elite offensive talent. Parekh is an outstanding puck-handler with great vision and playmaking ability. Like many young NHL defensemen, his biggest weakness is his defensive game. One fun fact about Parekh: Each of the last two seasons, he scored a goal in the Flames’ final regular-season game, both against the Los Angeles Kings.
Outlook
This is the Saddledome’s final season, as the Flames will move into a new building next season. The Flames are one year away from being two years away when it comes to being a playoff contender. There will be nights when Calgary takes their lumps and just has to suck it up. Their projected point total is 77.5 (-115), and I could only play the point total Under. I’ll keep targeting the Flames team total Under in each game, either straight up or in a parlay.
Team Futures
Regular Season Points: 77.5 (Over -115, Under -115)
To Make the Playoffs: (+850)
Miss the Playoffs: (-1600)
To Win the Division: (+10000)
To Win the Western Conference: (+50000)
To Win the Stanley Cup: (+100000)
2025-26 Recap
Record: 34-39-9
Over/Under: 39-40-3
Home Favorite: 9-3 // Home Dog: 12-14
Road Favorite: 0-1 // Road Dog: 10-30
Win Score 4 or more: 21 of 34 // Lose Give Up 4 or more: 34 of 48
Puck Line Wins: 20 of 34 // Puck Line Losses: 33 of 48
Front End Back-to-Back: 1-7 // Back End Back-to-Back: 4-4
Points Leader: Matt Coronato – 45
Goal Leader: Morgan Frost – 22
Teams First Goal Leader: Morgan Frost – 12
Assist Leader: Nazem Kadri – 29
Shots on Goal Leader: Matt Coronato – 197
Blocked Shots: MacKenzie Weegar – 143
Depth Chart
Forwards
Matvei Gridin / Morgan Frost / Matthew Coronato
Connor Zary / Mikael Backlund / Joel Farabee
Jonathan Huberdeau / Ryan Strome / Yegor Sharongovich
Maxim Tsyplakov / Martin Pospisil / Adam Klapka
Defense
Kevin Bahl / Zach Whitecloud
Jacob Middleton / Simon Nemec
Yan Kuznetsov / Zayne Parekh
Goalies
Dustin Wolf / Devin Cooley
