3 turning points that derailed Calgary Flames’ 2024-25 season ft. failing to trade Andersson

The Calgary Flames had high hopes entering the 2024-25 season. The team expected its rebuild to hit another level, potentially wedging its way into the Western Conference playoff picture.

The Flames hung around until the final days of the season before falling short of a playoff spot by a narrow margin. It seemed as though the Flames, as hard as they tried, could not get over the top.

So, it’s worth looking back at the three turning points that derailed the Calgary Flames’ 2024-25 season.

3 turning points that derailed Calgary Flames’ 2024-25 season

#3 Overly relying on Dustin Wolf

The Calgary Flames entered the 2024-25 season with a tandem consisting of Dan Vladar and rookie Dustin Wolf. The tandem wasn’t exactly the most propitious for the team. Yet, Dustin Wolf took the starting job and ran with it.

Wolf’s stellar performance led him to a Calder Trophy nomination. However, this first turning point, while not an individual point in and of itself, derailed the Flames as overly relying on one player is a recipe for disaster.

The Flames, instead of getting contributions throughout the lineup, hope that they will get enough production to where Wolf could be enough to propel them to success. Unfortunately, that didn’t work out quite as planned.

#2 The Flames did nothing at the trade deadline

The Calgary Flames were ominously quiet at the trade deadline. For a team looking to lock up a playoff spot, they did nothing to boost their chances of doing so.

GM Craig Conroy failed to get anyone who could boost the club’s offense, relying on their current core to get them past the St. Louis Blues for the final playoff spot.

In hindsight, the Flames could have done much more to boost their lineup. But they didn’t and ultimately fell short. This offseason, it feels as though the Flames will be rolling the same lineup back in hopes of getting a different outcome.

#1 Failing to trade Rasmus Andersson

The biggest storyline throughout the season was the ongoing saga between the Flames and Rasmus Andersson. The situation is like a repeat of the Noah Hanifin debacle.

The Flames waited far too long to move Hanifin, and, in the end, had to settle for a much lower return.

The same situation seems to be playing out with Andersson. Instead of moving him at the trade deadline, when his value would have been a its highest, the Flames held on to him. The thought was that the team could re-sign Andersson.

It’s now the middle of July, and there’s nothing to indicate that will be the case. Andersson will head into the final year of his contract. Unless the Flames can do something now to get a solid return for Andersson, they’ll get another weak return.

It’s worth pointing out that the Calgary Flames could have traded Andersson to get back offensive help. Since the departures of the late Johnny Hockey and Matthew Tkachuk, the Flames have lacked elite scoring talent.

That’s something that could have been addressed with an Andersson trade. The Flames didn’t act. So now, fans wait to see what the team does for the rest of the summer.