Are the Flames actually good enough to make the playoffs?

The Calgary Flames have been one of the NHL’s biggest surprises this season. While many expected them to be one of the worst teams in the league, they’ve come out of the gate through the first half with an 18-13-7 record, and are one point behind the Vancouver Canucks for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference, despite a recent stretch that’s seen them go 6-8-3 in their last 17 games.

Cami Kepke joined Daily Faceoff Live for their All 32 segment on the Flames, and talked about whether or not this team actually has what it takes to make the playoffs.

Cami Kepke: Just the atmosphere around the team has been such an improvement from last year. Remember, 2023-24 was such a disaster that after the Heritage Classic in Edmonton, the team was actively sending down players like Matt Coronato because they didn’t want to mess up their development by having them be around this atmosphere.

But we’ve seen veterans playing some of the best hockey of their careers, particularly Jonathan Huberdeau playing his best hockey as a Flame, and the emergence of some young players, and a potential Calder candidate in Dustin Wolf. It’s been a total game changer.

Fans here are now faced with the tough task of deciding whether they want to see a tank or is this team good enough to push for the playoffs? They’re just on the edge of it right now. They might need a little bit of help because it’s a team that can’t really afford to take a night off. They are gonna have to push, push, push the entire way. But if you see teams like Vancouver continue to slide and have some troubles, the door’s open for Calgary right now.

You can watch the full episode here…