Folks, believe it or not, but the Calgary Flames have already played a month (and 12 games) of the 2024-25 season. They’re already roughly 15% through their schedule. And so far, they haven’t looked all that bad – though their game has had some consistency challenges.
As we prepare to dive head-long into a busy November, let’s check in with the mailbag!
The playoff cutline is generally accepted to be around 95 points, give or take a point here or there. Through 25 games – the 10 from October and the 15 in November – the Flames would need to have around 29 points to be on a 95-point pace. Since they have 13 points already, they need to earn 16 more points before the end of November to remain on a 95-point pace.
The schedule isn’t horrible, but it’s not great either. The Flames have two sets of back-to-backs (Los Angeles/Vancouver and Columbus/Pittsburgh), a three game road trip and a four game road trip. But they’re also not facing too many of the teams they historically struggle against, so the points are definitely there for the taking.
We got this question last week after our cut-off but I wanted to make sure we included it this week!]
I wrote about Justin Kirkland’s situation on Sunday and here’s the bind the Flames may be in: they probably want to sure about Kirkland before they lose the waiver flexibility, but they can’t use him in any more games without losing that waiver flexibility. So right now, my read is they’re giving Kevin Rooney a run of games to determine where he’s at following his injury absence before making a definitive call on Kirkland.
In terms of Sam Honzek and Joel Hanley, I’ll get into Honzek’s situation in more detail later this week, but he can play four more NHL games this season before the first year of his entry-level deal is burnt and I suspect the Flames will give him every opportunity to get a second NHL stint this season. And Hanley is a really reliable depth defender but he’s sort of lost in the shuffle right now in the Flames organization – he’s the eighth guy on the Flames’ NHL depth chart, and the Wranglers are carrying eight defenders right now and he could be lost in the shuffle there, too.
I think the most likely players to be traded are probably pending unrestricted free agents Andrei Kuzmenko and Anthony Mantha. I could also see the Flames moving on from Dan Vladar and Tyson Barrie, who are also pending UFAs, depending on offers – those two players are contenders for bounce-back years and don’t have sample sizes as larger as Kuzmenko or Mantha, so they’re a bit less likely.
I don’t imagine we’ll see any “core” Flames players moved unless a team makes a crazy offer to the Flames, though.
Three memories that stand out:
  1. Mikael Backlund’s first game against the New York Islanders, which I watched at a hotel bar in Edmonton.
  2. Backlund scoring a big goal against the Vancouver Canucks and slamming against the glass at the Saddledome directly in front of a Canucks fan. (This was the spiritual precursor to Rasmus Andersson’s death stare.)
  3. Backlund being named Flames captain.
I think both Jakob Pelletier and Walker Duehr need to put up more than just one good month to push their way into the NHL conversation again, though it’s really impressive that they’ve both had a strong October. I think Pelletier, due to his age, has the inside track between the two of them. My big question would be what role would Pelletier (or Duehr) fit into that the Flames have a need for right now. Unless someone gets moved or an incumbent plays their way off the NHL roster, I think the numbers game keep both Pelletier and Duehr in the minors.
Got a question for a future mailbag? Contact Ryan on Twitter/X at @RyanNPike or e-mail him at Ryan [at] TheNationNetwork.com! (Make sure you put Mailbag in the subject line!)

The FlamesNation Monday Mailbag is presented to you by Village Honda

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 www.villagehonda.com.