Which Calgary Flames will be on the team when their rebuild ends?
As we know, the Calgary Flames don't like to use the word rebuild, but given the current state of the franchise, it's certainly the best path forward as they look to build a strong team for the opening of their new arena, likely to be completed by the beginning of the 2026-27 season. With many veterans currently on this team, it's likely to look like a very different lineup for game one in the new building, but now the quesiton has to be asked, which current Flames will be on that lineup for a historic night?
Unfortunately, it won't be a lot of the current names, as the Flames have struggled to land elite level talent, and while they've certainly got some solid young pieces, it's safe to say that the significant building blocks are yet to be put in place. So let's take a look over the Flames current roster, and predict the players that will be on the team in three years time when Calgary finally says goodbye to the SaddleDome and welcomes a new, fresh arena.
C/LW Connor Zary
While Connor Zary has slotted in mostly as a winger this year alongside the duo of Nazem Kadri and Martin Pospisil, but as of late he has slid back into his natural spot down the middle, and simply put, that's where his future as a Flame lies. This summer or in the very near future, it's likely that the team will look to trade Nazem Kadri, and it's the skill, hockey IQ and production on a poor team in his rookie year that projects Zary to play either the third or second line center role in years to come.
At just 22-years of age, Zary will be entering his prime at 25 when the Flames new arena opens, and after tallying 12 goals and 18 assists in 58 games this season with a +12 differential, and while there's several prospects on the way, none of them quite project to be as good down the middle as Zary. A former first-round draft pick, the team have shown patience in his development, and now, it appears that the Saskatchewan native will play a huge role in the teams future, with his versatility making him even more valuable.
D Mackenzie Weegar
While Nazem Kadri and his long-term deal are likely to be moved in the coming years, the same can't be said about Mackenzie Weegar, who has blossomed into one of the best blue liners in the NHL over his two seasons in Calgary. This season, only Roman Josi (21), Cale Makar (20) and Rasmus Dahlin (20) have more goals than Weegar (19) on the blue line, and with his fantastic leadership, it would be no shock if he was not only on the team then, but wearing a C on his chest.
Despite being 30-years of age, Weegar's contract isn't unreasonable, as he carries a $6.25M cap hit from now until the end of the 2030-31 season, and with so many talented young defenseman coming through the organization, he's the perfect veteran to lead and nurture them. Ultimately, Weegar has plenty of value on the ice, and while that may decline in the coming years, every rebuild needs veterans to lead the way, so if his play continues like this, he is a player that Calgary certainly wouldn't want to move on from.
G Dustin Wolf
No matter what the Flames do in net this summer, Jacob Markstrom has just two years left on his current deal, so whether he sees that out or not, he won't be in net for the Flames when the rebuild begins, but the answer could be right in front of them already. While people have very reasonable questions over Wolf's size in net, he has shown in the AHL that he's capable of being a dominant goaltender, and now it's all about adjusting to the game at the NHL level, which routinely takes time for goaltenders.
At 22-years of age, Wolf has done all he can in the AHL, and has been solid in 15 appearances for the Flames, tallying a 3.03 GAA and a .909 save percentage, and with his athleticism, confidence, preparation and likeability, he needs to be in net for the Flames long-term. Sure, it's going to take plenty of time, and it may be very ugly over the next few years, but if the Flames can keep building him up, he will be 25 when the new arena opens and in perfect position to solidify himself as one of the top goaltenders in the NHL.
LW Jonathan Huberdeau
When the Flames acquired Jonathan Huberdeau, expectations and excitement were incredibly high, but in 156 games since arriving he has tallied just 105 points, with his goal differential going from +2 down to -28 this season. Unfortunately, given the contract that Brad Treliving signed him to, it's very unlikely that the team will be able to move off this contract, and therefore, he will be somewhere in the lineup when the new arena opens.
At times we've seen him excel in a Flames uniform alongside Yegor Sharangovich, but the constant line changes this season certainly haven't been to his benefit, but if the team can put him in a position to succeed with two constant linemates, there's a chance he can one day be a positive asset. Whether that comes true or not, Calgary will be stuck with Huberdeau until the end of the 2030-31 season, so they should still be looking their hardest to find players that help him excel.
RW Matt Coronato
While the Flames have got some solid wingers in Martin Pospisil, Walker Duehr, Andrei Kuzmenko and Jakob Pelletier, it's former first-round pick Matt Coronato that has the best chance of being a driving force for this team in the future. Like Zary, Coronato projects to be a second or third line winger on a playoff team, and if he can find consistent playing time amongst elite level forwards, he could be a fantastic goal scorer.
At this current point, Coronato has just two goals and five assists in 31 career games, but has spent much of his time this season on the Flames fourth line, much to the dismay of the fans as the season has continued to slip away. At just 21-years of age, he's had less time to develop than other Flames prospects, but his production at the AHL level has proven that he's got incredible potential, so while the Flames don't have many future stars on their roster, they've got some very solid middle-six players ready to step up.