2019 Calgary Flames Odds to win Stanley Cup with Expert Predictions

The Calgary Flames are my hometown team. They play their games about two miles from where I am writing this. I went to the first game they ever played in Calgary. As such, I feel qualified to report on just how gutting the first-round massacre at the hands of the Colorado Avalanche was. Calgary, like many cities, has struggled financially during the last few years. It's been rough. So, when the team was unexpectedly strong last year, winding up as the top seed in the Western Conference, it brought the city together like only a successful team can.

Expectations were sky high entering the playoffs. But they lost to Colorado in five games, and it's a miracle it wasn't four. It wasn't a good effort in any way. Many of the players looked to have quit. And it was a massive collective kick in the gut for this city. There is nothing unique about that, of course - other markets in the NHL and other sports have gone through the same thing this year. But it hurt. And then the team had as quiet an offseason as any, which further caused frustration for fans. Add it all up, and it's tough to know what this team is. They could be as good as last year, or better. But it doesn't feel certain - not after that postseason debacle.

Calgary Flames Offseason Moves

The biggest move of the offseason was the last thing they did. Matthew Tkachuk, one of the more hated opponents in the league, was one of the members of the unprecedentedly strong restricted free agent class of this summer. He wound up holding out for much of training camp, but the player and the team found common ground on a three-year, $21 million deal. It's a fair deal that keeps the team just barely under the salary cap without making any trades. It was long anticipated that Tkachuk would sign a long-term deal that would cause cap issues, so this is a bit of a victory. Having him ready to start the season is universally and unquestionably positive. There are some questions about the best way to organize the top two lines, though, so it would have been nice for him to have some time in camp to try a few things. But better this than a lesser alternative.

The crease for Calgary has had a revolving door installed since the retirement of Miikka Kiprusoff in 2013, and that continues this offseason. Last year's backup, David Rittich, is seemingly at least the 1A option - if not the true No. 1. But the team let last year's starter, Mike Smith, move up the road to Edmonton. In his place, they brought in Cam Talbot, who had been in Edmonton until a deadline deal last year. Talbot had a rough year in Edmonton last year, but he's behind a much better defense here, and he's hungry for redemption. It's a short-term deal with little risk, and it has a chance of improving Calgary's goaltending.

A big issue last year was James Neal. The team signed him to a big money five-year deal entering last season, and it was just a disaster. He did not mesh with coach Bill Peters, he was not in great shape, and he just didn't seem bought in or at all inspired. He was brought in to add offense to the top two lines, but he was too slow and unengaged to earn a spot on either line. He wound up further down the lineup where he wasn't suited, and he didn't put the effort in. His results were terrible, and his play was worse. He had to go, but it's tough to trade a veteran with four expensive years on his deal coming off a lousy season. The one way to get rid of a problem is to trade with a team with a problem of their own, and that's what they did. Milan Lucic was signed to a big deal in Edmonton but was never the right fit. Calgary traded Neal for Lucic and a pick, and Edmonton picked up some of the Lucic contract. Outsiders have said that Edmonton won the deal. And while Neal could produce offense like he couldn't in Calgary, that isn't the perception here. Neal was never going to fit in a bottom six role, and he wasn't going to earn a top six one here. Lucic is a better fit in a bottom six role and is hungrier than Neal was. Calgary may not win the deal, but they haven't lost it.

The first-round selection in the draft was winger Jakob Pelletier, taken 26th overall from the QMJHL. He had a solid training camp but was sent back for another year of junior hockey and is a few years away from the NHL.

Calgary Flames NHL Outlook

This is largely the same team that won the West last year, and the few changes they made could be an improvement. They should be hungry and smarter after the setback of last year. There is some concern that at this point no line on the team is clearly set. A couple of guys on PTOs could make the roster, all four offensive lines could be shifted around, and the first and third defensive pairings could look a few different ways. That flexibility is good, but only if the experimentation leads to strong fits in a hurry. If uncertainty in September leads to uncertainty in November, then there could be real problems. But, through it all, the upside is here, the team didn't play beyond their talent too much last year, and they are much more likely to be in the playoffs than out.

Calgary Flames Schedule

The team opens with a road game against the Colorado team that humiliated them last year in the playoffs. Then, starting in Game 4, they have a brutal three-game trip to Dallas, San Jose and Vegas. And in between they have two home games against teams that they should be able to handle easily. By the end of those six games and 11 days, we will have a very good sense of how ready this team is to start this season.

Calgary Flames NHL Futures Odds

The Flames are one of six teams tied at +2000 to win the Stanley Cup, which puts them in a tie as the ninth choice overall. They are the eighth choice to win the Western Conference at +1000 and are the second choice to win the Pacific Division at +400 - though far behind the favored Golden Knights at +125. The season point total sits at 96.5 , with balanced action between the "over" and the "under". They are at -200 to make the playoffs and +170 to miss them.

2019-20 Calgary Flames Predictions

I'm obviously biased, and I can't pretend to be nervous about what could go wrong, but this is a playoff team. And perhaps more. I don't think they are the most likely team to win the West. But I also don't think that they deserve to be eighth as the odds suggest, so at least by that measure there is some relative betting value in betting them to win the West at +1000.

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