A few weeks ago, the Calgary Flames looked like a team headed straight for the first-overall draft conversation in June.
That picture has changed fast.
After stumbling out of the gate with a 1-5-0 start, Calgary has won five of its last eight and suddenly sits just three points out of the final wild-card spot in the West. The turnaround has been real enough to demand a closer look, because this isn’t just a hot goalie papering over everything.
Devin Cooley has absolutely played a part. His 94.96% save rate over a five-game stretch has been a major boost, even if that level of goaltending clearly won’t last forever. But the Flames have also shown some legitimate underlying improvement that goes beyond the numbers in net.
At even strength, Calgary owns the 12th-best shot ratio in the league and the 17th-best expected goals ratio. The special teams have been strong too: after games, the power play was tied with the Edmonton Oilers for second overall at 33%, while the penalty kill sat 13th.
A big reason for the jump has been the growth of younger and prime-aged players. Joel Farabee, Kevin Bahl and Matthew Coronato have all taken noticeable steps forward and have produced results that fit at the top of the lineup.
Then there’s the rise of Matvei Gridin and Zayne Parekh, which has added another layer to the story. Gridin has 10 points in 14 games, good for third on the team in scoring, and he leads the regular Flames skaters in both shot and chance ratios. That puts him ahead of more established names such as Bahl, Farabee and Mikael Backlund.
Parekh hasn’t matched Gridin’s scoring pace, but his overall game has taken a clear leap from last season. The offense is obvious every night, and the defensive side has come a long way too. His role is growing as a result, and he even skated with Bahl in the recent win over the Kraken.
All of that sets up a stretch that could define where this team is headed next. From Nov. 2 through Nov. 21, Calgary gets what is described as the softest schedule in the NHL, with games against the San Jose Sharks twice, the Anaheim Ducks twice, the Seattle Kraken, New York Rangers, Los Angeles Kings, Philadelphia Flyers, Minnesota Wild and Chicago Blackhawks.
In Other News...
Oilers May Be Building A Matchup Flames Fans Wont Enjoy
The Oilers are still shaping their roster, and the direction they are taking could matter plenty on the other side of the Battle of Alberta. Bob Stauffer, one of Edmontons most plugged-in voices, has been talking about a team that is trying to build around a heavier, more physical style under coach Mike Babcock, with an emphasis on puck cycling and wearing opponents down below the hash marks.
For Flames fans, the part worth watching is how far Edmonton is willing to go in adding pieces that fit that identity. The Oilers have already made some recent moves and are still kicking around roster experiments, but there is a sense that the work is not finished yet, especially if they decide they need more help in the lineup and on the back end before the season settles in. [Read more 🡒]
Flames Just Unveiled A New Look Fans Are Already Fighting Over
The Flames have added another talking point to their look with the official unveiling of the Hometown Remix jersey, a design meant to nod to the Saddledome while leaning hard into gold accents. The new sweater brings a fresh twist to the teams visual identity, and the details in the numbers and lettering give it a more layered finish than a standard alternate release.
Fans have already split over it on social media, which is hardly a surprise anytime a club rolls out a bold new jersey. The real test, though, comes when the Flames wear it on the ice, where the colors, texture and overall feel will either come together under the lights or keep the debate going a while longer. [Read more 🡒]
Flames Fans Are About To Feel A Road Schedule Headache
Albertas move to stay on year-round Alberta Time has created a small but real scheduling wrinkle for Flames fans, especially when the team heads west. With the province no longer shifting clocks, Calgarys road dates against Pacific Time Zone opponents will now feel an hour later to viewers back home, even though the games themselves are still being played on the same local schedule. Home starts at the Scotiabank Saddledome should mostly look familiar, but the rhythm of a road trip is about to change.
For a fan base that already lives and dies by late-night puck drops, the adjustment is going to be noticeable once the Pacific Division slate ramps up. The tricky part is not just the later starts on the calendar, but the way they bunch together during one of the busier stretches of the season, turning a normal road swing into a much longer evening than many Calgary viewers are used to. [Read more 🡒]