Why the Colorado Avalanche’s struggles are good for the Calgary Flames

You might be asking yourself why the Colorado Avalanche and where they stand as a team today have anything to do with the Calgary Flames? The answer is pretty simple; it doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things, except for one potential move that we could only dream about becoming reality: Cale Makar leaving the Avalanche as an unrestricted free agent to join the Flames.

While it may not be entirely realistic, Makar is an unrestricted free agent just two summers from now. Suppose the Avalanche continued struggling to get out of the first or second round of the playoffs. In that case, it may not shock anyone if Makar were to test the market, and I would have to imagine that Makar’s hometown team in the Flames, would be involved in bringing him home.

Could the Avalanche’s window be coming to a close?

Realistically, any team that has the likes of Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog, Valeri Nichushkin, Martin Necas, Devon Toews, and the aforementioned Makar will always have a chance at winning a championship as long as they stay healthy. It should be worth noting that in this window with MacKinnon and Makar, the Avalanche have only made it out of the second round once (they won the Stanley Cup that season).

They are going to run into some salary cap issues this summer and will be losing a chunk of their roster as they won’t be able to keep the entire band around. This goes without saying that they traded Mikko Rantanen earlier this year because they didn’t want to pay him more than MacKinnon. That move could prove costly to their contention window.

The Avalanche will remain competitive in the next few seasons, I have no doubt in my mind about that. However, will they be able to beat the Dallas Stars or the Winnipeg Jets to get back to glory? We will just have to wait to find out.

Could the Calgary Flames really land Cale Makar?

It is probably a pipe dream at the moment that in the summer of 2027, Makar would choose to sign in Calgary. But there could be a few intriguing factors that might entice Makar to come play for his boyhood team when his contract is up in Colorado.

The biggest and most exciting thing happening in Calgary in 2027 will be the opening of their new arena, Scotia Place, for the 2027–28 season. The team has needed a new arena for years. They are finally getting one that will be able to compete with the rest of the big-ticket venues across the NHL. How sweet would it be to sign with the team you grew up cheering for and be on the first team to play in the new arena? Just some food for thought.

Secondly, while the Flames are still missing a franchise piece up front, the future in Calgary looks bright with the likes of Zayne Parekh, Dustin Wolf, and Matt Coronato in the fold. If the Flames are able to land some prospects that could help propel the team forward, they could be on the rise by the time Makar is a free agent. They could be a destination where players want to play, with a team coming into its own.

Lastly, Makar has accomplished everything he possibly could have as a member of the Avalanche. He won the Calder Trophy, a Norris Trophy, a Conn Smythe, and a Stanley Cup. I think it would make things easier for him, knowing he reached the summit with the team that drafted him. If the Avalanche continue to struggle when the playoffs come, could Makar seek a new challenge and help bring that kind of success from Colorado to the team he grew up cheering for?

An unlikely scenario, but continued hope

Like I mentioned already, the likelihood of Makar coming to Calgary is probably small. The Avalanche are still a good team, regardless of the lack of playoff success since winning the Cup three years ago. They have a smart management team that will try and get them back to the top, but crazier things have happened.

If there comes a time when the Avalanche fail to succeed in the playoffs again and Makar decides to test the market, the Flames must be all over him in the hopes of landing a franchise-altering talent, as they do not come along often. This is obviously a few years away, but I can already picture Cale Makar in Calgary Flames red.