logo
FlamesNation has no direct affiliation to the Calgary Flames, Calgary Sports and Entertainment, NHL, or NHLPA
What can the Flames do to score more goals?
alt
Photo credit: © Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
Robert Munnich
Jan 7, 2025, 10:00 ESTUpdated: Jan 6, 2025, 22:54 EST
Comments
There has been a lot that has gone right this season for the Calgary Flames. Their goaltenders, led by Dustin Wolf, have stepped up and played above expectations. The defence as a whole has been better than we had envisioned. And the team has stayed relatively healthy.
But the one area that has plagued the team for their last 36 games is their goal scoring.
Since Oct. 14, the Flames rank dead last in the NHL in goals and goals per game.
Their leading scorer over that time is Jonathan Huberdeau with 24 points in 36 games, a 55 point pace over 82 games. That puts him tied for 121st in the NHL in scoring.
Nazem Kadri is the only other player on pace for 50 or more points during that span.
Andrei Kuzmenko has scored one goal.
After scoring 31 goals last season, Yegor Sharangovich has 6 goals in 32 games, a 15 goal pace. Three of those goals came in three straight games.
Martin Pospisil has scored 1 goal in his last 36 games.
Kevin Rooney, Ryan Lomberg, Walker Duehr, and Jakob Pelletier have combined for five goals.
The eight defencemen who have played NHL games this season have combined for only 16 goals.
I list off all those stats to show Flames fans just how dire things are right now from an offensive perspective.
So how can this team score more goals? What can they do with the resources they have to get this offence out of the basement of the NHL?
Let’s take a look at some different ideas that the Flames could consider to spark this group.

Help from the farm

Last season, the Flames got off to a 2-6-1 start and only scored 19 goals. They decided to make some changes and recall Connor Zary and Martin Pospisil. That was the catalyst to their impressive turnaround. From Nov. 1 to the end of the 2023-24 season, the Flames ranked 13th in the NHL in goals scored.
Could we see something similar this season? Are there any players with the Wranglers who might be able to give this team a boost?
Rory Kerins leads the Calgary Wranglers in scoring with 34 points in 34 games. He leads the American Hockey League in goals.
William Strömgren led the Wranglers in points during the 2024 calendar year. He’s taken some major strides in his game and possesses a lethal shot.
Dryden Hunt has 29 points in 32 games. He’s 17th in the AHL in scoring.
On defence, Jeremie Poirier leads the Wranglers in scoring with 17 points in 34 games. He has a tremendous offensive skill set. Poirier would have likely been called up with Zary and Pospisil last season had he not got injured. Could he quarterback a power play unit and bring some puck moving capabilities to the defence core?

Change the lines

Ryan Huska has changed up his lines all season and still hasn’t found the ideal combination. It might be time to try again, especially if they called up a player or two from the AHL.
Here are some lines that I think would be interesting.
Some notes on the lines and pairings above:
  • Get Sharangovich back with Huberdeau. Those two had some decent chemistry last season.
  • Put offensive players with Zary.
  • I get Kuzmenko has been awful. But he has the potential to produce points if he can get is stuff together.
  • Strömgren can shoot the puck. Play him with two playmakers.
  • Scratch Kevin Rooney and Walker Duehr. Both are black holes offensively.
  • Replace them with Pospisil and Pelletier, both have a higher ceiling than Rooney and Duehr.
  • Give Poirier a shot. See what he can do at the next level.
Something needs to change. Huska just can’t keep putting the same players out there in the same positions and think things will change.
Find a way to get Sharangovich and Kuzmenko going. Get Pospisil and Pelletier out of the top nine. Scratch Rooney and Duehr. Call up some help from the farm.
Do something. Because the status quo is going to lead to an ugly second half of the season and a disinterested fan base.
What would you do to get the offence going?

Editorials

Breaking News