Quarter-season report cards: Calgary Flames forwards

The quarter mark of the 2025–26 season is mercifully here, and boy, was it a rough one for the Calgary Flames. In fact, it was the worst first quarter in Flames franchise history, as the team hit the 20 game mark with a record of 5–13–2 and sitting last in the NHL. With that said, it’s time to hand out some Calgary Flames report card grades.

Next up, the forwards. We’ll only consider players who have logged at least 100 minutes at 5v5 so far this season. While the offence as a whole deserves a big fat F-, I’ve chalked up a lot of the teams struggles to coaching and will judge each player individually given the system they play in.

All numbers are courtesy of naturalstattrick.com.

B

Nazem Kadri

One of the only forwards generating offence these days, Nazem Kadri is once again the face of the Flames’ offence. Sitting third for xGF% and HDCF%, Kadri has been solid across the board. His seven points at 5v5 are tied for tops among Flames forwards, while his 11 points overall rank first on the team.

Kadri hasn’t been incredible this year, but considering how terrible the Flames are offensively, the veteran centre has been a lone bright spot. His trade value remains high.

Blake Coleman

Blake Coleman is in the running for the Cy Young award this year, sitting on a team leading seven goals and just one assist. His seven goals are the most on the team, while his eight points rank sixth, and his 40 shots are second. He’s also been his usual dependable self at even strength, sitting fourth for xGF% and fifth for HDCF% among Flames forwards. Like Kadri, Coleman has been fine this year compared to most of the team.

Morgan Frost

After a nightmare 2024–25 season, Morgan Frost has looked much better this season offensively. With 10 points so far, Frost is currently second on the team in scoring and the only Flame other than Kadri in double digits for points. He’s also tied for first with seven points at 5v5. While his underlying numbers haven’t been spectacular, Frost sitting at a 40-point pace is impressive on this team.

Johnathan Huberdeau

After starting the season injured, Johnathan Huberdeau has been the Flames’ best producer offensively this season, although that isn’t saying much. He currently has nine points in 15 games, good for third on the team despite missing five games. His underlying numbers have been okay as well, sitting sixth for xGF% and fourth for HDCF%. Given the team he’s on, Huberdeau has been okay this year.

B-

Sam Honzek

Before his injury, Sam Honzek was looking pretty decent this season. While his offensive production hasn’t been the best, with only four points in 18 games, his underlying numbers have been really solid for a 21-year-old as he ranks second for xGF% among Flames forwards. The 2023 first-rounder has been playing in a shutdown role alongside Backlund and Coleman and hasn’t looked out of place. While you still hope for a whole lot more of offence from Honzek, his underlying results are impressive.

Mikael Backlund

The Flames captain has been dependable as always this year, albeit unspectacular. He currently ranks third on the team in scoring with nine points, and is second for points at 5v5 with six. His underlying numbers have also been decent, sitting fifth for xGF% and sixth for HDCF%. Backlund isn’t the player he once was, but he’s done a fine job as the team’s third-line centre this season.

C+

Matt Coronato

It’s been a tough season for Matt Coronato, as the youngster has even found himself in the press box for a game. He currently ranks ninth among Flames forwards for xGF% and eighth for HDCF%. He does at least have the second most shots on the team with 40, and the fourth most ixG 3.09. As well, despite his struggles, he’s still second on the team in goals with five. Regardless, the Flames need a lot more from Coronato.

Joel Farabee

Joel Farabee hasn’t been great this year, but he hasn’t been completely terrible either. He currently paces all Flames forwards for xGF% and HDCF% at 62.88 and 61.14, although his actual production hasn’t been the best. He currently has seven points on the year, and just two goals. While better than some others, Farabee needs to do a whole lot more offensively to live up to his contract.

C

Adam Klapka

The top-line Adam Klapka experiment lasted about one whole game, and understandably so. The Czech giant just doesn’t have much to offer offensively and has been mostly ineffective for the Flames this year. With four points in 19 games, he’s currently tied for eighth among Flames forwards for points. He’s also registered just three points at 5v5. His underlying numbers are okay at least, sitting seventh for xGF% and HDCF%. Klapka is what he is, and that’s a fourth-line forward who can score the occasional goal.

F

Connor Zary

It has been a nightmare season for Connor Zary. The young forward has been a healthy scratch and has been buried on the fourth line for much of the season. The 24-year-old has just one goal and two points in 18 games, a disastrous total for a player who has shown so much promise in the past. What’s alarming is just how terrible his underlying results are as well. His 47.18 xGF% is the worst among Flames forwards, as is his 43.77% HDCF%. Through 18 games, Zary has just 17 shots at 5v5 and only one point.

Ryan Lomberg

What exactly does Ryan Lomberg do on this team? The veteran has just one single point, an assist, through 20 games this season. He’s also registered just 18 shots at 5v5, and four iHDCF. His xGF% of 47.60 is second-worst on the team, ahead of only Zary. At this point, there’s no reason he’s still in the lineup.

F-

Yegor Sharangovich

Yegor Sharangovich is on a fast track to becoming one of the worst contracts in Flames history. The 27-year-old has been downright terrible in the first year of his five-year, $28.75M contract. He’s already been a healthy scratch on four occasions this season, and has managed a measly two goals and four points in 16 games despite being the team’s fourth-highest-paid forward.

He also ranks third last for xGF%, ixG, and iHDCF, as well as second last for HDCF%. His 16 shots at 5v5 are the least among any Flames forward. Sharangovich has been anything but dangerous on offence this year, which is the only thing he’s paid for.