We&#8217;re gradually creeping up on the first quarter mark of the 2024-25 Calgary Flames schedule. So far, the Flames have played 18 games and they&#8217;ve looked pretty good in 16 of them. A good amount of the credit for that has to go to the coaching staff and their goaltending, as between systems and key saves, they&#8217;ve managed to keep their heads above water so far.
As we approach the club&#8217;s 20th game later this week, let&#8217;s delve into the mailbag!
<blockquote class="bluesky-embed" data-bluesky-uri="at://did:plc:2hqb5fez3fcgickiqqmtbgi7/app.bsky.feed.post/3lb66efmp3k2l" data-bluesky-cid="bafyreidllsado2cjsyodtpkkdrv47wkx57iwnrcssxsoqyxglmfun3dwv4">
What was up with Zayne Parekh and Saginaw&#8217;s slow start and is it safe to say they are back on track?
— Marc (Never Again For ANYONE) Carvalho (<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:2hqb5fez3fcgickiqqmtbgi7?ref_src=embed">@iggyfan2001.bsky.social</a>) <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:2hqb5fez3fcgickiqqmtbgi7/post/3lb66efmp3k2l?ref_src=embed">November 17, 2024 at 12:48 PM</a></blockquote>
The Saginaw Spirit loaded up last season, as they were slated to host the Memorial Cup and teams tend to load up in an effort to make a big splash at the tournament. It worked and the team won, in no small part to Zayne Parekh and his pretty stacked slate of teammates. But the Spirit lost six of their top 10 playoff scorers from last season, so it&#8217;s natural that the team would take a bit of a step back to start the season.
But don&#8217;t sleep on Parekh. He&#8217;s been really strong offensively for them this season.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
Should wolf be in Vezina and Calder talks?
&mdash; schwindtiest (@baipre_12) <a href="https://twitter.com/baipre_12/status/1858225687775322123?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 17, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Do you think Dustin Wolf will be in the Calder Trophy conversation if his strong goaltending game continues?
— FieryDragon95 (Drago) (<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:ilmybl3beleecbmyubwobwxl?ref_src=embed">@fierydragon95.bsky.social</a>) <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:ilmybl3beleecbmyubwobwxl/post/3lb6g7gk4322i?ref_src=embed">November 17, 2024 at 3:08 PM</a></blockquote>
The Vezina Trophy is voted upon by the NHL&#8217;s 32 general managers. Dustin Wolf is working his way onto the radar, most likely, but because the Flames are probably destined to be a non-playoff team and Wolf is currently in a starting rotation with Dan Vladar, he might not get the games-played numbers to become a serious contender relative to the NHL&#8217;s established top guns at that position.
The Calder Trophy is voted upon by the Professional Hockey Writers&#8217; Association. <a href="https://publish.flamesnation.ca/2024/11/14/handicapping-dustin-wolfs-calder-candidacy-early-in-the-2024-25-season/">I did a bit of a rundown earlier this week</a>, but in short I&#8217;ll say that similar issues could emerge for Wolf with the Calder – rookie goalies often don&#8217;t get enough games-played to really compare favourably with forwards or blueliners. But give Wolf credit: so far, he&#8217;s looked fantastic. He&#8217;s starting to build buzz for the Calder, at the very least.
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Hey Ryan,
What are some realistic right handed centre options for the flames in the trade market?
&mdash; Montyrai (@Montyrai7) <a href="https://twitter.com/Montyrai7/status/1858229651199394152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 17, 2024</a></blockquote>
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We&#8217;re going to delve into this in more detail in the next week or two, so stay tuned!
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Really pleased with the moves Conroy has made and the coaching. Cooley is banging on the door with dominant play in net for the Wranglers. How long before we see him in the NHL? Wolf and Cooley would be a strong tandem.
&mdash; Aspiring for an unhurried life (@Toooldyyc) <a href="https://twitter.com/Toooldyyc/status/1858301936984027243?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Right now, the Flames have three goalies they really like in Dustin Wolf, Dan Vladar and Devin Cooley. Cooley&#8217;s off to a fantastic start in the AHL. But the Flames aren&#8217;t in any hurry to move anybody, and in an ideal world perhaps a team needing goalie help makes them a crazy offer for Vladar or Cooley and their hand is forced. I wouldn&#8217;t expect the Flames to do anything rash in the short-term, but I&#8217;m sure they&#8217;ll entertain offers if they&#8217;re sent something impressive.
<blockquote class="bluesky-embed" data-bluesky-uri="at://did:plc:ahxtnlozjit7du56fcelucw3/app.bsky.feed.post/3lb6jjaqdws2t" data-bluesky-cid="bafyreiegyayr6q2uyucvjpzccgvnemsjgp7mjmvietqzzfrpicpokc2aqa">
What does an Andersson extension look like? In your opinion, is it in the best interest of the team long term to get him signed?
— andrewwind.bsky.social (<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:ahxtnlozjit7du56fcelucw3?ref_src=embed">@andrewwind.bsky.social</a>) <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:ahxtnlozjit7du56fcelucw3/post/3lb6jjaqdws2t?ref_src=embed">November 17, 2024 at 4:07 PM</a></blockquote>
We&#8217;ll delve into this in more detail in the near future, but fair market value is likely something around $8 million on a long-term deal. (Maybe more.)
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Rory K is red hot. Does he get a look at some point?
&mdash; Blair Strachan (@BlairStrachan1) <a href="https://twitter.com/BlairStrachan1/status/1858313662383239580?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Rory Kerins has emerged as a really good offensive player in the AHL this season. As of Sunday night&#8217;s game, he has 13 goals (and 17 points) through 16 games. He&#8217;s a superb offensive AHLer, but the big question mark is how well he can defend. Last season, he struggled a bit in the second half of the AHL season because he wasn&#8217;t scoring and he wasn&#8217;t really contributing consistently when he wasn&#8217;t scoring (to the point where he was an occasional scratch). But his skating and offensive execution has taken a big step this season, so we&#8217;ll see if that&#8217;s helped the other parts of his game grow as well. He&#8217;s making a great case for himself with how often he&#8217;s lighting the lamp.
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How does it make any sense to have a Nations cup without Russia? They’re are number one foe in hockey
&mdash; arnold van reekum (@Schmengie) <a href="https://twitter.com/Schmengie/status/1858311311576461363?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Russia&#8217;s not included in the 4 Nations Face-off, or in any IIHF-sanctioned events since 2022, due to the Russian military&#8217;s invasion of Ukraine.
Got a question for a future mailbag? Contact Ryan on Twitter/BlueSky at @RyanNPike or e-mail him at Ryan [at] TheNationNetwork.com! (Make sure you put Mailbag in the subject line!)
<h2>The FlamesNation Monday Mailbag is presented to you by Village Honda</h2>
Looking to sell your vehicle? Village Honda wants to buy it. We offer complimentary, no obligation appraisals, payment in 24 hours, top value trade in values and best of all, no stress. Skip selling your vehicle privately and stop in Village Honda today. No appointment necessary.
Village Honda is proud to be your dealership for life in Calgary since 1987. We are located in the Northwest Auto Mall under the giant Canadian flag or online at <a href="http://www.villagehonda.com/">www.villagehonda.com</a>.
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We're gradually creeping up on the first quarter mark of the 2024-25 Calgary Flames schedule. So far, the Flames have played 18 games and they've looked pretty good in 16 of them. A good amount of the credit for that has to go to the coaching staff and their goaltending, as between systems and key saves, they've managed to keep their heads above water so far.

As we approach the club's 20th game later this week, let's delve into the mailbag!
<blockquote class="bluesky-embed" data-bluesky-uri="at://did:plc:2hqb5fez3fcgickiqqmtbgi7/app.bsky.feed.post/3lb66efmp3k2l" data-bluesky-cid="bafyreidllsado2cjsyodtpkkdrv47wkx57iwnrcssxsoqyxglmfun3dwv4">
What was up with Zayne Parekh and Saginaw's slow start and is it safe to say they are back on track?
— Marc (Never Again For ANYONE) Carvalho (<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:2hqb5fez3fcgickiqqmtbgi7?ref_src=embed">@iggyfan2001.bsky.social</a>) <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:2hqb5fez3fcgickiqqmtbgi7/post/3lb66efmp3k2l?ref_src=embed">November 17, 2024 at 12:48 PM</a></blockquote>
The Saginaw Spirit loaded up last season, as they were slated to host the Memorial Cup and teams tend to load up in an effort to make a big splash at the tournament. It worked and the team won, in no small part to Zayne Parekh and his pretty stacked slate of teammates. But the Spirit lost six of their top 10 playoff scorers from last season, so it's natural that the team would take a bit of a step back to start the season.

But don't sleep on Parekh. He's been really strong offensively for them this season.

https://twitter.com/baipre_12/status/1858225687775322123
<blockquote class="bluesky-embed" data-bluesky-uri="at://did:plc:ilmybl3beleecbmyubwobwxl/app.bsky.feed.post/3lb6g7gk4322i" data-bluesky-cid="bafyreiguylezfjxymug7k7glzc4qpg7tsezqludsj2rr5kvt762j6ag4dq">
Do you think Dustin Wolf will be in the Calder Trophy conversation if his strong goaltending game continues?
— FieryDragon95 (Drago) (<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:ilmybl3beleecbmyubwobwxl?ref_src=embed">@fierydragon95.bsky.social</a>) <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:ilmybl3beleecbmyubwobwxl/post/3lb6g7gk4322i?ref_src=embed">November 17, 2024 at 3:08 PM</a></blockquote>
The Vezina Trophy is voted upon by the NHL's 32 general managers. Dustin Wolf is working his way onto the radar, most likely, but because the Flames are probably destined to be a non-playoff team and Wolf is currently in a starting rotation with Dan Vladar, he might not get the games-played numbers to become a serious contender relative to the NHL's established top guns at that position.

The Calder Trophy is voted upon by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association. <a href="https://publish.flamesnation.ca/2024/11/14/handicapping-dustin-wolfs-calder-candidacy-early-in-the-2024-25-season/">I did a bit of a rundown earlier this week</a>, but in short I'll say that similar issues could emerge for Wolf with the Calder – rookie goalies often don't get enough games-played to really compare favourably with forwards or blueliners. But give Wolf credit: so far, he's looked fantastic. He's starting to build buzz for the Calder, at the very least.

https://twitter.com/Montyrai7/status/1858229651199394152

We're going to delve into this in more detail in the next week or two, so stay tuned!

https://twitter.com/Toooldyyc/status/1858301936984027243

Right now, the Flames have three goalies they really like in Dustin Wolf, Dan Vladar and Devin Cooley. Cooley's off to a fantastic start in the AHL. But the Flames aren't in any hurry to move anybody, and in an ideal world perhaps a team needing goalie help makes them a crazy offer for Vladar or Cooley and their hand is forced. I wouldn't expect the Flames to do anything rash in the short-term, but I'm sure they'll entertain offers if they're sent something impressive.
<blockquote class="bluesky-embed" data-bluesky-uri="at://did:plc:ahxtnlozjit7du56fcelucw3/app.bsky.feed.post/3lb6jjaqdws2t" data-bluesky-cid="bafyreiegyayr6q2uyucvjpzccgvnemsjgp7mjmvietqzzfrpicpokc2aqa">
What does an Andersson extension look like? In your opinion, is it in the best interest of the team long term to get him signed?
— andrewwind.bsky.social (<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:ahxtnlozjit7du56fcelucw3?ref_src=embed">@andrewwind.bsky.social</a>) <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:ahxtnlozjit7du56fcelucw3/post/3lb6jjaqdws2t?ref_src=embed">November 17, 2024 at 4:07 PM</a></blockquote>
We'll delve into this in more detail in the near future, but fair market value is likely something around $8 million on a long-term deal. (Maybe more.)

https://twitter.com/BlairStrachan1/status/1858313662383239580

Rory Kerins has emerged as a really good offensive player in the AHL this season. As of Sunday night's game, he has 13 goals (and 17 points) through 16 games. He's a superb offensive AHLer, but the big question mark is how well he can defend. Last season, he struggled a bit in the second half of the AHL season because he wasn't scoring and he wasn't really contributing consistently when he wasn't scoring (to the point where he was an occasional scratch). But his skating and offensive execution has taken a big step this season, so we'll see if that's helped the other parts of his game grow as well. He's making a great case for himself with how often he's lighting the lamp.

https://twitter.com/Schmengie/status/1858311311576461363

Russia's not included in the 4 Nations Face-off, or in any IIHF-sanctioned events since 2022, due to the Russian military's invasion of Ukraine.

Got a question for a future mailbag? Contact Ryan on Twitter/BlueSky at @RyanNPike or e-mail him at Ryan [at] TheNationNetwork.com! (Make sure you put Mailbag in the subject line!)
<h2>The FlamesNation Monday Mailbag is presented to you by Village Honda</h2>
Looking to sell your vehicle? Village Honda wants to buy it. We offer complimentary, no obligation appraisals, payment in 24 hours, top value trade in values and best of all, no stress. Skip selling your vehicle privately and stop in Village Honda today. No appointment necessary.

Village Honda is proud to be your dealership for life in Calgary since 1987. We are located in the Northwest Auto Mall under the giant Canadian flag or online at <a href="http://www.villagehonda.com/">www.villagehonda.com</a>.

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-116342" src="https://publish.flamesnation.ca/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/11/Village-Honda-for-Monday-Mailbag.jpg" alt="" width="727" height="404" />

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