The battle for the playoffs is heating up in the West, with four teams fighting for three spots. As the Calgary Flames catch fire at the right time, a two-time Stanley Cup winning veteran on the roster voiced a strong message, with a subtle warning at Connor McDavid’s Edmonton Oilers, who are struggling at a critical moment in the NHL season.
The Flames and Oilers have the same number of games remaining, but the sentiment surrounding each team couldn’t be more different. While Edmonton appears to be limping into the final stretch, Calgary is riding a wave of optimism, clinging to hopes of a miraculous playoff push.
Edmonton is currently missing McDavid, who is sidelined with an upper-body injury, adding to a severe list of absentees, including Leon Draisaitl (though he’s expected to return soon) and Trent Frederic, who played in only one game after the team traded for him.
Although the Flames sit four points behind the Minnesota Wild—the current second wild card team in the West—and trail the Oilers by six, Calgary senses the nervousness creeping in on their Alberta rivals. Meanwhile, the Flames are playing with a sense of calm, having nothing to lose but everything to gain.
Connor McDavid #97 of the Edmonton Oilers plays against the Florida Panthers in Game Six of the 2024 NHL Stanley Cup Final at Rogers Place on June 21, 2024 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
As the pivotal stretch of the season approaches, two-time Stanley Cup champion Blake Coleman delivered a strong statement about his team’s resilience—subtly warning Edmonton, Minnesota, and St. Louis, as they battle it out for a playoff spot.
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Crazier things have happened
“Nothing changes. Until there’s a zero percent chance of us making the playoffs, we’re going to fight until the end,” Flames veteran Blake Coleman told Sportsnet Canada, warning the rest of the teams in the West. “You’ve got to give yourself any opportunity—it’s why you play the games.
“You never know what can happen with another team’s schedule. They could go on a skid. You don’t want to live with any regrets, so you play your best hockey and let the cards fall where they may. If something happens to another team, you want to be in position to sneak in.“
Blake Coleman #20 of the Calgary Flames battles against Connor McDavid #97 of the Edmonton Oilers during the third period of the game at Rogers Place on October 13, 2024, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Bubble burst?
While fans in Calgary would love nothing more than to sneak into the playoffs and knock the Oilers out in the process, that scenario remains a long shot. A more realistic path sees the Flames overtaking the St. Louis Blues, who also sit at 93 points—just like Edmonton—but have only three games left and a tougher remaining schedule.
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According to Tankathon, the Blues face a tougher stretch than both the Oilers and Wild, who hold the 27th and 32nd hardest remaining schedules, respectively. Meanwhile, the Flames and Blues have the 19th and 20th toughest schedules, making their climbs to the postseason steeper.
