You know, trying to pin down the Calgary Flames depth chart right now is a bit like trying to catch a greased pig in a Stampede tent. It’s chaotic. It’s shifting. Just when you think you’ve got the lines figured out, Craig Conroy makes a trade or a kid from the Wranglers kicks the door down and demands a jersey.
Honestly, the "retool" tag is doing a lot of heavy lifting for this franchise. Most people look at the roster and see a team stuck in the middle of the pack, but if you look closer at the actual usage under Ryan Huska in 2026, there’s a much weirder, more interesting transition happening. It isn't just about waiting for the veterans to age out. It’s about a massive injection of skill that’s currently battling a serious injury bug.
The Top Six Logjam
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. Nazem Kadri is still the engine. At 35, he’s leading the team in scoring with 32 points through 47 games, which is kind of wild considering the miles on his tires. He’s basically the only guy who can consistently drag this team into the fight every night.
But the real story is how the wingers are rotating. Jonathan Huberdeau has been better—sorta. He’s at 21 points in 42 games, which isn't exactly the 115-point Florida version of him, but he’s finally found some chemistry with Matt Coronato. Coronato has been a revelation this season, leading the team with 13 goals and looking like a legitimate top-six threat.
The middle of the lineup is where it gets messy. The trade that brought in Joel Farabee and Morgan Frost from Philly has been... fine? They’ve had their moments, but they haven't exactly set the Red Mile on fire yet. Frost is centering a line with Connor Zary and Adam Klapka, a massive 6-foot-8 winger who’s quickly becoming a fan favorite for his ability to actually hit people and chip in the occasional greasy goal.
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Current Forward Lines (When Healthyish)
- Line 1: Yegor Sharangovich | Mikael Backlund | Matt Coronato
- Line 2: Jonathan Huberdeau | Nazem Kadri | Joel Farabee
- Line 3: Connor Zary | Morgan Frost | Adam Klapka
- Line 4: Ryan Lomberg | Justin Kirkland | William Stromgren
That fourth line is pure "vibes." Ryan Lomberg is back doing Lomberg things—annoying the opposition and leading the team in "grit" stats while Justin Kirkland tries to hold down the fort. But the depth is being tested. Blake Coleman is currently on IR with an upper-body injury, and John Beecher is out until at least late January. It’s forcing guys like Dryden Hunt and William Stromgren into minutes they probably shouldn't be playing if this were a playoff-bound roster.
The Blue Line and the Zayne Parekh Factor
The Calgary Flames depth chart on defense is actually where the most potential lies, even if the current stats don't show it. Rasmus Andersson and MacKenzie Weegar are the workhorses. Andersson is still a beast, hitting the 10-goal mark already this season, but the trade rumors are swirling. He’s a pending UFA, and the Flames are basically playing a high-stakes game of poker with his future.
Then there’s the kids.
Zayne Parekh is the name everyone is talking about. He’s the crown jewel. After a historic run at the World Juniors where he broke the Canadian record for points by a defenseman, he’s back in Calgary. He’s been day-to-day with a minor injury, but when he’s in, he’s electric. The Flames are sheltering him on the third pair with Brayden Pachal, giving him about 14 minutes a night and let him run the power play. It’s a smart move. You don't want to break him before he’s fully adjusted to the pro game.
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Behind them, the depth is surprisingly solid:
- Kevin Bahl has been a steady presence, often paired with Andersson.
- Yan Kuznetsov is finally getting a real look and hasn't looked out of place.
- Jake Bean is unfortunately sidelined indefinitely after surgery, which is a blow to the transition game.
The Crease: Dustin Wolf’s Team Now
There’s no more debate. This is Dustin Wolf's net. After finishing second in Calder voting last year, he’s been the one keeping the Flames competitive. In 36 games this season, he’s posted a 2.64 GAA and a .910 save percentage. Those aren't Vezina numbers, but behind a defense that’s still learning how to clear the front of the net, it’s impressive.
Devin Cooley has been a solid backup, recently earning a big win against Columbus, but make no mistake—the Flames go as Wolf goes. If he gets cold or, heaven forbid, gets hurt, the wheels fall off this wagon pretty quickly.
What Most People Get Wrong About This Roster
The biggest misconception is that the Flames are "tanking." They aren't. Not really. If they were tanking, Kadri and Andersson would have been gone months ago. Conroy is trying to thread a very thin needle: stay competitive enough to keep the culture from rotting, while simultaneously integrating a massive wave of prospects like Matvei Gridin and Samuel Honzek (who, sadly, is out for the season with a major upper-body injury).
The Calgary Flames depth chart is basically a bridge. It’s a bridge from the Sutter-era veteran heavy team to whatever the Parekh/Coronato/Wolf era is going to be.
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Key Takeaways for Flames Fans:
- Expect more trades: Andersson is the big one. If he isn't signed by the deadline, he’s gone for a haul.
- Watch the Wranglers: Matvei Gridin is tearing up the AHL (28 points in 32 games) and will be back up the second a spot opens in the top six.
- Patience with Zary: He’s been moved back and forth between center and wing. He’s better on the wing right now, but the team desperately needs him to be a center long-term.
- The Health Gap: The current depth is paper-thin. Losing Coleman and Pospisil (who is on a conditioning stint after a long layoff) has killed the team's identity as a "hard to play against" group.
Keep an eye on the waiver wire and the AHL call-ups over the next three weeks. With the trade deadline approaching and several key veterans on the block, the depth chart you see today will likely look completely different by March. The focus is clearly on 2027 and beyond, but the growing pains in 2026 are very, very real.