2026 Season Preview: Calgary Flames
Calgary's rebuild is in full swing, with three cornerstones traded away and a loaded prospect pool exciting fans—just don't expect much winning in the meantime.
The Calgary Flames missed the playoffs for the fourth year in a row, finishing seventh in the Pacific Division and 14th in the Western Conference in the 2025-26 season. With the future taking priority, the Flames could be in for another year of growing pains and patience.
2025-26 Outcome
Regular Season Results: 34-39-9
A team caught in the midst of a full-blown rebuild, the Calgary Flames are coming off an incredibly challenging year. Not only did they finish seventh in the Pacific and found themselves in the draft lottery conversation, they sold off key pieces of their franchise, several of whom had been with the team for a long time. In sending Rasmus Andersson to Vegas, Mackenzie Weegar to Utah, and Nazem Kadri back to Colorado, the Flames have fully committed to the rebuild and, as a result, have a long road of drafting and development ahead of them.
It’s going to be a while before we see them competitive again. But could they be more competitive than expected next season, or will it be another year of embracing the tank? The answer is probably obvious, but let’s talk it through.
Who's In and Who's Out
The Flames weren’t super busy this summer, but that’s not to say they weren’t involved in some interesting moves. The decision to buy high on Simon Nemec was a bit perplexing at first, but could turn into an excellent decision over time. Getting Maxim Tsyplakov as part of the trade gives them a younger player who could have some untapped potential, or who is simply a warm body to get them by in the meantime.
Deciding to trade Blake Coleman was a bit confusing to me. He’s the exact type of player opposing teams would surely pay an arm and a leg for at the trade deadline, and considering he’s signed through the upcoming season, there wasn’t a major rush to get a deal done. They got a bunch of future draft picks in return, but no first rounders. Keaton Middleton is a fine player. I just don’t see how he’s of use to Calgary at this stage of where they’re at in a rebuild.
Outside of those two big trades, the only new faces in Calgary are depth defensemen Andreas Englund, and Michael Benning, who will likely spend the majority of the season with the Calgary Wranglers in the AHL.
