Former Calgary Flames players competing in the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs

The 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs get underway today, but once again, the Calgary Flames will be watching from the sidelines. Despite hard efforts, the team came up short and will miss the postseason for the third consecutive year.

Additionally, a number of former Flames players are set to compete for a shot at Lord Stanley. With the bracket set and the puck about to drop, let’s check in on some notable familiar faces chasing the Cup elsewhere.

Noah Hanifin, Vegas Golden Knights

Noah Hanifin was productive in his first full season as a member of the Vegas Golden Knights. In 80 games, he scored 10 goals and 39 points while finishing the season with a plus-eight rating.

Hanifin is a huge part of a strong Golden Knights blueline, and it’s safe to say that the team doesn’t regret trading for him last season. He’s been a great fit and has strongly contributed to the Golden Knights finishing first in the Pacific Division. It’s clear Calgary got the short end of the stick in that deal, but there’s still optimism regarding Vegas’ 2026 unprotected first-round pick.

Hanifin got what he wanted, as he’s part of a strong contender looking to do damage. The Golden Knights are set to take on the Minnesota Wild in the first round. The Wild shouldn’t be underestimated, but at the same time, they haven’t experienced much postseason success over these last few seasons.

Andrei Kuzmenko and David Rittich, Los Angeles Kings

Andrei Kuzmenko came out of the gates flying when he was first acquired by the Flames, scoring at a 40-goal pace. However, this season, he severely struggled to get his offence going, only recording four goals and 15 points in 37 games. As a result, the Flames would include Kuzmenko in a deal with the Philadelphia Flyers to acquire Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee. Kuzmenko would only play seven games with the Flyers before he was flipped again at the trade deadline to the Kings for a third-round pick.

Looking back at that deal, the Kings got great value. Kuzmenko seems to have rejuvenated his offence and ended the regular season strong, scoring 17 points in 22 games. He’s been a great fit on the Kings’ first line and may have earned himself another look for next season, as he’s a pending UFA.

There’s also backup goaltender David Rittich, who has been in the Kings organization for two years now. He appeared in 34 games this season, notching a record of 16–14–2 and a 0.887 save percentage.

The Kings will need all hands on deck, as they’ll be taking on the Edmonton Oilers for a fourth straight season. The Oilers seem to have the Kings’ number in the first round, but Los Angeles’ team this season has been no joke, especially on home ice. If anything, the team they have right now may finally be the one that defeats the Oilers to move on, but it obviously won’t be easy.

Brett Kulak, Edmonton Oilers

Brett Kulak has been in the Edmonton Oilers’ organization for three and a half seasons now. He was first acquired by the Oilers during the 2021–22 trade deadline from the Montreal Canadiens.

Kulak recorded a career year this season, scoring seven goals and 25 points in all 82 games. While he’s not the flashiest defenceman, he’s been a reliable top-four option for the Oilers ever since being acquired. However, his workload is bound to increase, as the Oilers are going to be without Mattias Ekholm to start the postseason due to injury.

Chris Tanev, Toronto Maple Leafs

If you had to name one of the best Flames free agency signings in recent memory, Chris Tanev instantly comes to mind. After getting traded to the Dallas Stars last year, Tanev opted to test free agency, where he would bring his services to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Playing for his hometown team has done wonders for Tanev, as he’s been a fantastic addition to the Leafs’ blueline. Tanev has always been known as a reliable defenceman who is willing to put his body on the line, as shot blocking is his specialty.

For the most part, Tanev’s health has also been in check, playing 75 games this season, scoring three goals and 18 points. He’ll be a major part of the Leafs’ playoff run, as they look to make some noise during the next few months.

Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Bennett, Florida Panthers

The Flames’ two highest draft picks in franchise history will once again have the chance to help the Florida Panthers in potentially winning back-to-back championships. Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Bennett have both been major parts of a Panthers team that seems to thrive in the postseason.

Bennett scored a career high 51 points this season while Tkachuk has battled most of the season with injury, still recording 57 points in 52 games. Both players should be ready to go for game one, as they’ll be taking on their state rivals in the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Flames fans wish things would’ve worked out for the two players in Calgary, but last year’s Panthers run was certainly an entertaining time. It’s not unreasonable to believe that the Panthers have a good chance at becoming repeat champions, as these two players especially thrive during playoff hockey.

Andrew Mangiapane, Washington Capitals

The Flames traded Andrew Mangiapane right before last year’s draft, in a deal that many Flames fans believed to be a win. Mangiapane isn’t the same player he once was, and he surprisingly recorded lower totals than expected on a dominant Washington Capitals team.

Mangiapane scored 14 goals and 28 points in 81 games this season, but he can still be an effective asset come playoff time. The Capitals have emerged as top contenders in the East, and they’ll heavily rely on their scoring depth for offence. Mangiapane, at this stage, can be a useful bottom-sixer, where he can chip in goals when needed.

Mark Jankowski, Carolina Hurricanes

A player who Flames fans haven’t heard about in some time. Mark Jankowski had some of his best offensive years in Calgary, but has since been a journeyman around the league. The Carolina Hurricanes decided to take a chance on him at the deadline and only gave up a fifth-round pick for his services.

Jankowski was an instant fit in Raleigh, scoring an impressive eight goals in 19 games. He looked like an NHL regular for the first time in a while and carved out a good role for himself. He’s now part of the Hurricanes team that is desperate for playoff success despite dominating during the regular season.

Jacob Markstrom, New Jersey Devils

Finally, the big-name goaltender in Jacob Markstrom will have quite the challenge in store for him. The New Jersey Devils needed to address their goaltending woes and decided to acquire Jacob Markstrom in exchange for Kevin Bahl and a 2025 first-round pick.

In his first season with the Devils, Markstrom’s numbers were okay but nowhere near as dominant as they once were. Markstrom finished the season sporting a 26–16–6 record with a 0.900 save percentage in 49 games.

The Devils are entering the postseason battered, missing key players on the blue line as well as their number-one centre, Jack Hughes. With the Devils taking on the Hurricanes in the first round, their current situation isn’t favorable. For them to have any chance of winning the series, they’ll have to heavily rely on Markstrom playing like a Vezina-caliber goaltender. The series may lie on his shoulders depending on his performance in net and how the Devils manage their depleted lineup.