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3 Takeaways from Flames’ Blowout Loss to the Kraken

Morgan Frost during a game with the Calgary Flames. (Photo by Gerry Thomas/NHLI via Getty Images)

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3 Takeaways from Flames’ Blowout Loss to the Kraken

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Rupert McDonald | Last updated Oct 5, 2026 8:45 AM ET

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The Calgary Flames’ struggles continued on Sunday night. Taking on the Seattle Kraken just one day after going up against the Vancouver Canucks, Ryan Huska’s team looked flat right off the hop and paid the price in what wound up being a 6-1 loss.

An ugly start did the Flames in from the beginning, though they looked like the second-best team on the ice for the vast majority of this one and are now 0-3-0 on the season. Two of those losses have come to an underwhelming Kraken roster, while the other came against a Vancouver Canucks team many are projecting to finish last in the NHL standings. Ya… it could be a long season in Calgary.

With that said, here are the three main takeaways from the Flames’ disappointing loss to Jordan Eberle and the Kraken.

Slow Start Proved Costly

Huska has preached plenty of times already early in this season that the Flames aren’t a team that can’t afford to take shifts off. They don’t have enough talent on their roster to overcome preventable mistakes, and that’s been apparent in the early going. That was the case once again on Sunday night.

“It’s tough to start the game that way,” Morgan Frost said afterward. “I felt like we were prepared and felt good about trying to bounce back after how we played in the third last game. I feel like one mistake is just leading to another and we’re letting it pile up on us.”

The Flames got off to a horrendous start in this one, giving up the opening goal to Berkly Catton less than three minutes in. Mackie Samoskevich and Bobby McMann went on to find the back of the net within the next six minutes, making it a 3-0 score less than 10 minutes into the opening period. They simply don’t have the offensive talent to dig themselves back into games when going down early like they did in this one.

Offence Nowhere to Be Found

The offensive woes that plagued the Flames last season have been every bit as existent through the first three games of the 2026-27 campaign. While they were able to avoid being shut out thanks to a third period goal from Frost, it marked just the third goal they’ve scored this season.

It wasn’t as if this was a game in which the Flames were dominated. They had strong possession numbers, and even outshot the Kraken 33-27. The issue, as was the case plenty last season, was that they weren’t able to generate high-danger opportunities. The offensive creativity is nonexistent with this team, and Huska and his staff seem lost for answers on how to change it.

Dustin Wolf Needs to Be Better

After starting Devin Cooley on Saturday, the Flames went back to Dustin Wolf in this one for his second start of the season. It marked a chance at revenge after he gave up six goals to the Kraken in the Flames’ season opener last week. Things didn’t go any better the second time around.

Calgary Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf (Bob Kupbens-Imagn Images)

After giving up six goals on 32 shots in the season opener, Wolf allowed six on 27 on Sunday. Add that all up and you have a goaltender with a .797 save percentage (SV%). That will improve as the season goes on, but is a harsh reminder that the 25-year-old goaltender could struggle at times behind this rebuilding roster.

Looking Ahead for the Flames

The Flames are now off until Thursday, which is a much-needed break for this team after being outscored 16-3 through their first three games. There will certainly be some lengthy video sessions over the next few days, followed by some long, hard practices to work the kinks out of their game. Their first game back will undoubtedly be a difficult task, as the Colorado Avalanche are set to come to town.

This article first appeared on The Hockey Writers and was syndicated with permission.

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