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Calgary Herald
6 days ago
- Sport
- Calgary Herald
What to know about the Calgary Flames 2025-26 schedule
Evan Bouchard of the Edmonton Oilers scrums against Blake Coleman of the Calgary Flames. Getty Images The Calgary Flames will kick off their 2025-26 season with a Battle of Alberta. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Calgary Herald ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Calgary Herald ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Their Christmas festivities will be punctuated by back-to-back games against the Edmonton Oilers, too, with games on December 23 and 27. On Wednesday morning, the NHL released its entire schedule for the upcoming season and it's got all the usual fun and chaos. Here's a few key things to know about what lies ahead as the Flames try to improve on last year's surprising season and qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2022. Your weekday lunchtime roundup of curated links, news highlights, analysis and features. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again The Flames are going to spend a lot of time on the road to start the season. Between their season opener in Edmonton on Oct. 8 and when they return home from a gruelling five-game trip that finishes up in Nashville on Dec. 2, the Flames will play 18 of their first 28 games on the road. It's not an easy way to kick off the season. There are back-to-backs in Chicago and Buffalo on Nov. 18 and 19, followed by a return home on Nov. 22 to host the Dallas Stars and then another game the next night in Vancouver against the Canucks. The Flames started strong last year and were able to carry the momentum they gained forward to stay in the playoff race right until the final days of the regular season. The schedule-makers ensured that if they're going to replicate that same early season success, they're going to need to work for it. If the Flames' start is tough, well, the stretch run won't be easy, either. While they finish off the season with a three-game homestand, they've got a six-game trip that immediately precedes it. That trip includes two games in Colorado against the Avalanche, who will also visit the Saddledome on April 14. Yes, to be clear, that means the Flames will face the Avalanche three times in their final nine games. Given that the Avs are perennial contenders, that's a lot of things, but it's definitely not easy. That final stretch could be crucial, though, as it features road games against the Anaheim Ducks (April 4) and Seattle Kraken (April 11) and a home matchup against the Utah Mammoth (April 12), all of whom are expected to be better next year and could be in the playoff hunt. As we noted earlier, the Flames will kick off their season against the Oilers on Oct. 8 in Edmonton and there will be three further matchups between the provincial rivals.
Edmonton Journal
14-07-2025
- Sport
- Edmonton Journal
‘A little bit bizarre': Calgary Flames centre Nazem Kadri addresses persistent trade speculation
Article content Across his three campaigns in Calgary, Kadri has led all Flames with 88 markers — next on that chart is fellow forward Blake Coleman at 63 — and 198 points. Article content He tallied 35 times this past season, a new career-high, and set another personal best in ice-time, averaging 19:21 per night. Article content 'It's been excellent, it's been excellent,' Kadri told Knight Shift when asked about his current hockey home. 'Calgary is such a great city, especially for the family and I. Very scenic and beautiful, and we've got some good players along the way. So I appreciate the C of Red, for sure.' Article content That won't stop some in Toronto from daydreaming about how he'd look in blue. It doesn't require much imagination, since he played 561 games on behalf of the organization that made him a first-round draft choice in 2009. Article content As the rumours swirl, remember there was a widespread assumption last fall that Kadri would prefer to be traded to a contender rather than stick around through a retool, but he told reporters during training camp to 'just pump the brakes' on those questions because he believed the Flames could surprise some people in 2024-25. Article content Article content While they definitely did that, they ultimately missed the playoffs due to the tiebreaker, tying the record for most points by a crew that failed to qualify for the spring dance. Article content As Conroy & Co. shoot for a spot among the elite eight in the Western Conference, trading Kadri would seem like a step in the wrong direction. Perhaps they could be persuaded by a package that included a highly touted prospect, but it's most likely that No. 91 will be skating as Calgary's first-line centre for the foreseeable feature, with Jonathan Huberdeau on his left wing and either Matt Coronato or Adam Klapka on his right. Article content For his part, Kadri doesn't seem to be losing any sleep over the continuing speculation. Set to join the NHL's silver-stick club in the early stages of this coming season, he has been around long enough to know that the online rumblings are part of the business. Article content It must be reassuring that he currently has a full no-move clause, meaning he'd have to approve any potential change of address.
National Post
14-07-2025
- Sport
- National Post
‘A little bit bizarre': Calgary Flames centre Nazem Kadri addresses persistent trade speculation
Article content Across his three campaigns in Calgary, Kadri has led all Flames with 88 markers — next on that chart is fellow forward Blake Coleman at 63 — and 198 points. Article content He tallied 35 times this past season, a new career-high, and set another personal best in ice-time, averaging 19:21 per night. Article content 'It's been excellent, it's been excellent,' Kadri told Knight Shift when asked about his current hockey home. 'Calgary is such a great city, especially for the family and I. Very scenic and beautiful, and we've got some good players along the way. So I appreciate the C of Red, for sure.' Article content That won't stop some in Toronto from daydreaming about how he'd look in blue. It doesn't require much imagination, since he played 561 games on behalf of the organization that made him a first-round draft choice in 2009. Article content As the rumours swirl, remember there was a widespread assumption last fall that Kadri would prefer to be traded to a contender rather than stick around through a retool, but he told reporters during training camp to 'just pump the brakes' on those questions because he believed the Flames could surprise some people in 2024-25. Article content Article content While they definitely did that, they ultimately missed the playoffs due to the tiebreaker, tying the record for most points by a crew that failed to qualify for the spring dance. Article content As Conroy & Co. shoot for a spot among the elite eight in the Western Conference, trading Kadri would seem like a step in the wrong direction. Perhaps they could be persuaded by a package that included a highly touted prospect, but it's most likely that No. 91 will be skating as Calgary's first-line centre for the foreseeable feature, with Jonathan Huberdeau on his left wing and either Matt Coronato or Adam Klapka on his right. Article content For his part, Kadri doesn't seem to be losing any sleep over the continuing speculation. Set to join the NHL's silver-stick club in the early stages of this coming season, he has been around long enough to know that the online rumblings are part of the business. Article content It must be reassuring that he currently has a full no-move clause, meaning he'd have to approve any potential change of address. Article content
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
FLAMES RETOOL TRACKER: Under-25 power rankings at right wing
There has, in recent years, been a shortage of right-shot regulars among the Calgary Flames' forward cast. That started to change this season, with Matt Coronato emerging as one of the go-to guys and Adam Klapka showing that he's also ready for a full-time role. The best part is that those two are both in their early 20s, fitting the age range that the Flames have targeted to build a future contender. Who could eventually join them on right wing? Examining the organizational depth chart, here is how we rank the under-25 options on that side of the sheet. Age: 22 How acquired: Selected in first round, No. 13 overall, of 2021 NHL Draft Working in his favour: He's a sharpshooter, plain and simple. Still working on it: There are no glaring weaknesses but, as Coronato continues to gain experience, he should be even more reliable in his own zone and even more effective on the power play. As Calgary's best righty faceoff option, he's also determined to boost his success rate in the circle. Big-league potential: Blake Coleman has predicted that Coronato will be one of those guys who snipes 30 goals a season and we're not about to disagree. Coronato recently signed a seven-year contract extension, formalizing what was already clear: He's a huge part of the long-range plan at the Saddledome/Scotia Place. Because he finished third on the team charts with 24 goals and because he was so often trusted to play the final moments of close games, it's easy to forget that he was the youngest regular on the roster this season. He'll only get better. Age: 24 How acquired: Signed as an undrafted free agent in 2022 Working in his favour: At 6-foot-8 and 235 pounds, he is among the biggest dudes in the NHL. What makes him such a unique package is that he's also a slick skater and has soft mitts. Still working on it: The two keys for Klapka are being consistent with his hard-to-play-against identity and being careful not to cough up the puck. Big-league potential: Although many thought he'd top out as a depth piece, he finished this season on the first line. This skyscraper-on-skates made a major impact during the Flames' wild-card chase, scoring several clutch goals over the final month of the campaign. In doing so, he should have cemented his spot as a full-time NHLer. While he has been on a bit of a yo-yo over the past couple of campaigns, Klapka now requires waivers to be reassigned to the Wranglers. If the Flames tried to sneak him through, they'd lose him. Age: 19 How acquired: Selected in first round, No. 28 overall, of 2024 NHL Draft Working in his favour: He has oodles of offensive skill and could be the fastest skater in the Flames' pipeline. Sounds like a heck of a combo, doesn't it? Still working on it: Gridin has a familiar checklist for a high-scoring prospect, including an emphasis on his away-from-the-puck details and defensive-zone duties. Big-league potential: This could be a future first-liner. This Russian has a lefty curve on his stick, but he has been working the right wing as a junior and it's hard to argue with the results. On the heels of his USHL scoring crown, Gridin racked up 36 goals and 43 assists in 56 appearances this season with the Shawinigan Cataractes, ranking fifth in the QMJHL with an average of 1.41 points per game. He's now poised to turn pro and plans to put on a show come fall. As he told Postmedia: 'Sam Honzek is a great example for me — what he did last year at the main camp. What's the problem for me to do the same thing?' Age: 21 How acquired: Selected in fourth round, No. 106 overall, of 2024 NHL Draft Working in his favour: When Hoskin has the puck on his stick, good things tend to happen. He has a deadly release. Still working on it: As he continues his climb, the challenge is to prove that the offence will translate. Big-league potential: With a late bloomer like Hoskin, a guy who twice passed through the NHL Draft, it feels like it's too soon to even try to predict. While the stats are mighty encouraging, there is some mystery surrounding this rising righty because he has primarily played at lower levels. Hoskin was named MVP of the Canadian Junior Hockey League in 2023-24 and then was saluted this season as the top freshman in what is typically considered the weakest conference in the NCAA's Division 1 ranks. This speedster just transferred to Merrimack, where it will be illuminating to see how he stacks up against some of the powerhouse programs in Hockey East. FLAMES RETOOL TRACKER: Emergence of two right-handers provides hope on wing FLAMES RETOOL TRACKER: Matvei Gridin has highlight-reel potential on right wing Age: 20 How acquired: Selected in seventh round, No. 219 overall, of 2022 NHL Draft Working in his favour: At 6-foot-3 and 216 pounds, Littler is already built like a big-leaguer. Puck protection is a strength. Still working on it: Flames skating coach Danielle Fujita is hoping to add Littler to her list of success stories and he already has made improvements to his footwork. Big-league potential: For a seventh-round long-shot, any NHL appearances count as a win. We considered putting Hunter Laing in this spot — he made a compelling case with 25 goals in the WHL this winter — but Littler caught our attention with his late-season surge at the University of North Dakota. Although he scored only seven times as a freshman with the Fighting Hawks, he tallied three of those in a hat-trick of playoff appearances. Could that be a hint that he's primed for a breakthrough as a sophomore? He's also a trusted penalty-killer at North Dakota, where they pump out future pros. wgilbertson@
National Post
29-05-2025
- General
- National Post
FLAMES RETOOL TRACKER: Under-25 power rankings at right wing
There has, in recent years, been a shortage of right-shot regulars among the Calgary Flames ' forward cast. Article content Article content That started to change this season, with Matt Coronato emerging as one of the go-to guys and Adam Klapka showing that he's also ready for a full-time role. Article content The best part is that those two are both in their early 20s, fitting the age range that the Flames have targeted to build a future contender. Article content Who could eventually join them on right wing? Examining the organizational depth chart, here is how we rank the under-25 options on that side of the sheet. Article content 1. Matt Coronato Article content Article content Still working on it: There are no glaring weaknesses but, as Coronato continues to gain experience, he should be even more reliable in his own zone and even more effective on the power play. As Calgary's best righty faceoff option, he's also determined to boost his success rate in the circle. Article content Big-league potential: Blake Coleman has predicted that Coronato will be one of those guys who snipes 30 goals a season and we're not about to disagree. Article content Coronato recently signed a seven-year contract extension, formalizing what was already clear: He's a huge part of the long-range plan at the Saddledome/Scotia Place. Because he finished third on the team charts with 24 goals and because he was so often trusted to play the final moments of close games, it's easy to forget that he was the youngest regular on the roster this season. He'll only get better. Article content Article content Age: 24 Article content How acquired: Signed as an undrafted free agent in 2022 Article content Working in his favour: At 6-foot-8 and 235 pounds, he is among the biggest dudes in the NHL. What makes him such a unique package is that he's also a slick skater and has soft mitts. Article content This skyscraper-on-skates made a major impact during the Flames' wild-card chase, scoring several clutch goals over the final month of the campaign. In doing so, he should have cemented his spot as a full-time NHLer. While he has been on a bit of a yo-yo over the past couple of campaigns, Klapka now requires waivers to be reassigned to the Wranglers. If the Flames tried to sneak him through, they'd lose him.
