The Flames are now 6-3-2 in their last ten. Good for the eighth-best points percentage since Nov. 13. Fourth-best in the West.
That is not how you get a top three pick at the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.
It’s been interesting to watch. You don’t want to take anything away from Calgary’s efforts, but San Jose, Winnipeg, Buffalo, Dallas, Vancouver and Minnesota all seemed like games where the opposition was expecting a 32nd place team to be easier to beat.
That’s five of six wins and an OT loss from that 6-3-2 streak.
Unfortunately, the Flames playing punisher this year may have them picking in the 6-10 range in June.
On the other hand, if this current hot stretch precedes the team going cold again, fans of a rebuild can rejoice in that the team is still in 31st place.
Honesty
Multiple insiders are refuting the claim that Don Maloney, Craig Conroy, Dave Nonis and Brad Pascall signed their 2-year extensions prior to the season.
Given that the extensions were announced amid the optics hellstorm that was Don Maloney’s two interviews (first with Brendan Parker and followed by a two-parter with Eric Francis) it makes sense that the organization would make a gesture of faith.
Robert Munich of Flames Nation grabbed the audio. Worth a listen. Eric Francis says he doesn’t believe that the team was sitting on previously signed extensions. Frank Seravalli uses the words “absolute certainty.”
“Now, I can tell you in absolute certainty that this was not done two months ago and that these extensions only got completed last week”
-Frank Seravalli on the Big Show with Rusic & Rose.
This whole situation has been a circus. Here is the order:
-Don Maloney vows to remain competitive in the Parker and Francis interviews. The Flames were in 32nd place at the point of both availabilities.
-Elliotte Friedman and former Flames GM Craig Button both say essentially not to believe it. The rebuild is on. Fans are encouraged.
-The organization announces that they signed the big four prior to the season but couldn’t find a good time to announce it with all of the losing.
-Francis and Seravalli call it BS.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of all of this is that second and third party media is going to war with the organization.
Surely, the team agreed in principle to sign these guys prior to the season. They announced it because it became an issue. I would much rather be at the rink reporting on the players and coaches. The team is in tough, but there are a lot of cool things going on in terms of individual and collective storylines. This whole ordeal just seems like unnecessary words.
Which is a good enough segway, so let’s attach the grapple and climb out of this burning building.
Back Skating
Zayne Parekh, Calgary’s top defensive prospect, is back on the ice skating in a yellow no-contact jersey.
The team has vowed that the ninth overall selection from the 2024 NHL Entry Draft won’t be playing for Team Canada at the World Junior Hockey Championship later this month unless he is 100% healthy.
Parekh has been out of the lineup since colliding with Chicago’s Nick Foligno on Nov. 7. He is believed to be dealing with a previous injury to start the season.
If he goes, it’s going to be a wild ride. It won’t be easy going from weeks off to a high-intensity international tournament.
Back in Form
Calgary’s go-to goaltender Dustin Wolf maintained a trend of dominating when the moon is full on Thursday night. The 24 year old seventh round pick in 2019 kept the score at 0-0 as the Flames endured four high sticking penalties in the first period. He finished the night with a .963 save percentage allowing only one goal on 27 shots.
Pumping Asset Value
Despite Wolf’s strong performance, Blake Coleman took first star of the game honours. His primary assist on Connor Zary’s first goal in five games was his only contribution to the scoreboard, but he absolutely dragged his team into the fight.
The 34-year-old Texas Tiger finished the game with an assist, four shots, a high sticking penalty and three hits.
Also of note among the veterans was pending UFA Rasmus Andersson, who put up a goal, an assist and six shots. Jonathan Huberdeau scored perhaps the ugliest goal of his career, but it broke a 14-game goalless streak.
The Flames are back at it on Saturday taking on a 13-12-3 Utah Mammoth that has lost four of their last five, but also spanked the Ducks 7-0 in Anaheim on Wednesday.
Stats courtesy of Natural Stat Trick and the National Hockey League.
KEEP READING:
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Analysis: What Are the Flames Getting in John Beecher?
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