Flames Searching for Answers Amid Prolonged Offensive Drought

The Calgary Flames’ offensive struggles are not just a short-term slump — they’re becoming a defining storyline of the season.

January has been especially unforgiving. The Flames sit at 3-7-1 on the month, with losses piling up largely due to an inability to generate goals when it matters most. They’ve now scored one goal or fewer in 17 games this season, the most by any team in the NHL, a frustrating statistic for a group still searching for consistency up front.

That lack of production has been painfully clear over the last stretch. Calgary has dropped three straight games, managing just one goal in each contest. In total, six of their January losses have come in games where the offence produced a single goal — leaving little margin for error regardless of how well they defend, and has left both their goaltenders, Dustin Wolf and Devin Cooley, hanging out to dry. 

The scoring drought is being felt throughout the lineup. Blake Coleman remains out, while sharing the team lead in goals with Matt Coronato, who has just four tallies over his last 20 games. Nazem Kadri has found the back of the net once in his last 16 outings, and Jonathan Huberdeau is mired in a 10-game scoreless streak. For a team that relies heavily on balanced scoring, the silence from key contributors has been costly.

Despite the bleak numbers, head coach Ryan Huska sees signs of progress beneath the surface. Following Calgary’s 3-1 loss to the Washington Capitals, Huska pointed to a strong opening period in which the Flames outshot Washington 17-8. The pace was high, legs were moving, and the team controlled possession by winning battles and creating sustained pressure in the offensive zone.

Huska believes that blueprint is the path forward.

“You can say what you want about our lack of goal scoring over the last little while,” Huska said postgame. “But if you play that way, you’re going to score goals. It’s just a matter of time.”

The concern, however, is that time is becoming a luxury the Flames may not have. As the season inches toward its final stretch, moral victories and strong periods won’t be enough to offset a continued absence of results on the scoreboard.

The upcoming Olympic break could arrive at the right moment. For Calgary, it represents a chance to reset mentally and physically, re-evaluate their offensive identity, and hopefully rediscover confidence with the puck.