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The Calgary Flames and Chicago Blackhawks are teams trying to climb the Western Conference standings in 2024-25. Last season was difficult for both, but the Blackhawks' rebuild has been going well. The Flames are earlier in the rebuilding process and could contend that they aren't ready to enter a full rebuild yet. Their 3-0 start has given fans and the front office optimism that it's too early to write them off. It's time to continue our NHL odds series with a Flames-Blackhawks prediction and pick.
The Blackhawks didn't start their season on the right track after losing back-to-back games against the Utah Hockey Club and Winnipeg Jets. Their date with the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday night looked like another loss and an opportunity for the Oilers to get their season's first victory. Connor Bedard helped the Blackhawks steal that victory as +292 underdogs, which could've given the team a massive confidence boost. The Flames' matchup should also bring confidence, as Chicago has won five of the past six meetings since 2023.
Why the Flames Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Flames could be the most surprising team to begin the 2024-25 season. Calgary looked like a team that could struggle this season, but they've started the year on a three-game winning streak. The Flames began the year with a comeback victory over the Vancouver Canucks, then defeated the Philadelphia Flyers and Edmonton Oilers on back-to-back nights. The win over the Oilers on Sunday night was the most impressive, as they dominated last season's Stanley Cup finalists.
Goaltending has been the biggest surprise for the Flames. It seemed like the combination of Dustin Wolf and Dan Vladar could be a weak spot. The critics looked correct on opening night when Vladar allowed five goals on 24 shots. However, Vladar still captured the win, the only thing Ryan Huska concerns himself with. The goalies cleaned it up in the next two games, with Wolf stopping 37 of 40 shots against the Blackhawks and Vladar stopping 25 of 26 against the Oilers.
Final Blackhawks-Flames Prediction & Pick
The Flames had plenty of reasons why they wouldn't be contenders in 2024-25. The first reason was the question marks surrounding their goaltending situation. Jacob Markstrom's departure to the New Jersey Devils left Vladar and Wolf to hold down the fort, which didn't offer any guarantees.
Another common comment from the skeptics was the Flames' history of trusting the wrong guys. Jonathan Huberdeau and Nazem Kadri quickly became two devastating moves, as Calgary had too much salary cap tied up with minuscule production. However, the Flames are 3-0 thanks to Huberdeau's three goals and two assists and Kadri's two goals and two assists.
The Flames must have two of these things to keep going right if they'll continue being one of the league's top teams. It's too small of a sample size to predict how the season will end for the Flames, but that doesn't mean we won't ride the wave until it ends. Wolf's performance in his only start this season is hopefully a sign of things to come, and we'll depend on him to do the same against Connor Bedard in this game.