Record - 50-21-11 (111 points), 1st in the Pacific Division
Goals For: 293 (6th in the NHL), Goals Against: 208 (3rd in the NHL)
Leading Goal Scorer - Matthew Tkachuk & Elias Lindholm (42)
Leading Point Scorer - Johnny Gaudreau (115)
The Calgary Flames were not a team I was expecting to be at the top of the league standings last season. Having missed the playoffs in the bubble season, it was unclear what direction the team was heading towards. HC Darryl Sutter put any and all of that speculation to rest. The Flames set the league ablaze by winning the Pacific Division in dominant fashion. They will have a fairly different look this year, but I still think they're in line to win the division for the second year in a row. Maybe this time, they'll be able to make to a deep run.
The Flames had the second highest goal differential in all of hockey last year scoring 85 more goals for than against. They were carried by the best line in the NHL in Johnny Gaudreau, Matthew Tkachuk, and Elias Lindholm. With over 40 goals each, this marked just the fourth time in the last 30 years where a team had three 40 goal scorers. It was the first time since 1994 that three players on the same line each scored 40 or more times. They all had career highs in goals and points, and also had a mind-blowing +/- rating showing how unstoppable they were at even strength. The Flames had scoring support outside of this line as well. Andrew Mangiapane posted a career high 35 goals, nearly doubling his previous career high. Dillon Dube, Noah Hanifin, and Oliver Kylington all had their best seasons offensively as well. It will be tough to repeat, but with each of these players in their prime years I expect them to continue lending scoring support to this loaded offensive front.
A record setting season was almost thrown to waste when the Flames were one goal away from being tossed in the first round against a resilient Dallas bunch. The Stars took the Flames out of their comfort zone, making them play a grit and grind brand of hockey for seven games limiting them to just 15 goals in the entire series. Calgary's big guns contributed their fair share, but after that there was no one providing offense. It was the goalies that really stole the show in this series. I mentioned the stupendous play from Stars' goalie Jake Oettinger in my write-up on Dallas, but Jacob Markstrom was just as outstanding. The Flames' netminder led the NHL with 9 shutouts in the regulars season, posted a career high 37 wins, and finished 2nd in the Vezina voting behind Igor Sheskterkin. In the series against Dallas, he let in just 11 goals and saved over 94% of the shots he faced. The Flames don't make it to Game 7 without his performances in the six games prior. He will continue to be a staple for them in 2023.
After the first four games the series was tied 2-2, with the teams each winning one of the games in the other's barn. The home team would hold court from there on out. The Flames won Game 5 after finally breaking through with three goals in the third to seal a massive comeback win. The Stars forced a Game 7 after winning what could have been a series clinching game in Dallas. Then in Game 7, the Flames launched an onslaught attack on the Stars' Jake Oettinger. For 75 minutes of game time, Calgary had complete control. Even though the Stars scored first and held a 2-1 lead early in the second period, you could tell this was the Flames' game to win. If it weren't for the Otter having the greatest game in his young career, this game would have been over well before the overtime. On the 67th and final shot, the Flames finally got one through to seal the deal and advance to the second round. Oettinger almost got out of the jam but Johnny Gaudreau was able to bury one home to take the team to the next round. They had no time to think about the scare that Dallas just gave them as the Battle of Alberta was coming right up.
This was the first time since 1991 that the Oilers and Flames were meeting in playoffs. The Battle of Alberta is a classic old time rivalry going back to the Gretzky days and has come back to life since McDavid came onto the scene. There was a lot on the line for this series for those on both teams as well as those that cover the sport. Spittin' Chiclets hosts Ryan Whitney and Paul "Biznasty" Bissonnette placed a wager earlier in the season on which team would go further in playoffs. It was only fitting that the two teams would end up meeting in playoffs to decide a winner. The first game was one of the craziest games I've ever watched. I actually missed the beginning of it because the Rangers/Hurricanes game went into overtime. By the time I tuned in, the Flames were already up 2-0. Elias Lindholm scored on the first shot of the game just 26 seconds in, and then Andrew Mangiapane scored 25 seconds later. The scoring didn't stop there. Eleven more goals were scored between the two teams in the second and third periods. The Flames got the lead to 5-1 when Edmonton stormed back to tie it at 6-6 in the beginning of the third. It was all Calgary the rest of the way and they wound up winning by a score of 9-6. It ended with some fireworks as a massive scrum broke out as time expired. Something we're used to seeing in this intense division rivalry.
I wish I could say this series went the distance, but unfortunately, the two headed monster that is Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl completely took over. The Flames had a chance in Game 2 when they went up 3-1 early in the second frame, but the Oilers turned things all the way up and scored 4 straight to even the series up going back to Edmonton. After losing both games in Rogers Place, the Flames were on the brink of elimination. They held a 2-0 lead in Game 5 when chaos ensued. With five minutes left to go in the second period, Zach Hyman of the Oilers scored a powerplay goal to put his team up 3-2. That lead lasted a grand total of 15 seconds before Johnny Hockey knotted it back up. Just 16 seconds after Gaudreau scores, Calle Jarnkrok put the Flames back up 4-3. This lead lasted for 40 seconds when Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard scored to tie the game. Four goals were scored in a matter of a minute and eleven seconds. Insanity. After no goals were scored in the final frame, the game would go into OT where Connor McDavid would seal the deal five minutes in and claim victory to the Battle of Alberta. Calgary had the better team, but Connor and Leon combining for 29 points in 5 games was too much to overcome. It's such a sinking feeling to lose in playoffs, but it's even worse when it's your arch rival that takes you down.
It's not common for a team to lose their top two scorers and wind up better than they were before. But after the moves GM Brad Treliving made this offseason, I actually think the Flames are in a better position to win than last year. It became known to Treliving, who was just featured as a guest on the latest episode of Spittin' Chiclets, that he was not going to be able to resign Johnny Gaudreau. This resulted in Matthew Tkachuk letting the team know that he will also be walking when his contract expires the following summer. Both hundred point scorers were heading out the door, and yet Treliving was still able to take advantage of the situation. The Flames sent Tkachuk and a conditional fourth round pick to the Florida Panthers, and in return got Jonathan Huberdeau, MacKenzie Weegar, forward prospect Cole Schwindt, and conditional first round pick. Don't get me wrong, the Panthers got a superstar in Tkachuk, but this trade is thievery for Calgary. Huberdeau put up 115 points last season and led the league in assists. He's easily one of the most prolific playmakers on the planet right now. Weegar is a true top pairing defenseman. Receiving votes for the Norris trophy each of the past two seasons, he will without question be leading the defensive charge for the Flames. I couldn't believe my eyes when saw that Calgary got Hubby, Weegs, AND a possible first round pick. Treliving was able to lock Huberdeau in for the next eight years and is currently working with Weegar on his extension. The Flames didn't stop there as they came out as the winners of the Nazem Kadri sweepstakes. For awhile it seemed like Kadri was going to end up on Long Island, but he surprised most in picking to sign with the Flames. Coming off a Stanley Cup win, and his best season to date, the soon to be 32 year old signed a seven-year deal to play out his remaining days in Calgary.
Despite losing Gaudreau and Tkachuk, the Flames are still legitimate contender and my favorite to win the Pacific Division. The new additions will prove to be great fits under Darryl Sutter and I believe this could be a year where they are one of the few teams left playing for Stanley Cup. They have so much depth up and down the lineup, a great goalie, strong special teams, and a coach who's been there and done that. They go into the season without a captain once again, but I don't foresee that being an issue. All they need is to remain unscathed during the regular season and get the same contributions from their role players. If they do, then this Flames team will torch the Western Conference in 2023.
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