The Road Ahead: What Changes Are Coming For The Flames?

I know some folks might not like what I'm about to say, but hear me out. The Flames are three points out of the playoffs, and I know the natural instinct is to go all-in for that final push. But honestly, I believe that if they play their game right, the Canucks will get the final spot. 

That being said, if the Flames remain in a close battle for the playoffs, I am not so  Naive enough to think the Flames won't get after a dman and a center. I have already been informed they will. I would prefer the Flame do a little house cleaning and set up nicely into the next season. 

So, the next step would be who to build this team around. It goes without saying that the young guns—Zarry, Frost, and Farabee—are staying put; they're the core of our future. They are the foundation for this team's future. Flames had three objectives that I know of: add one more vet dman, sign Ramus Andersson, and, of course, the addition of a young centre. One down, two to go. Flames' GM Craig Conroy has said he's all in on extending Rasmus Andersson during the offseason. 

As for that center spot, we snagged Morgan Frost from the Flyers—that's a solid addition. My source says the Flames are going after a big-name, number-one centre. I hope we see that happen before the start of next season. The Flames also acquired Farabee to boost the offense and make them more competitive.

So, that being said, how can the Flames trim the deadwood? The Flames have seven defencemen who are actually of NHL quality, and three are part of the future—Weeger, Andersson, and Dahl. That leaves us with four others: Brayden Pachal, Daniil Miromanov, Joel Hanley, and Jake Bean. They could definitely look to trade a couple of those guys and bring in some prospects to mix things up.

As for the forwards, a few names come to mind. Mikael Backlund, Blake Coleman, and, of course, Nazem Kadri are the vets to watch. All three could be big assets for teams chasing the Cup.

The last move they could achieve is in the net. Dan Vladar is a UFA and could be a valuable asset. He'd be a solid option for any team looking for a backup goalie. 

This is all probably moot; as of this moment, the Flames are not in any rush to make a deal.

Will Calgary Keep Their Star Defenseman?

The Calgary Flames have a significant decision coming up in the next few weeks. When it comes to signing Andersson, it just boils down to how much cash they’re willing to offer. That’s what my sources are saying, at least.

Rasmus is the most gifted d-man on our team. He has a sneaky slapshot from the blue line during power plays that can catch everyone off guard. He has excellent vision and is always aware of where his teammates are. I’ve heard that teams need to recognize and build around their core players, which is why it is so vital that they lock him down for as long as they can. 

Rasmus plays with his heart on his sleeve and really cares about winning or losing. He’s got a chip on his shoulder, just like the rest of the team. He’s all about getting that win, and you can definitely see it in his game. His accurate passes often get him out of danger in their zone. A great skater who does not shy away from the physical game. He may not be the greatest at one skill, but he is good at all the skills, making him a terrific all-around defenceman.

In conclusion, I will close with a quote from one of my sources on Andersson staying with the Flames.

“Rasmus Anderson does everything. He plays offense, he plays defense, and he can be physical when called upon. Andersson’s most significant asset, which surprises many people, is a physical game. Every team in the league needs physical defencemen who do what it takes to win.”

I never considered Andersson’s physical game his best asset. But people in the game think it is a huge asset. 

Another source tells me: When this team is expected to be good in three years, they will trade for a defenseman like Rasmus Andersson. So, I understand the argument that you should trade Rasmus to gain assets to make this team good in three years, but mark my words that in three years, we will be talking about the Flames needing to trade for a defenseman like Andersson if they decide to move instead of extend him.

Andersson is the glue that holds this team together. Losing him on the back end would be a huge blow. Sure, we could land a big return for him, but as the source mentioned, finding a replacement would take us three years.

And, of course, Andersson himself declared that he is a Flame. He bleeds Flames, which means he hates the Oilers and Canucks. :)

Randy

Time to Turn Up the Heat!

Don’t get me wrong—I love that the Flames are a playoff team right now. But I’ve got to say, the way they’re winning games isn’t exactly reassuring. Not to be a Debbie Downer, but we must find a way to get some offense into this team. Honestly, if it weren’t for Dustin Wolf’s incredible play, the Calgary Flames would be in significant trouble. I would go so far as to say you can also add Darth Vladar to the statement. 

The fact that the Calgary Flames are on a four-game winning streak is pretty terrific. Even better, they’re sitting pretty as the second-best team in the division, just one point behind the Golden Knights. That doesn’t change the fact that they still must improve their game, especially on the defensive end.

Offensively, we must improve. The goalies can’t carry the team all season long. We must adjust. We have to get more offensive in our game. Our top guns need to start putting more points on the board!

The Flames have some good news: Zarry keeps improving with each game. Andersson and Weeger are at the top of their game. Huberdeau and Sharongovich are improving, and Kadri is Kadri. Our veterans still have a ways to go, though.

The third line seems to be the best line on the team at the time. Backlund Coleman and Coronado are in sync and seem to be on the same wavelength. They’ve got each other’s backs and know exactly where to be on the ice. If they keep up this pace, they can be the story of the team this season. They are working like a well-oiled machine. Plus, Coronado might have the best shot on the team, and he’s starting to unleash it more often!

Goaltender Dustin Wolf deserves a nod for the Calder. He’s been absolutely crushing it in the net, making some incredible saves and winning games left and right. I genuinely think this could turn into a race for the Calder. The last time the Calgary’s won a Calder was Sergei Makarov. It has been a while.

What went down in Ottawa? Basically, we spent the entire game in the penalty box, and that’s just not going to cut it. The Flames can’t succeed without putting in the effort—it’s that simple. Racking up nine minor penalties isn’t working hard; it’s taking the easy way out.

Randy 

Gritty Veterans, Fiery Rookies

When you think of the Calgary Flames, what comes to your mind? I know what folks outside of Calgary are saying—most people view us as a rebuilding team that’s just trying to tank. And honestly, when you look at it on paper, that’s pretty much what it seems like.

What do I see? Yes, we are a rebuilding franchise and not expecting too much for this season. I admit that I will not see the Stanley Cup in the near future. There’s something kind of refreshing about this situation for the Flames that we haven’t seen in years.

I have not heard any complaints about being in the dressing room. These young kids are buying what Mr. Huska is selling. What makes the system work is that the vets are his top salesmen. Guys like Huberdeau, Coleman, Weegar, Kadri, and Backlund, to name a few, believe in this team. I will take this further: Huberdeau is playing his best season with the Calgary Flames. 

Johnathon Huberdeau is teaming up with Mantha, and I’ve got to say, have they found a center in Martin Pospisil? Martin has been very impressive this season; he is using his physical play to his advantage and showing off more offensive skills than I expected.

Finally, how about Mr. Andersson? Rasmus is showing us that he belongs with the big boys. Seeing him perform like this is impressive, especially with all the trade rumors swirling around. I love how he plays—his puck-carrying skills are top-notch, and his passing is seriously underrated. He’s got great vision on the powerplay!

I am not naive enough to think the Flames are Stanley Cup contenders, but I can see that a happy locker room goes a long way to improving the team.

Randy

The Calgary Flames’ Defensive Shake-Up: Meet the Contenders

The Flames are opening the new door to the season; Hanifin, Tanev, Lindholm, and Big Z are all gone. But hey, we still have Andersson, Weeger, Kadri, Backlund, and Coleman hanging around. There are a lot of questions heading into this year. I’m particularly interested in seeing the defense sorted out.  

Mackenzie Weeger and Rasmus Andersson are locked up. After that, who knows? Here are my thoughts on those fighting for the next spots up for grabs.

Daniil Miromanov

Most experts have Miromanov locked up one of the top 4 d spots. I love his offensive skills. He has a terrific shot. He could really boost the powerplay with that kind of firepower. He still needs to work on his defensive game, but I am with most of you in thinking he will be on the roster.

Kevin Bahl

A big and nasty stay-at-home dman, Kevin will be the anchor on the penalty kill. He won’t contribute much to the offense; that is not in his game. He’s a solid stay-at-home guy who’s all about strengthening the defense. He will probably become the goalie’s best friend.

Jake Bean

I have watched this kid since his Calgary Hitmen days. Jake is your typical fifth/sixth defenseman who is capable of helping out again on the powerplay. He hasn’t fully reached his potential yet, so he’s a bit of a wild card for the Flames to consider. The Flames have nothing to lose in taking a stab at him. He might even be able to step up and fill a top 4 spot if injuries require it.

Brayden Pachal

I had a lot of options to consider, but after some thought, I went with Brayden, the incumbent. I think he’s done enough to earn the spot. I also like that he does not shy away from the rough stuff. Pachal is good enough defensively. He is good enough to fill in at number six. Pachal is decent defensively and could hold down the fort as a number six. But honestly, most teams would probably see him as more of a number 7 or 8 forward.

Randy

Calgary Flames Draft Predictions

It’s that time of year when I get to make a fool of myself and make my picks for the Calgary Flames draft. I had a pretty good idea that Iginla would be going to Montreal, but I’m a homer, so I went with Iginla. So sue me.

First Round

9 Tij Iginla Centre/Left Wing

Tij, like his father, is a sniper/power forward, a centre/left-winger with an explosive shot. He’s got an explosive shot, isn’t afraid to mix it up in the corners, and fights hard for the puck. Let’s say this: he scores and scores often. He knows when to dish the puck because his puck control is so strong. This, combined with his quick release, makes him a deadly power forward.

28 Nikita Artamonov Right Wing

Nikita is your classic Russian forward—he’s all about offense. His strength is his playmaking ability. He is an excellent passer, a big and lean forward who works hard with the puck. 

Second Round

41 Julius Miettinen

Julius is a skilled center who can make things happen. He is a solid passer who drives to the net. Julius will be a solid dman using his speed in breakouts. He will need help on the defensive end. He is rough around the edges.

The Flames could go two ways here: another forward or a defenseman.

My defense choice would be:

62 Spencer Gill

Spencer is an offensive dman with a booming shot. While his defensive game needs some improvement, it’s been on the rise, and scouts are confident it will continue to develop. He is a solid passer and an offensive weapon on the powerplay.

My forward choice would be:

62 Luke Misa Centre/Left-wing

Luke is a fast, smooth-skating offensive player. He is a great playmaker and exceptional passer with a high hockey IQ. He has a fabulous dangle with the puck and is known for his steady performance on the ice.

For the rest, I will pick the players without the details.

Third Round

74 Lukas Matecha Goalie

84 Gabriel Eliasson

Fourth Round

106 Lucas Van Vilet

107 James Reeder

Sixth Round

170 Artemi Nizameez  

Dearen’s picks

My friend Dearen has given his thoughts:

Here we are again, draft day. Going into the draft, the Flames seem to have an opportunity to stock the prospect cupboards with high-quality players.

Let’s get into it.  

9. 

The number nine in soccer refers to your striker, your goal scorer. That is exactly what the Flames need. The Calgary Flames lack goal-scoring prospects, and at number nine, they have the opportunity to draft their next sniper. However, Tij Iginla is no longer on the board, and the Flames have to go to their list, and they select Konsta Helenius. The right-handed two-way center that brings speed, skill and a compete level that the Flames surely welcome in a high-end prospect. Some scouts question if he is a true center or if he will end up as a right-winger. With scouting reports referencing Konsta’s strong face-off abilities and hockey intelligence, his developing into a second-line center is more likely than not. Scouts also reference how he is not afraid of the boards or to engage in the hard areas of the ice, so if he does turn into a feisty right winger, Helenius will be a very responsible point-producing NHLer. 

Arguably the most well-rounded prospect in this draft and one of the best skaters. The Calgary Flames select Konsta Helenius at number nine and get a player who has been compared to Sebastian Aho and Nico Hischier. Feels like the potential is here where in five, you look back and wonder how Helenius was available at nine and was not selected in the top five. To add a player like Helenius a year after drafting Samuel Honzek, the Flames are filling gaps in behind Zary and Pelletier in terms of young players that can potentially fill top six roles ahead of those two. As the Flames transition into this rebuild, I mean retool, having young players like Zary, Honzek and Helenius learn from the likes of Backlund and Kadri will only help their development to eventually replace both. 

28. 

At 28, the Flames should take the best player available regardless of position and not trade down. In a draft like this one, the urge to trade down and collect an additional pick will be appetizing. Teams’ draft lists are said to vary drastically from team to team, and a team may come calling for #28 if they see a player available that is high up on their list. You can argue that the Flames should, in that case, make that trade and collect another asset, but instead, the Flames should keep the pick, come to a consensus, and draft the best potential NHLer here.

With this selection, the Flames turn to the City of Lethbridge and draft Lethbridge-born Terik Parascak from the Prince George Cougars. This right-wing forward can do both the goal-scoring and the setting up of goals. A player who finds open space and has a terrific shot. The reason he likely doesn’t make it into the top 20 picks of this draft is because he needs to work on his skating and his defensive awareness. But a player with this type of offensive skill and hockey IQ is surely worth a selection, if available at 28.  

Parascak caught the eye of many this past season before being a bit of an unknown. A player that needs some time with proper development, and the payoff could be a top-six forward that plays on your number one powerplay unit. The Flames see a lot of the Western Hockey League and will be familiar with Parascak. There are questions, no doubt, but we often focus more on the question marks than the exclamation points. This kid is creative and can score. With all of the player development roles, specialty coaches, and resources available in a club, there is no reason why you can’t take the offensive abilities and help create an all-around game.

Parascak’s ceiling is Jordan Eberle and has been compared to Dawson Mercer, with his floor being Jason Jaffray. 

Hypothetical

What is that, Randy? The Flames acquired pick #10? Oh...

With the number 10 overall selection in the 2024 NHL Draft, the Calgary Flames select Carter Yakemchuk from the Calgary Hitmen. Probably a little bit of a reach here, but a big mobile defenseman that the Flames have had daily access to since Conroy has been GM. With multiple defensemen projected in the top 15, Yakemchuk at 10 could very well mean you forego drafting a more complete defenseman in favor of the potential with Yakemchuk. Every time I read up on Carter or watch him play, I immediately feel like he is a defenseman, and I envision him playing for the Philadelphia Flyers. Carter will be an NHL defenseman. The question will be whether he is a top-pairing guy or whether his defensive lapses stay with him. Do you love his physicality and sporadic offensive burst, kind of like Zadorov’s tenure as a Flame?

Yakemchuk does forego his defensive play in favor of making more offensive risky plays, and that gets him into some trouble. For being a force on the ice, he was not always reliable in his own zone to close out a game. What there is to like is everything else: size, shot, physicality, an edge, and his creative passing abilities, all while he skates quite well for a bigger frame. 

The Flames organization knows Carter better than any other NHL club and has been able to see his day-to-day work. If Calgary gets an additional pick at or around #10 and does not select Carter Yakemchuk, I would be shocked, and there would be a strong reason for this.

Carter Yakemchuk gets compared to Damon Severson and Brent Burns.

Flames' Defense Down, But Not Out

The Calgary Flames are now just playing out the season. Some players are playing for their jobs, while others are simply going through the motions as the season winds down. The Calgary Flames are now just playing out the season. Some players are playing for their jobs, and others are just playing out the stretch. 

In reality, Kadri and Huberdeau have checked out. Connor, Zary, and Martin Pospisil continue to play their hearts out. It's as if they are two kids who are thrilled to be in a candy store. We could use more players like Martin and Connor in our lineup.

The team is making too many mistakes as a whole, but let's face facts: the defense has been decimated. Without Tanev and Hanifin, the Flames are finding it difficult to recover. It will take time to plug those holes. In the meantime, the Flames acquired from the Sharks Nikita Okhotyuk, a solid stay-at-home defenseman who can step in as the number 5 defenseman for now.  

In the trade for Hanifin, the Flames also acquired Daniil Mirmanov. He has some offensive skills and could develop into a second-line pairing. He has a powerful shot from the blue line. We might be able to use his talent on the powerplay. Mirmanov just signed a two-year extension with the team. 

What do we have in the prospects in the trades? In the Lindholm trade, the Flames acquired high-end prospects Hunter Brzustewicz and Joni Jurmo.  In Hunter, the Flames have a solid dman with some offensive skills. He is an excellent puck-moving dman. He has great speed, getting himself out of danger.  Joni is a no-nonsense dman with a chip on his shoulder.  

In the Tanev trade, the Flames received prospect Artem Grushnikov. Artem is a reliable defenseman who often breaks up rushes, is very good in the defensive zone, and is a solid skater. He has the potential to become a solid second-pairing defenseman. What do we have in the prospects in the trades? 

In the Lindholm trade, the Flames acquired high-end prospects Hunter Brzustewicz and Joni Jurmo.  In Hunter, the Flames have a solid dman with some offensive skills. He is an excellent puck-moving dman. He has great speed to escape danger.  Joni is a no-nonsense dman with a chip on his shoulder.  

In the Tanev trade, the Flames received prospect Artem Grushnikov. Artem is a reliable defenseman who excels at breaking up rushes and is strong in the defensive zone. He is a solid skater with the potential to become a second-pairing defenseman.

Randy