An all-Canadian division is a certainty if/when the next NHL season starts in mid-January. With at least nine games against each team, and with moves we’ve seen over the offseason, a Canadian division has the potential to be as tight and hotly contested as any in recent memory. So how do the Flames stack up compared to the six opponents they’re about to become very familiar with? Let’s start between the pipes.
We’ve got pieces coming out focusing on forwards and the blueline this month, too, and Calgary is very competitive at both those positions. For me, though, goaltending is their biggest strength entering next year and in comparison to the rest of the division.