January update on the Calgary Flames’ first-round picks in the 2025 NHL draft

The 2024–25 season was anticipated to be one the place the Calgary Flames’ successes have been measured upon participant improvement, crew tradition, and NHL draft lottery odds. In different phrases, it appeared the rebuild was lastly right here.

Regardless of the expectations the crew began scorching and playoff hopes have been actual dialogue. Since then the crew has had been up and down, making no floor within the standings but in addition not dropping a lot.

That is particularly essential as a result of the Flames personal first spherical decide received’t be traded to Montreal if it’s a lottery decide. The Flames at the moment maintain three 2025 first-round picks:

• Their very own decide, which might be 18th total if the season ended at this time
• The Florida Panthers decide, which might be twenty third total if the season ended at this time
• The New Jersey Devils decide, which might be twenty eighth total if the season ended at this time, however will defer to 2026 if the Devils end bottom-10.

As a part of the situations within the Sean Monahan commerce with the Montreal Canadiens, the higher of Florida or Calgary’s picks will probably be transferred to the Canadians if the Flames end exterior the underside 10. At the moment the Canadiens would obtain the 18th total decide.

Present NHL standings

The Flames started the hardest stretch of their schedule after the vacation break and to date they’re 2–2–0. It’s been .500 hockey in Calgary for many of the season and the pattern doesn’t appear to be bettering. The Devils have wavered a bit because the break, going 1–3–0, however are nonetheless a great distance from lottery territory. With the Devils rising as a contender, it appears assured they’ll end exterior the underside ten and the Flames will obtain their 2025 decide.

The Panthers have stayed neck-and-neck with the Flames for many of the season, at the moment in tenth total, separated by 5 factors.

If the season ended this fashion, the Flames would give Montreal their very own decide and retain Florida’s, choosing 5 spots decrease. As a substitute of getting their very own decide at 18th total they might have Florida’s twenty third total decide.

Course wanted

The Flames are approaching territory they know all too nicely, being simply exterior the playoffs forward of the commerce deadline. Though administration and seemingly plans have modified, being a middling crew is the worst-case state of affairs. The crew doesn’t look like any kind of playoff competitor nor ought to they attempt to be one come the commerce deadline.

The Flames are one level out of the ultimate wild card spot within the west and 6 factors out of a lottery spot. Nonetheless, the standings are tight and the Flames schedule is gruelling main as much as the 4 Nations Face-Off. Wins or losses are wanted straight away.

The subsequent stretch of play main into the 4 Nations break will begin to separate the standings. With most groups approaching their forty first sport of the season, the scales will start to tip. Hopefully, they tip a route in Calgary—all this steadiness is changing into insufferable.

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