Calgary's chances this upcoming season looked to be in flames (pun intended) following the departure of star players Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk. However, thanks to some exciting arrivals, the Flames look to replicate the same success they achieved in the regular season last year and probably go head to head with the top dogs for the championship.
Ironically, their roster looks better than when the season ended. The arrival of Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar are good offseason additions to the team- Both enjoyed a great year with the Panthers last season, and who knows, maybe the departure of Johhny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk isn't much of a loss.
Preseason NHL betting odds looked favorable for the Flames to bring some heat this year, if not perhaps go all the way. One thing is for sure; the Calgary Flames have the arsenal to be a serious contender. Depth? Check. Talented Forwards? Check. Reliable and Solid Defense? Check. Will they win it, though? Only time will tell!
With a 50-21-11 record and 111 points, the Calgary Flames finished first in the Pacific Division last year. They beat the Dallas Stars in the first round but lost to the Edmonton Oilers in the second round. It was the first Battle of Alberta in the postseason in thirty years.
The Flames have had a bittersweet relationship with the playoffs recently. They have made the playoffs thrice in the last five seasons, but have failed to advance past the second round. Something needs to change if they hope to turn their fortune around this time.
The Calgary Flames, also known as The Flames, play in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League as a member of the Pacific Division. They play their home games at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta. They are the third major professional ice hockey team in Calgary’s history after the Calgary Tigers and Calgary Cowboys.
Founded in 1972, they were initially known as the Atlanta Flames, with their home venue in Atlanta before relocating to Calgary in 1980. They played their first three seasons at the Stampede Corral before moving to Scotiabank Saddledome in 1983, where they have remained so far.
The Flames have enjoyed their most success in Calgary; One Stanley Cup Championship, Three Stanley Cup Finals appearances, Two Presidents’ Trophy as the team with the best record in the NHL regular season, and Eight Division Championships. The Flames only won two postseason games during their time in Atlanta, in stark contrast to everything they have achieved in Calgary.
The Flames made their first Stanley Finals appearance in 1986 and, in the process, became the first Calgary team to do so since the Calgary Tigers in 1924. They beat the Winnipeg Jets, Edmonton Oilers, and St. Louis Blues en route to the Stanley Cup Finals, losing the series 4-1 to the Montreal Canadiens.
The Flames weren’t to be denied on the second time of asking when they made their second Stanley Cup Finals appearance in 1989. They had ended the season with the best record and captured their second consecutive Presidents’ Trophy with a team record of 117 points. They went on to beat the Vancouver Canucks, as well as the Los Angeles Kings and the Chicago Blackhawks en route to the Stanley Cup Finals against the Montreal Canadiens (a repeat of the 1986 Stanley Cup Finals), where they emerged victorious this time around, beating the Canadiens 4-2 on their home soil.
The Calgary Flames are affiliated with eleven Hall of Famers, including club legend Jarome Iginla who holds the franchise record for appearances, goals, and points and is a two-time winner of the Trophy for the league’s leading goal scorer.
The team shares a notable rivalry with the Edmonton Oilers based on proximity. They are the only two NHL franchises based in Alberta, and their rivalry is referred to as the “Battle of Alberta.” The Flames also share a fierce rivalry with the Vancouver Canucks, the team they have faced the most (both i
