Ryan Huska is Living on Borrowed Time in Calgary
Coming into the 2026/27 season, many believed that Ryan Huska's job for a rebuilding team was safe, but with a -17 differential through four games, it's clear that his lines, his deployment and the systems he's put in place just aren't good enough.
Sure, nobody would be winning with this roster, as the lack of elite level talent is startling in comparison to other teams, but under Huska, absolutely no young player has managed to thrive and succeed above expectations, and that's a problem. The issue becomes even worse when you remember that several of the organization's top prospects will arrive in Calgary later this year, and given the youth movement, Huska simply isn't the coach to lead them.
As of right now, it's unlikely that Huska will be fired before the calendar ticks over to 2027, but if he doesn't at least have the Flames competitive in games by then and no young players are starting to dominate games, he needs to go and be replaced by someone that will prioritize what means most to this organization.
The Signs of Offense for the Flames are Showing
Through four games, the Flames have scored just six total goals, and while many players in the NHL have already surpassed 10 points on the year, the Flames have just three players with multiple points on the season to date. However, the Flames showed signs of life on Thursday, tallying three goals (one each to Klapka, Backlund and Bahl), but there have already been plenty more signs early in the year.
Most of the Flames flashes of offense however have come from two players that are yet to score, with both Simon Nemec and Zayne Parekh standing as the Flames best skaters throughout the early parts of the season. Neither have dominated the game the way fans hoped, and with a lack of talent around them, no one has been able to finish on the back of their brilliance, but with Parekh's confidence growing exponentially each and every game, it's only a matter of time until those around him can adjust enough for the points to start flowing.
Add us as a preferred source on Google