3 Reasons This Is The Year For A Deep Playoff Run From The Flames
The Calgary Flames have one of the most interesting stories in hockey right now. After not qualifying for the playoffs last year and getting bounced out of the first round the previous two, they could have thrown in the towel on their team. This team has not gotten out of the first round since 2015.
The Flames definitely did not have the biggest expectations going into this season, but they are making people pay attention to them as the season continues into January and the second half of the year.
Something interesting happened when the puck dropped on the 2021-22 season. The Calgary Flames started to play a lot better. There are a lot of reasons for this turnaround, and we are going to get to some of them today.
The Flames still have a lot of hockey to go on the year, but as of now, there are plenty of reasons to think they could go on a playoff run this year especially considering they have some expiring contracts that are going to be up at the end of the year.
The Flames said goodbye to their captain this past offseason in Mark Giordano who was taken by the Seattle Kraken during the expansion draft, but that loss has not stopped them on the ice, as a handful of different players have stepped up in the absence of Giordano.
Let’s dive in with the three reasons the Flames are geared up for a playoff run this year.
1. The Goaltending Has Been Leading The Charge
This is Jacob Markstrom’s second year with the Calgary Flames, but it is his first with the best performance of his life thus far. Markstrom has his best save percentage of his entire career at .926 percent and he has a goals-against-average of 2.15 per game. Those are some strong numbers that are keeping his team in the mix.
This season Markstrom has five shutouts. The goaltender already has five shutouts and has only played in 24 games in his entire career. Going into this season he had only recorded eight shutouts through the first 315 games and through 24 he already has five on the season.
The Flames netminder still has a long way to go on this current contract. He signed during the 2020 offseason and is signed for six million through the end of the 2025-26 season. That is a long time to keep a netminder signed, but considering the Flames have run with guys like Brian Elliott and Mike Smith in the past, having the goaltending position locked up definitely won’t hurt this team.
Jacob Markstrom is seventh in the league save percentage and leads the league in shutouts. The Flames are going to need him to go far in the postseason.
2. The Division Makes A Difference
The Flames might not play in the best division known to mankind. They are a part of the Pacific Division, the long laughed at division over the course of the past few seasons. While the Kings and Ducks are definitely looking improved, they still have a long way to go before becoming the next top thing in the conference. Even the top teams have looked flawed.
The Edmonton Oilers entered the year with a lot to prove, and after ten or so games they fell and haven’t hit the ground yet. The Oilers were once considered the front runners for the division this season, but even that looks questionable now. The only real threat this division has to offer is the Vegas Golden Knights, and while they are definitely a playoff threat, the Flames just need to guarantee they can avoid them for a round in the playoffs.
The Flames’ chances at a deep playoff run ultimately are going to go through a team like the Vegas Golden Knights, but it doesn’t have to be in the first round. Ideally, this team will match up against the Knights after an easier matchup in round one against a week Pacific Division opponent.
The playoffs all start from within the division. That is true for both the regular season and once the postseason begins. As of today, I think it is safe to say the Flames are one of the best team’s within the division. One of the reasons the Flames are a top team has to do with the third thing on this list.
3. The Coaching Staff
The Calgary Flames added their head coach during the 2020-21 season. Their current guy behind the bench is Darryl Sutter, one of the most winningest active coaches around. Sutter has a history of winning and has won two Stanley Cups in the past decade.
When it comes to active NHL coaches, Sutter is one of only a few to have one more than one Stanley Cup in his career as a coach. He has definitely helped make a difference with the Flames.
During his first season, the Flames and Sutter were not effective at what they are doing now. Sutter likes to play a physical style that just did not work against some of the teams within the North Division during the 2020-21 season. The Flames finished 15-15-0 under Sutter after he took over in his first year. With a training camp and more time to prepare in 2021-22, Sutter has taken his team to another level.
The biggest reason this team is geared up for a deep playoff run has to be Darryl Sutter. Their head coach has been there before. He has won it all and he knows what it takes to compete at the highest level. The type of style Sutter calls for is great in the postseason, and it is only a matter of time they will get to go on a deep playoff run into late May and early June.