The Calgary Flames missed the playoffs and will hope they win the NHL draft lottery. That wasn't a surprise. That said, they made the most of this season.
The Calgary Flames were eliminated from playoff contention on Tuesday.
They suffered a 4-3 overtime loss against the Dallas Stars, and the Nashville Predators dismantled the Anaheim Ducks 5-0, which ultimately contributed to Calgary's elimination.
The Flames are the third team in the Western Conference to have their post-season hopes put to bed, along with the Chicago Blackhawks and the Vancouver Canucks.
Calgary is seventh in the Pacific Division and 30th overall. It took a little more time for the Flames to be officially eliminated from playoff contention because of how close the West has been this year.
The team has 73 points in 77 games, going 32-36-9.
What Went Wrong For The Flames?
It's hard to critique the Flames for their losing season this year, when that's what was expected of the team all along.
Early this season, trade rumors involving stars Rasmus Andersson and Nazem Kadri had already begun.
Eventually, Andersson was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights in January, while Kadri and defenseman MacKenzie Weegar were dealt at the trade deadline. Kadri reunited with the Colorado Avalanche, and Weegar was shipped to the Utah Mammoth.
After those sensible deals by GM Craig Conroy, the Flames were even weaker on paper.
One of their biggest struggles this season was on offense.
Take last October, when the New York Rangers were shut out three times and averaged 2.33 goals-for per game. The Flames still had fewer goals scored, at a league-low 2.17 per game.
Now, the Flames are third-last in goals-for per game, at 2.57. Four players are tied for the team lead in points, at 41 each, and one of them is Kadri, who hasn't been on the team for a month.
So while it's been a rough season for Flames fans, and it's disappointing to see their team lose so much, this isn't a shock of any magnitude. In fact, the Flames organization is right on schedule in paving the way for the franchise's future.
What's Next For The Flames?
Calgary will likely have a high pick in the upcoming NHL draft. Of course, it all depends on how they fare in the draft lottery on May 5.
As of right now, the Flames have the third-best odds going into the lottery, and if they want to claim that young superstar they haven't had on their roster in quite some time, Calgary's brass, including Conroy, cannot afford to miss on this draft pick.
There is plenty of high-end talent coming up in the 2026 draft. Gavin McKenna, Ivar Stenberg, Keaton Verhoeff and many other young talents could be the face of the Flames when Calgary's new home, Scotia Place, opens for the 2027-28 campaign.
Calgary's own first-rounder isn't the only draft pick the team will have to hit on. They also own Vegas' first-round pick.
They have an additional four draft picks in the second round of the 2026 draft. Calgary's amateur scouts have been, and will be, busy at the draft, which begins on June 26.
In addition to those draft picks, this off-season will have the brass and coaching staff's attention turned to the organization's prospects.
Quinnipiac's Ethan Wyttenbach, North Dakota's Cole Reschny and Cornell's Jonathan Castagna – who recently signed his entry-level contract with the Flames – highlight the team's prospects in or coming out of college.
Furthermore, Matvei Gridin, Zayne Parekh, Samuel Honzek, Hunter Brzustewicz and others will be evaluated during development and training camps to show substantial growth as the Flames look to have them become regular NHL players next season.
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