The Calgary Flames nearly made the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. That they had a really solid season with some promising signs. Jonathan Huberdeau showed some life after a brutal begin to his Calgary tenure. Nazem Kadri bounced back to attain 35 goals. And Dustin Wolf emerged as among the best young goalies within the NHL.
The Flames entered NHL Free Agency hoping so as to add to their roster. Calgary has a practical probability of constructing the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2026. Especially if Huberdeau, Kadri, and Wolf can take one other step next season. Calgary has a probability to make some noise within the Western Conference Wild Card race.
Nevertheless, the team was quiet over the course of the summer. The Flames signed Ivan Prosvetov to interchange the departing Dan Vladar. Calgary also re-signed Morgan Frost on a two-year contract. He got here over from the Philadelphia Flyers in a trade across the deadline in March. Outside of those moves, though, the Flames were relatively quiet.
Calgary shouldn’t be pressed to make a considerable move right now. Still, there are definitely moves they might have remodeled the course of the offseason. There remains to be a while for this team to make one other addition to the roster. Nevertheless, the offseason is essentially over, and with this in mind, here is one move the Flames must have made this summer.
Flames could use one other winger up the lineup
The Flames have a solid foundation already in place. Their top two centers are high quality enough, with Kadri anchoring the highest line and Mikael Backlund manning the second line. They might use an upgrade here, however it’s not as dire as another positions on the ice.
An area that may very well be upgraded, though, is winger. Calgary did receive encouraging performances from Huberbeau throughout this season. Nevertheless, they might use one other winger to support the highest nine if he falls off again. Matthew Coronato had a very good season, but may very well be due for a slump now that teams have had a very good have a look at him.
Yegor Sharangovich bouncing back could be huge. He scored 31 goals in 2023-24, and signed a contract extension in consequence of that performance. Nevertheless, he scored just 17 goals in 73 games in 2024-25. There is no such thing as a guarantee he finds his 30-goal form once more.
To be fair, there weren’t a ton of scoring wingers available in NHL Free Agency. No less than, not ones that had an interest in joining the Flames. Nikolaj Ehlers and Brock Boeser were never signing in Calgary. Names like Patrick Kane and Brad Marchand remained with their teams, as well.
Pius Suter, Andrew Mangiapane, and Jonathan Drouin were potential names who could have made sense. Nevertheless, all three elected to sign elsewhere. Mangiapae, a former Flame, elected to sign with Calgary’s bitter Albertan rival Edmonton Oilers in NHL Free Agency.
The Flames do still have a probability so as to add on this area, in fact. And there remain a couple of intriguing names on the open market. Jack Roslovic remains to be available on the market despite a career-best scoring season. Victor Olofsson is a reputation that also makes some sense for Calgary.
The Flames are hoping to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2026. As things stand, they’ve the kind of roster that could make it. Nevertheless, they might still be one other move or two away from truly establishing themselves as postseason contenders.