The Calgary Flames had the most tumultuous offseason in recent memory. Can their re-tooled roster avenge a disappointing end to the 21/22 season?
2021-2022 Season Performance
Regular Season
The Calgary Flames jumped into the race for the Pacific Division title early in the season and hung on to finish atop the division. Johnny Gaudreau, Matthew Tkachuk and Elias Lindholm combined as one of the best lines in the NHL. They were a force offensively at 5v5, while also limiting opportunities for their opposition and the Flames team results mirrored that success. Team finishing and goaltending were both good, but not great, and special teams were above average.
Playoffs
The Flames met the Dallas Stars in the first round of the playoffs. It took a few games, but they eventually took over and controlled play at 5v5. Jake Oettinger was outstanding in the Stars net, however, and the Flames struggled to finish their chances. The series went the full seven games, where Johnny Gaudreau sent the Flames to the second round with an overtime winner.
Round 2 brought the first playoff Battle of Alberta in over 3 decades. The Flames continued to hold an edge in 5v5 play through much of the series, but the Oilers superstars proved too much to handle. An injury to Chris Tanev tested the Flames defensive depth and Jacob Markstrom was hung out to dry frequently as the Flames dropped the series in 5 games.
Looking Ahead to 2022-2023
Offseason Moves
The Flames disappointing playoff exit was the start of a rollercoaster of an offseason in Calgary. Pending UFA Gaudreau let the Flames know on the eve of free agency that he did not plan to return. Shortly after, news surfaced that Matthew Tkachuk, an RFA with one year of team control remaining, did not intend to commit long term to the Flames.
As the saying goes: ‘When life gives you lemons, make lemonade’. With his two superstars headed out the door, Flames GM Brad Treliving set to work. First, he orchestrated a blockbuster that may be the biggest trade of the salary cap era, sending Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers and getting a package that included Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar.
Huberdeau is projected as an elite playmaker for the 22/23 season and should do a good job of replacing Gaudreau’s impact in the short term. He also subsequently signed an 8 year extension, making him the new face of the franchise. The addition of Weegar was not insignificant either, as the additional depth should help the Flames weather injuries to the defense corps like the one that saw Tanev miss most of last season’s second round playoff series.
The Flames weren’t done after acquiring Huberdeau. They set their sights on the second highest impact forward in the 2022 UFA class and landed him, signing Nazem Kadri to a 7 year deal. The cap implications of the addition forced the Flames to move some salary and Sean Monahan was shipped to the Canadiens as a result. The Flames added a strong two-way forward in Kadri, though, and he sets the Flames up well down with middle along with Elias Lindholm and Mikael Backlund.
22/23 Roster
It turns out, Treliving’s lemonade recipe is top notch. The Flames roster profile suggests a team similar to the 21/22 edition although there are plenty of new faces in key roles. They have strong top end forward talent and good depth on defense. Team defense is a strength, as expected for a Darryl Sutter led team. Bottom six forward depth is an area they may need to address through the season.
Pacific Division Landscape
With the dust settling on a busy offseason, the Flames look like Pacific Division contenders once again. They sit neck-and-neck with the rival Oilers in the current projections, chasing a healthy Golden Knights team while the Canucks look like the team most likely to challenge from behind.
Long Term Outlook
The Flames contention window remains open. They have a few long term contracts for veteran players, but plenty of flexibility with open roster positions to complement them. Their spending efficiency is reasonably strong over the long term as well, so they have plenty of cap space to put to work to fill those positions.
Want to check out more projections for the 22/23 season? Sign up for an annual membership to get access to all 22/23 team and player projection plots and peruse the full set of free agent player cards. Plots will be updated through the offseason as the 22/23 rosters take shape and updated to track progress through the season.
Historical player data from Natural Stat Trick. Contract data from CapFriendly.
