The Flames need to figure out their forward log jam
Right now, one of the biggest problems with the Calgary Flames and their lineup is the forward logjam, with no less than 15 players fighting for the 12 spots in the forward lineup. Obviously, the likes of Mikael Backlund, Matvei Gridin, Matt Coronato, Morgan Frost, Joel Farabee and Blake Coleman are locks, but beyond that, there's simply too many players battling for spots on the team next season.
The most obvious way for the Flames to solve this is trades of veterans like Coleman and Ryan Strome, and with even more players set to arrive at the end of the 2026/27 campaign, some moves need to be made. Only time will tell how the Flames deal with this situation, but heading into next season, the team need to prioritize the future, and that means they'll need to figure out what the forward group looks like this summer.
The Flames need to figure out clear, defined roles for their young players
Late in the 2025/26 season, the Calgary Flames started finding some momentum and success, with Head Coach Ryan Huska getting praise for allowing the young players to be themselves with freedom, and clearly, it worked. However, this is still a team that's got plenty of veterans fighting for roster spots, but given what the priority is, the team need to start giving their young players significant roles.
Whether that's pairing Zayne Parekh with Kevin Bahl on the top pairing, giving Aydar Suniev a clear role in the middle-six or making Matvei Gridin the teams top winger, next season needs to be about prioritizing the teams young players. There's many ways this can be accomplished, but right now, the Flames aren't ready to compete for a Stanley Cup Playoffs spot, and therefore, the development of those young names is the No. 1 priority for them moving forward.
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