The Stanley Cup playoffs begin in two weeks, and the Calgary Flames won't be part of them. What they will be part of is an entirely different competition — a race to the bottom of the NHL standings, where finishing last isn't a failure so much as a strategy.
With seven games remaining, the Flames sit at 70 points and a maximum possible total of 84. That places them third-worst in the league, right in the thick of a group of five teams fighting — or perhaps more accurately, stumbling — for the highest possible positioning in the NHL Draft Lottery.
Why the Bottom Matters
Under the NHL's lottery system, draft order in round one is not simply assigned by inverse standings. Instead, ping-pong balls determine who drafts where, with odds weighted toward the worst-finishing clubs.
Here's what the numbers look like for teams finishing in the bottom five:
- 32nd overall: 25.5% chance at the first overall pick; 74.5% chance of sliding to 2nd or 3rd.
- 31st overall: 13.5% chance of jumping to 1st; 14.1% chance of staying at 2nd; 72% chance of falling to 3rd or 4th.
- 30th overall: 22.7% chance of moving up to 1st or 2nd; 7.8% chance of holding at 3rd; 69.5% chance of dropping to 4th or 5th.
- 29th overall: 19.3% chance of climbing to 1st or 2nd; 15.4% chance of staying 4th; 65.4% chance of sliding to 5th or 6th.
- 28th overall: 17.4% chance of reaching 1st or 2nd; 24.5% chance of holding 5th; 58.2% chance of falling to 6th or 7th.
The Bottom Five at a Glance
Vancouver Canucks — 52 points
The Canucks have had a season to forget. After being routed by the Flames earlier this year, Vancouver clinched the 32nd-overall spot in the standings this week, locking in the best draft lottery odds in the league. Their remaining schedule includes visits from Utah, Vegas, Los Angeles, San Jose, and Anaheim, with a road trip to Edmonton to close things out.
Chicago Blackhawks — 68 points
Chicago has had an inconsistent campaign and carries a home-heavy finish — though their remaining opponents are mostly playoff or near-playoff clubs, with a sprinkle of St. Louis in the mix.
Calgary Flames — 70 points
The Flames sit third-worst with seven games left, but don't expect any cupcakes on the schedule. Calgary faces Anaheim, Dallas, Colorado (twice), Seattle, Utah, and Los Angeles. That's a gauntlet of playoff-bound and desperate-to-qualify clubs that won't be doing the Flames any favours.
New York Rangers — 71 points
New York has six games remaining against a mix of playoff-bound opponents and fading contenders. Their positioning could shift in either direction depending on results.
St. Louis Blues — 74 points
Currently sitting 28th overall, St. Louis is squeezed between Seattle (75 points), Winnipeg (76 points), and both Toronto and Florida at 77 points apiece. With eight games remaining and a brutal closing stretch, the Blues could either cement their spot in the bottom five or fall out of it entirely.
What It Means for Calgary
The Flames aren't simply playing out the string — there's legitimate organizational interest in where Calgary lands in these final weeks. A higher draft position could be the foundation of the next rebuild chapter, and with this year's draft class drawing significant attention, the stakes are real.
The problem is that Calgary's schedule is among the most difficult of any bottom-five team. Every game is a test, and opponents fighting for playoff seeding won't be easing up. Whether the Flames hold their ground or slip further will depend on how they perform down the stretch.
Source: FlamesNation. Original reporting by Ryan Pike. WestNet News has independently rewritten this article based on publicly available information.