The 2025 calendar year for the Calgary Flames has been a brutal ride through the highest highs and most painful lows, consisting of a playoff chase that fell just one point short, as well as the worst start to a season in franchise history. Let’s take it month by month.
January
2025 started on a bleak note for the Flames, with a terrifying knee-on-knee clash that sidelined Connor Zary, leading to the long-awaited NHL debut of AHL standout Rory Kerins. The biggest headline of the month, however, came on January 30. In a bold buy-low move, GM Craig Conroy shipped Andrei Kuzmenko and Jakob Pelletier to Philadelphia in exchange for Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee, adding two players who fit the team’s timeline without giving much in return.
February
Throughout February, the Flames played with the Vancouver Canucks for the second wild card position in the Western Conference. As far as news goes, not much happened with the Flames this month as Elliotte Friedman reported that the Flames have informed teams that Rasmus Andersson, Nazem Kadri and MacKenzie Weegar are off the table in terms of potential trades.
March
March started with a gamble that defined Craig Conroy’s first full year as GM. Conroy infamously reflected on the March 7 trade deadline, telling the media, “This team believes in itself.” The locker room rewarded that faith the next night when Dustin Wolf set a franchise record for rookie shutouts in a 1-0 win over Montreal. Despite being one of the lowest scoring teams in the league, the Flames had a legitimate shot at making the playoffs at this point in the season.
April
The Flames’ chase for a playoff spot officially ended on April 15. Due to out-of-town results, Calgary was officially eliminated from postseason contention during the second intermission of their penultimate game of the season. Prospects Zayne Parekh, Hunter Brzustewicz, Aydar Suniev and Sam Morton would then all make their NHL debuts during the final game of the season.
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In early May, the Flames’ front office secured a cornerstone of their offense by signing Matt Coronato to a massive seven-year extension worth $45.5 million. In addition, Dustin Wolf was officially named a Calder Trophy finalist. The month ended with two former second-round selections, Andrew Basha (Medicine Hat) and Etienne Morin (Moncton), competing in the Memorial Cup.
June
June started with prospect Matvei Gridin being named QMJHL Rookie of the Year, and the Flames made some minor re-signings. The real fireworks of the month, however, took place during the Draft in Los Angeles. The Flames walked away with two high-skill centers: Cole Reschny and Cullen Potter. Additionally, Conroy locked up Kevin Bahl by signing him to a six-year, $32.1 million deal.
July
Much like the trade deadline, free agency in Calgary was very quiet. The only notable departure from the Flames was Dan Vladar, and the only notable UFA signing was bringing back Joel Hanley on a two-year deal. After the first day of free agency passed, GM Craig Conroy successfully re-signed RFA Morgan Frost to a two-year contract. At the end of the month, Conroy surprised the fanbase with a three-year extension for Martin Pospisil.
August
When the calendar turned to August, there was still very little news on the Flames front. The biggest talking point was the future of Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson, who ultimately wasn’t traded.
September
After an entire summer of negotiations, the Flames have finally secured Connor Zary to a three-year bridge deal. Additionally, the Flames officially named Dustin Wolf their franchise goalie by signing him to a seven-year, $52.5 million extension. Subsequently, the leadership group was stabilized with a two-year extension for captain Mikael Backlund.
October
October began with the Flames signing head coach Ryan Huska to a two-year contract extension. The Flames started the 2025-2026 regular season with a gutsy comeback win against the Edmonton Oilers. However, that opening night victory turned out to be a mirage. By the end of October, the Flames had set a franchise record for the worst start in franchise history, with eight straight losses. The fanbase’s attention shifted to the 2026 draft’s top prospects as they looked at the first overall pick.
November
At the beginning of November, Nazem Kadri celebrated his 1000th career match. Later, the Flames claimed former first-rounder John Beecher from Boston, and rookie forward Sam Honzek was ruled out for the season after surgery. The Flames ended the month by announcing two-year contract extensions for their entire senior management group, including GM Craig Conroy, president Don Maloney and AGMs Dave Nonis and Brad Pascall. This came after a huge PR nightmare for the next team Maloney’s comments on the team’s future.
December
The Flames went 9-4-0 in December, allowing them to climb out of the NHL’s cellar and are now just one point behind the second wild-card position in the Western Conference.
As the calendar turns to 2026, the Flames may be ready for another quest to make the playoffs. However, despite being at NHL .500, they are ranked 26th in the league, meaning the first overall pick is still high on the menu.
What will happen to the Flames in 2026? Only time will tell. Let’s hope it’s better than the Flames’ 2025.
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