Calgary Flames on pace for their worst season in franchise history
The 2025-26 season has been a disappointing one for the Calgary Flames.
The belief within the dressing room heading into this season was that the team could continue to grow from 2024-25, a season which saw the Flames miss the playoffs by just a single point. Instead of being in the fight for a playoff spot once again, this team instead looks every bit like one that will be in contention for the first-overall pick at the 2026 draft.
The Flames have just five wins and 13 points through their first 20 games of the season, both of which are dead last in the NHL. In fact, it’s one of the Flames’ worst opening 20 games of a season since they came into existence. You have to go all the way back to 1997-98 to find a season where they had a worse record through 20 games.
Here’s a look:
| Season | Record | Points |
| 2025-26 | 5-12-3 | 13 |
| 2024-25 | 11-6-3 | 25 |
| 2023-24 | 8-9-3 | 19 |
| 2022-23 | 9-8-3 | 21 |
| 2021-22 | 12-3-5 | 29 |
| 2020-21 | 9-9-2 | 20 |
| 2019-20 | 10-7-3 | 23 |
| 2018-19 | 11-8-1 | 23 |
| 2017-18 | 12-8-0 | 24 |
| 2016-17 | 8-11-1 | 17 |
| 2015-16 | 7-12-1 | 15 |
| 2014-15 | 12-6-2 | 26 |
| 2013-14 | 7-11-3 | 17 |
| 2012-13 | 8-8-4 | 20 |
| 2011-12 | 8-11-1 | 17 |
| 2010-11 | 8-11-1 | 17 |
| 2009-10 | 12-6-2 | 26 |
| 2008-09 | 11-8-1 | 23 |
| 2007-08 | 8-9-3 | 19 |
| 2006-07 | 10-8-2 | 22 |
| 2005-06 | 11-7-2 | 24 |
| 2003-04 | 9-8-3 | 21 |
| 2002-03 | 5-9-3-3 | 16 |
| 2001-02 | 13-2-3-2 | 31 |
| 2000-01 | 5-10-3-2 | 15 |
| 1999-00 | 6-12-2 | 14 |
| 1998-99 | 7-11-2 | 16 |
| 1997-98 | 3-13-4 | 10 |
| 1996-97 | 9-9-2 | 20 |
| 1995-96 | 3-13-4 | 10 |
| 1994-95 | 10-6-4 | 24 |
| 1993-94 | 14-4-2 | 30 |
| 1992-93 | 12-6-2 | 26 |
| 1991-92 | 9-8-3 | 21 |
| 1990-91 | 12-7-1 | 25 |
| 1989-90 | 10-6-4 | 24 |
| 1988-89 | 13-4-3 | 29 |
| 1987-88 | 10-8-2 | 22 |
| 1986-87 | 10-10-0 | 20 |
| 1985-86 | 10-7-3 | 23 |
| 1984-85 | 12-7-1 | 25 |
| 1983-84 | 8-9-3 | 19 |
| 1982-83 | 8-9-3 | 19 |
| 1981-82 | 4-12-4 | 12 |
| 1980-81 | 8-7-5 | 21 |
| 1979-80 | 10-7-3 | 23 |
| 1978-79 | 14-4-2 | 30 |
| 1977-78 | 7-7-6 | 20 |
| 1976-77 | 8-7-5 | 21 |
| 1975-76 | 8-10-2 | 18 |
| 1974-75 | 9-7-4 | 22 |
| 1973-74 | 10-6-4 | 24 |
| 1972-73 | 8-9-3 | 19 |
There are just three seasons in franchise history (1997-98, 1995-96, and 1981-82) where the Flames have gotten off to worse starts. That 1997-98 season saw them finish with 67 points at 26-41-15 for a franchise-worst .409 points percentage. Through 20 games in 2025-26, they have a points percentage of just .325.
The Flames are currently on pace to finish the season with just 54 points. That would be the worst point total in franchise history for a non-shortened season, dating back to 1972 when the Flames played their inaugural season in Atlanta.
With it being the quarter-way point of the 2025-26 season, it’s past the point of suggesting this is simply a slow start. This team is lacking in plenty of areas, particularly up front, as they’ve scored an NHL-low 42 goals.
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