The Calgary Flames have had a surpringsly successful season in 2024-25. They came in with an over/under of 80.5, according to Hockey-Reference and are currently on a 90-point pace. After a win over the Sharks on Sunday, the Flames are headed on a six-game road trip that could be the difference between making the playoffs or not. Blake Coleman spoke with Wes Gilbertson of the Calgary Herald about the trip and approaching NHL trade deadline.
“It leads you right into the trade deadline, so that’s definitely not lost on us,” the Flames forward said. “But I think it’s our time to show that we belong. Ultimately, you have to do well on that trip to give yourselves a chance down the stretch.”
The Flames start with a cross-country flight to play the first-place Washington Capitals. All eyes will be on Alexander Ovechkin, as he closes in on Wayne Gretzky’s goals record. But Washington is a strong team that provides a tough defensive challenge. Then, it’s a trip to Florida for matchups with the Lightning and Panthers. They play the Hurricanes, and then a winnable game against the Flyers is followed by a huge game against the Stars.
The Flames play the Stars on March 6 and the NHL trade deadline is March 7. While they are close to the playoffs now, things can change in the next few days.
How will this road trip shape the Flames?
Anthony Mantha, Kevin Rooney, Justin Kirkland, and Joel Hanley are the only pending free agents on the Flames. Those pieces would not provide them with a lot of value at the deadline, even in a seller’s market. Despite their great team season, there are not many pieces that would help a playoff team.
That is why the Flames have to rip off at least four wins on this six-game trip. The Flyers are the only team behind them in the standings out of those six teams. For Calgary to make the playoffs, they are going to have to pull off a lot of surprising wins. If they get any less than four wins on this trip, they should sell at the deadline.
The Flames and Flyers made a big trade before the 4 Nations Face-Off break. Joel Farabee and Morgan Frost will have to be big pieces of a winning streak to get their new team to the playoffs. After the untimely death of Johnny Gaudreau this offseason, the fans could use a feel-good playoff run this spring.
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