What went right for the 2024–25 Calgary Flames?

The 2024–25 season has ended in heartbreak for the Calgary Flames. They’ll now be missing the playoffs for a third straight year and are yet again stuck in the “mushy middle.”

With that being said, there were certainly some major positives to take away from this season. Since we covered what went wrong for the Flames this year, let’s now focus on some things that fell into their favour.

Dustin Wolf

Firstly, the biggest thing that went right for the Flames this season was Dustin Wolf. He was the major reason why the team was even close to competing for a playoff spot in the first place. The Flames were expected to be a lock for the draft lottery, but Wolf completely flipped the script.

Wolf has not only been a contender for the Calder Trophy, but he’s also been a top 10 goalie in the NHL this season. In 53 games, the 24-year-old has recorded a 29–16–8 record paired with a 0.910 save percentage. Goaltending was the biggest question mark for this team heading into the season, as the lack of experience the Flames had in net was seen as a huge concern.

Wolf didn’t just meet expectations, he shattered them. He’s taken to the NHL with the same dominance he’s shown at every level, and all that talk about his size? Irrelevant.

The Flames have a future star in the net with Wolf. He’s going to be a great NHL goalie for a long time and has been defying the odds ever since his first game in the league. Therefore, if Wolf isn’t at least a top-three Calder nominee this year, Flames fans would be outraged, as they should be.

The emergence of Matt Coronato

The Flames have seen significant progress in their young players this season, with Matt Coronato highlighting that group. Last year, the 22-year-old only appeared in 34 NHL games, scoring three goals and nine points, and noticeably struggled adjusting to the big leagues.

This season has been an entirely different story. After playing two games with the Wranglers, Coronato was called up to join the Flames full-time, and the rest is history. In 76 games, Coronato has scored a very impressive 24 goals and 46 points in really his first full season in the NHL. His point total also results in him currently being fourth on the Flames in scoring, considering he started the season as the team’s 13th forward.

It’s safe to say that Coronato has exceeded expectations this season, at least for me. He’s stuck to his reputation of being a deadly goal scorer as he has come up big many times throughout the season. In my opinion, it’s not unreasonable to believe that Coronato can become a 40-goal scorer at his absolute peak, with him more likely being a regular 25–30 goal scorer in a top-six role.

The Jacob Markstrom trade

Jacob Markstrom was rumored to be on the move for what seemed like forever. When the Flames traded him to the New Jersey Devils last offseason, the initial reaction to the return was that it was a bit underwhelming. The Flames received defenceman Kevin Bahl and New Jersey’s 2025 first-round pick (top-ten protected). With the season coming to an end, it’s safe to say that this trade for Calgary has aged well.

Bahl has since been a shutdown defenceman for the Flames and has performed well on the left side paired with Rasmus Andersson. He’s hit a new career high in points with 20 and is only 24 years old. It’s clear that the Flames were high on Bahl for a reason, and he’s been a welcome addition to the blueline. Meanwhile, in New Jersey, Markstrom has had a season of mixed results. He currently sports a 0.900 save percentage with a 26–16–6 record. He certainly hasn’t been consistent as in previous years, and he’s also up there in age, being 35 years old.

In my eyes, trading away an aging asset in exchange for two pieces that’ll help the future is a win in my books. It’s also important to mention that, following the Devils’ play towards the end of the season, their first pick may finish higher in the draft than expected, around the 17-20 range.

Culture shifts

Last season, the Flames’ locker room was one of the most negative places to be in. The constant rumours about certain players leaving and the talk around the team were mostly negative. This season, the culture and mood in the locker room have transformed completely. Behind-the-scenes content like “The Chase” has shown how close and tight-knit the players really are on this team.

While culture shouldn’t be the only factor to determine success, it’s clear that the narrative surrounding this team’s dynamics has changed. Having leaders and key voices in the room has contributed to the Flames being competitive all year. Even I can’t deny that this team had no quit and were determined to prove everyone wrong all season.

Where do the Flames go from here?

This season has shown that the Flames have a solid foundation, but what’s next? Do they continue to sell off pieces? Or will they look to add instead? I believe they still need to stick to the plan and commit to the rebuild. The Flames can’t be fooled by false hope and short-term success.

I’ll be looking forward to seeing which young players crack the lineup next season and the development paths of Wolf, Coronato, etc. At the end of the day, the Flames have good pieces here, but the long-term success of the franchise is still murky.