Diving into the numbers: A look at five key Calgary Flames performances

We are 49 games into the 2023-24 regular season for the Calgary Flames. 49 games is a solid sample size for determining what type of team the Calgary Flames are, and what type of season each player is having.

I thought it would be fun to dive into the numbers and try to uncover as many interesting stats about the Flames as possible.

I scoured NHL.com, NHL Edge, Natural Stat Trick, and MoneyPuck to see what I could unearth.

Let’s dive in!

1. Martin Pospisil is dominating at 5-on-5

It might surprise some people to hear that Martin Pospisil has been the Flames best forward when it comes to underlying numbers. Now, keep in mind that Pospisil hasn’t played a ton of minutes against top competition and is third on the Flames in offensive zone starts. Nevertheless, he’s having a great year.

Among 14 Flames forwards to play at least 100 minutes at 5-on-5, Pospisil ranks first in CF%, GF%, xGF%, SCF%, and is 4th in HDCF%.

That is ridiculous for someone who was a long shot to make the team out of training camp.

2. Blake Coleman’s career year

It’s no secret that Coleman is having himself one heck of a season at age 32. He is on pace to score 34 goals, 34 assists and 68 points. That would shatter his career high in all three categories.

One of the more impressive stats is his plus/minus. Coleman is playing on a mediocre team with a -6-goal differential. Yet he is a +22. Eight better than the next closest Flame. +22 is good for 6th in the entire NHL. He does all that while playing against the opposition’s top lines and defence pairings and getting the least amount of offensive zone starts among the Flames forward group.

3. MacKenzie Weegar, stand up and take a bow! 

Similar to Coleman, Weegar is having a breakout year in his age 30 season. Weegar is on pace to score 20 goals and 49 points. His career high in goals is eight and points is 44.

Weegar is tied for 2nd in the NHL in goals among defencemen. But he is first in the NHL in goals at 5-on-5 among defencemen. He’s not picking up all his goals on the power play like some of the top defencemen in the NHL.

4. The curious case of Yegor Sharangovich

Yegor Sharangovich is one of the most interesting players on the Calgary Flames. The eye test shows you that he has a cannon of a shot, arguably the best on the team. He is a decent skater and can play on the PK. He has 20 goals already this season which is good for a 34-goal pace. He leads the Flames in goals/60 at 5-on-5.

But then you see the underlying numbers, and they paint a different picture.

According to the numbers at 5-on-5, Sharangovich has been one of the worst players on the Flames.

The Flames have been outscored 41-25 with Sharangovich on the ice. Only Brayden Point, Nikita Kucherov, Adam Fantilli and Alexis Lafreniere have been on the ice for more goals against. Point, Kucherov and Lafreniere have been on the ice for 100+ more minutes that Sharangovich and have been on the ice for at least 13 more goals for.

Among forwards on the current Flames roster, Sharangovich ranks last in GF%, and second last in CF%, SCF%, and HDCF%. The only forward below him is Walker Duehr.

5. Jonathan Huberdeau’s struggles

Everyone knows that Huberdeau has struggled mightily this season. But just how bad is it?

Huberdeau has scored 6 goals in 48 games. That’s a 10 goal pace over 82 games. A.J Greer has six goals in one less game and with way less lice time at 5-on-5 and on the power play.

At 5-on-5, Huberdeau has a goals/60 of 0.46. That’s less than A.J. Greer and Adam Ruzicka.

Huberdeau’s points/60 at 5-on-5 is 1.48. The only forwards below him on the Flames are A.J. Greer, Adam Ruzicka, and Dillon Dube.

Huberdeau also gives away the puck at the highest rate at 3.6 giveaways/60. The next closest Flame is Nazem Kadri at 2.67 giveaways/60.