The Calgary Flames will be putting a very similar lineup on the ice for the 2025-26 season, as the team's playoff hopes still hang in balance. GM Craig Conroy is choosing to err on the side of caution and bet on the current roster with the goal of making a postseason appearance for the first time since 2022.
Calgary missed out on playoff action this year, despite finishing tied with the St. Louis Blues in the standings. Both clubs had 96 points but the Blues won the tiebreaker with more wins in regulation, giving St. Louis the final wild card spot in the Western Conference.
Have the Flames made enough meaningful changes to become serious contenders, or are they playing with fire by not being more active this offseason?
Key additions and losses for the Flames
There have been some subtle tweaks to the lineup so far this offseason, but the focus has mainly been on keeping the core together. Calgary signed three players to contract extensions at the end of June and into the start of July: forward Morgan Frost, and defensemen Kevin Bahl and Joel Hanley.
Frost was acquried mid-season from the Philadelphia Flyers and totalled 12 points across 32 games in Calgary. He didn't contribute as much as the team had hoped, but Conroy gave Frost a pay raise for the next two years at $4.375 million annually. This gives him another chance to prove himself without making a long-term committment.
On the blue line, Bahl was one of the team's most reliable defenders, averaging 21:23 per game. At age 25, he is locked up at a reasonable price of $5.35 million annually for the next six years. Meanwhile, Hanley signed for two years at $1.75 million per year. The 34-year-old finished with the second-best rating on the team at +12, skating over 18 minutes per game. Both of these contracts were very wise deals on Conroy's part to solidify the D corps in the short- and long-term.
The main subtraction was goalie Dan Vladar, who signed with the Philadelphia Flyers in free agency. The 27-year-old had mixed results with the Flames this season, going 12-11-6 with a .898 SV% and 2.80 GAA.
Taking Vladar's place in the lineup is Ivan Prosvetov, a 26-year-old netminder coming over from the KHL in Russia. He put up solid numbers with CSKA Moscow this season, posting a 2.32 GAA, .920 SV%, and four shutouts en route to a 20-16-2 record.
He's still not fully battle-tested when it comes to North American hockey, making just 24 appearances over four seasons split between the Arizona Coyotes and Colorado Avalanche. But the 6'5" goalie has excellent instincts and will provide a trustworthy backup option behind Dustin Wolf.
Forward Anthony Mantha also departed in free agency, signing a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Penguins. This mainly frees up another spot for a young prospect to slot in, as Mantha only appeared in 13 games this season averaging 13:54 TOI/GP due to a season-ending ACL injury. Mantha was brought on as a skater capable of scoring 20-plus goals, so it does hinder the gameplan slightly, and Calgary could've used that offense after finishing 29th in goals per game.
Who's on the trading block?
There has been buzz surrounding two players in particular: Rasmus Andersson and Nazem Kadri. Andersson is entering the final year of his contract, and is reportedly garnering some attention from teams around the league.
It would be a major loss if Andersson does get traded, and the return would have to be fairly hefty to make giving up a top 2 defender worthwhile at this point in Calgary's trajectory. The team is halfway between a rebuild and playoff contention, but it would appear the Flames have confidence in their current group so it would take an enticing deal to part ways with Andersson.
Meanwhile, Conroy came out to deny claims that Nazem Kadri would be traded anytime soon, which is great news for Flames fans. The 34-year-old led the team with a career-best 35 goals and totalled 67 points this season.
Speculation about Nazem Kadri being available has been confirmed to me as "drummed up talking points". The Flames and Craig Conroy have no desire to trade this player. This doesn't mean they won't field offers, but there is nothing tangible there. #Flames #NHLFreeAgency2025
— George Blankenship (@BlankenshipNHL) July 5, 2025
Conroy is holding steady with the goal of giving the younger skaters a chance to be difference makers, telling Sportsnet that he "can't deviate just because other teams are signing players...I think even though we haven't done anything, you're going to see more opportunity for our (young) guys and better competition."
Those guys include Zayne Parekh, a 19-year-old phenom on the back end. Parekh was named the best defenseman of the CHL in 2024 and followed that up with an explosive 107-point season in 61 games this year, then scoring his first NHL goal in his only game played to this point. His crafty offense, creative vision, and smooth skating will undoutbedly make a big impact on Calgary's gameplan should he be given a full-time role with the team as expected.
Will these cautious moves result in a playoff berth for the Calgary Flames? We won't get an answer to that question for quite some time, but as it stands, the Flames could use another big move that will produce more offense before anyone can confidently say they are a playoff-bound team.