5 Calgary Flames players and personnel detrimental to retool roster after playoff miss ft. Jonathan Huberdeau

The Calgary Flames entered this past season with the expectation of making the postseason. While the Flames hung tough until the final week of the season, they ultimately failed to make it.

That situation has opened the door to questions regarding what the team can do to retool and reload for next season in hopes of getting back into playoff contention.

So, here’s a look at five Calgary Flames players and personnel detrimental to the team’s retool ahead of next season.

5 Calgary Flames players and personnel detrimental to retool roster after playoff miss

#5 Craig Conroy

Craig Conroy will have a busy summer retooling the Flames - Source: Imagn

Overall, Calgary Flames GM Craig Conroy has done a good job of keeping the team afloat. But his additions to the team have not yielded the expected results.

For instance, adding Nazem Kadri was a good move, but the Jacob Markstrom trade seems like a missed opportunity at this point.

Conroy will need to step up this offseason to maximize the team’s $28 million in cap space to bring in the missing pieces needed to take the Flames to the next level.

#4 Ryan Huska

Calgary Flames coach Ryan Huska gets the benefit of the doubt as his second season behind the bench yielded a 15-point improvement. However, it wasn’t enough to land the Flames in a playoff spot.

Next season, Huska will need to continue getting the most out of his squad, given a relatively thin blue line and a lack of high-end prospects on the horizon.

Huska will need to prove that his balanced playing style is enough to compete in a division with juggernauts like the Vegas Golden Knights, Edmonton Oilers, and LA Kings.

#3 Goaltending group

The Flames will need to extend Wolf sooner rather than later - Source: Imagn

PuckPedia shows the Calgary Flames have two goalies signed for next season: Dustin Wolf and Devin Cooley. Dan Vladar is a UFA this season and needs a new contract.

The team likely doesn’t carry three goalies, so someone has to go. Cooley could be the odd man out, starting the year in the AHL.

Meanwhile, Rookie of the Year finalist Dustin Wolf will be an RFA after next season. He’ll also need a new contract. But the issue here is how much the Calgary Flames spend on both Vladar and Wolf.

Vladar is coming off a $2.2 million cap hit and could command a raise. Wolf could be worth upwards of $5 million on a long-term deal.

All told, Wolf and Vladar’s new contracts could hold up whatever decisions Craig Conroy makes moving forward.

#2 Rasmus Andersson

Nick Kypreos listed Rasmus Andersson in his Off-Season Trade Board amid rumors that the impending UFA could have priced himself out of Calgary.

Andersson is entering the final year of his current deal which carries a $4.55 million cap hit. That’s a reasonable hit for Andersson this season. But signing him beyond that could represent a much higher cap hit.

As such, the Calgary Flames could be looking to move Andersson this summer if the team is not confident in re-signing him.

#1 Jonathan Huberdeau

Jonathan Huberdeau's contract will be an anchor for the Flames moving forward - Source: Imagn

Jonathan Huberdeau is a good player. But he’s not worth $10 million at this point. His contract is an anchor as it comes with a full no-movement clause till 2031.

Huberdeau scored 28 goals and 62 points this past season, a far cry from the 115-point season in Florida that earned him the eight-year, $84 million deal he got in 2023.

It will be nearly impossible for the Calgary Flames to move Huberdeau’s contract, particularly if the team finds itself in a cap crunch.