While many words come to mind to characterize the Calgary Flames organization since its lonesome 1989 Stanley Cup triumph, mediocrity best encapsulates ongoings in the Stampede city. Fittingly, that same word perfectly embodies the 2023-24 season, which has seen the Flames stumble into the All-Star Break, sitting 12th in the Western Conference. In the past 10 seasons, the Flames, with a 51.3 winning percentage, have made the playoffs five times.
On Wednesday, the Flames shipped Elias Lindholm to the Vancouver Canucks in a bitter-sweet move for Calgarians. While the organization, which essentially triggered a rebuild with the move, should feel good about what they received for Lindholm, it’s hard to stomach knowing the deal will substantially improve the Canucks’ chances of hoisting the Holy Grail come June. Vancouver is one of 11 teams that hasn’t won a Stanley Cup, a tidbit Canucks fans don’t need reminding of.
Flames fans have dangled it over their bitter rivals’ heads for over three decades, but how long will that unrelenting one-liner hold weight? The Flames have again been cast away from the Stanley Cup-chasing pack, like Chuck Noland and his only confidant, Wilson, in the classic 2000 film. Unlike Noland, however, being cast away is nothing new for the Flames, who’ve been in purgatory for over 35 years.
Calgary Flames Sparing Success Since 1989 Stanley Cup Triumph
Since their glorious Cup win, the Flames have missed the playoffs 17 times and exited the postseason after the first round on 13 occasions. Their deepest run, aside from the 2003-04 campaign, ended in the second round. Rock Bottom came with two extended playoff droughts, one lasting seven seasons, between 1997 and 2003, and the other extending over five seasons from 2010 to 2014.
Related: Grading Canucks’ Blockbuster Trade for Elias Lindholm
In their first postseason berth in eight seasons, the Flames went on an improbable David-like run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2004, only to lose controversially to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Their first-round triumph over the Canucks in those playoffs was the first playoff series win since they beat the Montreal Canadiens in the 1989 Cup Final. A disallowed goal away from winning their second Stanley Cup was quickly met by another extended malaise. The following four years saw the Flames ousted in the first round.
With just two playoff series victories since the devastating loss to the Lightning – refusing to count the best-of-five qualifying-round triumph over the Winnipeg Jets in the infamous COVID-19-induced bubble playoffs – the club has since inflicted untold pain on the city’s denizens. The Flames’ lack of playoff success is unsurprisingly preluded by regular-season tumult.
In the 18 seasons since their run to the Cup Final, Calgary has finished seventh or worse in the Western Conference 13 times, seven in the seventh, eighth, or ninth spot. The Flames have twice finished third or above, both in the last five seasons. The only first-place regular-season finish, in 2018-19, was followed by a five-game first-round exit to the Colorado Avalanche. Even the fairytale 2003-04 campaign was marred by mediocrity.
Entering the playoffs in sixth place, five points above the ninth-place Edmonton Oilers, the Flames relied heavily on the otherworldly play of goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff. Jarome Iginla was, of course, instrumental, and Martin Gélinas’ heroics will forever be etched in Flames folklore, but Kiprusoff was the single most important reason the Flames came within a whisker of winning it all. The Young Guns ruled the roost from 1995-96 to 2003-04, a nine-year stretch that saw the team place no higher than 20th in the league. Players who experienced any portion of that period would have envied mediocrity.
2023-24 Marked Start of a Flames Rebuild
Seeing the Oilers take their place as a bonafide Cup contender and the Canucks’ quick ascent has only exacerbated Flames fans’ unrest. While most revile the word rebuild, the Flames’ faithful should think optimistically about the club’s current direction. General manager Craig Conroy’s decision to trade Lindholm was an unmistakable sign of what’s to come, including the growing potential of seeing Chris Tanev depart for pastures anew.
With a bunch of up-and-coming youngsters and an increasing pool of draft picks, the future looks promising. While we don’t know the full extent of the prospective rebuild, odds are it will take the team several years before ascending to contender status.
That’s only if the team meshes and the collective potential is fulfilled. Despite so many variables and complexities, Flames fans can take solace in knowing the club appears to be committed to a long-term project; Conroy, who knows better than anyone how much Flames fans deserve success, hopes he can help the team and the city relive the euphoric highs of 20 years ago.