With a resounding 4-1 thud of a loss to the Edmonton Oilers, the Calgary Flames preseason concluded on Saturday. In perhaps a phrase that will be heard too often this upcoming campaign, the play of future stars highlighted the defeat.
Zayne Parekh consistently danced through opposing defenders in the O-Zone, Matvei Gridin and Matthew Coronato connected on a net front play that served as the sole Flames goal, and Dustin Wolf came up with enough choice saves to make the game appear that it was within reach.
It wasn’t.
Why pull the bandage off of this fresh wound?
We can learn much about the future by examining the past. Several issues in today’s piece are recurring topics from the Craig Conroy/Ryan Huska Era.
What will be most interesting is to see the change in approach from both coaching and management. After all, ownership has allowed employees to say the special word; even if it’s for so short of a time that you could barely call it a—rebuild.
That’s right. The Flames first start-to-finish rebuild season in over a decade kicks off on Thursday against the Seattle Kraken at 7:00 P.M. at the Scotiabank Saddledome. Here are a few trends and storylines surrounding the flickering Calgary Flames:
Full House
If you’re experiencing déjà vu, don’t fret. Flames general manager Craig Conroy has done it again.
Despite the current top six having only one defenceman remaining from last season’s top six, despite Conroy trading two core forwards out in Blake Coleman and Nazem Kadri—the Flames roster remains too packed for a younger player to break into.
Scrappy winger Brennan Othmann will play the waiting game as the 13th forward. Defenceman Hunter Brzustewicz will start the season in the AHL. Rory Kerins, a pending UFA, is to or three injured centers away from getting a shot at sticking in an NHL lineup.
Jonathan Castagna? Buried.
Tyson Gross? Buried.
Sam Morton? You betcha.
Are these players full-time NHLers? For many it’s a bit of a Schroedinger’s Cat scenario. At least until they’ve turned 25 and are deemed to have cooked too long.
The question that strikes here is:
Are the Flames really a developmental team in 2026-27?
For many of these players, a stampede looms.
This year may be their only shot at impressing in a short stint before Cole Reschny, Ethan Wyttenbach, Cullen Potter, Theo Stockselius, and Chase Harrington potentially fill vital roles on the AHL roster.
Instead of stripping the Flames roster down via trades, buyouts and demotions, Ryan Huska has a select group of younger players in Parekh, Gridin, Kuznetsov, Nemec and Wolf that will continue to learn the ropes in the NHL.
On a greater scale, this is likely all part of the plan: bake in a few players that will survive the rebuild.
That doesn’t have to mean that the Flames roster has to be mired with veterans though. This leads us to the next topic.
The Tsyplakov Dilemma
Maxim Tsyplakov, 28, is at a crossroads in his professional hockey career.
Acquired in the Simon Nemec blockbuster more as a form of cap relief (one more season at $2.25 million), the six-foot-four winger needs a rebound after putting up only two goals and two assists in 49 games last season. The year before—his rookie season—Maxim notched a respectable 10 goals and 25 assists for 35 points in 77 games with the Islanders.
The Moscow product is currently projected to start the season on the left side of the fourth line along with Martin Pospisil and Adam Klapka. He has also been getting reps in camp on the second power play unit.
The question isn’t whether Tysplakov deserves to be there; he is a decent NHL player.
The question is as follows: What is the cost/benefit of using this deployment on a 28 year old pending UFA?
Ten minutes a night isn’t a lot, but for 23 year old, 2021 16th overall pick Brennan Othmann, that’s all he would need to start impressing his way up the lineup.
Tough message to send to a younger player who outshined a veteran in preseason action. Tsyplakov had a solid showing against Vancouver and fizzled against Edmonton. Othmann started out with an impactful two shifts before racking up 20 penalty minutes for an elbow, a fight and a game misconduct. His next game, Seattle again, he had two assists, three hits and 12 penalty minutes.
Hard to argue that Othmann didn’t make the greater impact. We’ll see when he can crack the lineup. Given his results in two games against the Kraken, he deserves to be making his Flames debut on Thursday.
Crease Conundrum
You have to wonder how many points the brilliance of Dustin Wolf and Devin Cooley will provide this season.
Not to be dramatic, but the difference between 26th place and 30th place last year was four points; two wins.
It’s also difficult to argue the Devin Cooley hasn’t garnered #1 status discussion. As we saw in Edmonton on Tuesday night, not every team has a reliable starter.
Well end today with an open question. Feel free to weigh in below:
Is the timing right this year for the Flames to trade Devin Cooley?
Statistics courtesy of Elite Prospects, Capwages, and the National Hockey League.
Keep Reading:
Flames Camp: Joel Farabee’s New Role — Brzustewicz Stuck
Five Players to Watch in Monday’s Rookie Battle of Alberta
Two Catch-22s Surrounding Morgan Frost’s Contract Season
Analysis: Simon Nemec Inks 5-Year Deal with Calgary Flames
Flames Ship Coleman, Acquire Middleton: Full Analysis
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