Entering a two-week break for the 4-Nations Face-Off, the Calgary Flames are likely to spend a good chunk of it reflecting on their disastrous entry into it.
Three straight losses, each indicative of the many issues the Flames have illustrated this season. Beyond these disappointing lopsided losses to the Toronto Maple Leafs, Washington Capitals and the pre-pause finale against the Seattle Kraken on Saturday, the Flames have gone 2-5-1 since a three-game winning streak in ended in late-January.
No longer clinging to the final wildcard spot in the Western Conference, the Calgary Flames are now clinging to hope. They dropped three points behind division rival Vancouver Canucks with an overtime loss to the Kraken to limp into the break.
The Leafs loss had team leaders expressing their frustrations with each other at the bench. The Capitals loss exposed their tendency to get distracted and make poor disciplinary decisions in emotional times. The overtime decision on Hockey Night In Canada showed their inconsistency in closing.
In the early part of the season, they were the comeback kings. The tendency in the second half has shown more of an inability to close games out when it looks like they’re in control.
“Pissed that one away,” MacKenzie Weegar told reporters in an honest post-game interview for Flames TV. “That one’s a tough one to swallow before the break.”
Related: Flames Defenseman Officially Not Selected To Canada At 4 Nations Face-off
Goaltender Dustin Wolf, who was bound to hit at least a little rough patch after taking over as the starter in his full rookie season, has dropped four straight decisions and allowed 14 goals against in that span. It’s well known that he’s been their secret to success in the playoff push — but he’s never had to play this frequently at this level of competition before.
The Flames could get center Connor Zary and top-pairing defenseman Kevin Bahl back soon after the Flames return to action on Feb. 23, but that leaves less than two weeks — seven games — before the March 7 NHL trade deadline lands.
Flames GM Craig Conroy made his big additions, bringing in Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee from the Philadelphia Flyers for pending UFA Andrei Kumenko and popular prospect Jakob Pelletier.
It’s unlikely he’ll be adding any helpers. And if things continue the way they have in the last couple of weeks, Conroy may consider moving out more players to gather more trade capital to either upgrade prospects or add more young roster players who fit the future vision.
As much as Flames ownership remains steadfast to the idea that the playoffs can add important experience to help a young team improve mroe quickly (not to mention the money that comes with it), the reality of their chances should be pretty obvious by the deadline.
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