Don’t look now, but the Calgary Flames are coming for the top position in the Pacific Division.
The Flames have compiled an 8-2 record in their last ten games played, including an active win streak that was extended to five games with Thursday’s 5-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. During that streak, Calgary has been impressive, winning five of those eight contests by at least a three-goal margin and winning three via shutout.
With the most recent win, the Flames jump a pair of division rivals to move into second place in the Pacific, three points behind the Vegas Golden Knights, though the current division leader has played four extra games.
In terms of point percentage, Calgary’s .636 is the tenth-best mark in the NHL, fourth-best in the Western Conference, and the best in the Pacific. To further demonstrate their strength, the Flames own the fourth-best goal differential in the NHL (+41).
The Flames are gaining traction in the Pacific Division playoff race.
With all of those numbers noted, the easy conclusion to draw when examining the Pacific would still be that the Golden Knights will use their talent to climb to the top of the standings when it’s all said and done. However, Vegas has not been sharp at times this year, and in some ways, the fifth-year team from Nevada has been a bit of a letdown during this campaign.
Conversely, the Flames have given fans few reasons to doubt the idea that they could be legitimate contenders this season. No team in the West has a better defense than Calgary, which concedes only 2.4 goals per contest.
The Flames have been led defensively by goaltender Jacob Markstrom, whose eight shutouts not only lead the league, but are double that of the players tied for second.
Fittingly, Calgary owns a top-three penalty killing unit that fends off opponent advantages 84.9% of the time. Offensively, the Flames sport an above-average scoring attack that is led by 28-year-old forward Johnny Gaudreau.
Gaudreau had been underwhelming since recording 99 points during the 2018-2019 season, but he has bounced back in a big way, as he has 19 goals, 36 assists, 55 points, and a plus-33 rating on the season. Matthew Tkachuk has also impressed with 48 points this year.
The Flames have been aided by a Pacific Division that, while more competitive than I anticipated, is still the least impressive of the four divisions. Vegas, which leads the division with 59 points, would not crack the top-three in any other division.
Still, Calgary has been a pleasant surprise, and the surprises may keep coming. With the way this season has gone to this point, I would not be shocked if the Flames found a way to win the Pacific. When it comes to games remaining and point percentage, they would currently be the favorite on paper to do so.
There is a lot of hockey to be played in this season, but no team in the Pacific has positioned itself better than the Flames. Keep an eye on Calgary as the postseason push intensifies.