5 Things - Flames @ Capitals

1. Wagons East!

Two road trips remain on the Flames' regular season schedule.

But those two trips account for one-quarter of Calgary's 2025-26 road games. A five-game Eastern run gets underway tonight in Washington after the Flames flew East Sunday morning.

And the new era? It's off to a positive start, after Calgary outlasted Carolina in a 5-4 thriller Saturday at the Scotiabank Saddledome. Newcomers Ryan Strome and Olli Määtta made their debuts (each hitting the scoresheet), the duo of Joel Farabee and Morgan Frost combined for six points, and overall, Head Coach Ryan Huska was left pleased with what he saw.

I thought he played really well," Huska said of Määtta, who set a season-high with 23:54 of ice-time following the first-period injury to Zach Whitecloud. "He made some good plays with the puck, showed a lot of composure with it.

"He was firm, and he closed quick on people. Really good first impression from him."

For Strome, the debut in Flames silks could not have gone much better. Two points, a second-period goal that got Calgary's offence going, and a sense of poise that Huska tabbed to the veteran's experience in the League.

"You could see the composure that he has with the puck, and that’s what 900 games will get you in the NHL," said Huska of Strome. "Nice to see him score, for sure, early, and have impact on a powerplay. That’s something that we need here moving forward."

No doubt, the final 20 games of the season will feature Calgary's youth. Both Matvei Gridin and Hunter Brzustewicz were recalled Sunday to add more young energy to the fold. 

But as this group moves forward through a busy March, Huska knows he'll be leaning on the Määttas, Stromes and incumbent vets like Mikael Backlund and Blake Coleman to help show the way.

"As much as everybody always talks about ‘Hey, play all the young guys, just play ‘em,’ you need good people around them to show them how to play the game, to teach them the rights and the wrongs and to help build their confidence," said Huska. "Because if you put young guys in situations continually that they’re not ready for, it hurts them.

"That’s why it was so important that Conny (General Manager Craig Conroy) was able to add three older, quality people that are going to help push in the right direction."

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2. Know Your Enemy

The winds of change blew through the U.S. capital this past week, just as they did in Calgary. Washington sent lifetime Capital John Carlson to the Anaheim Ducks in advance of Friday's NHL Trade Deadline, parting ways with their franchise leader among defencemen in games played, goals, assists, points and more. 

Carlson was a huge piece of the Capitals' blue line for more than 15 years and helped the club to its first Stanley Cup eight springs ago. 

In the wake of Carlson's departure, Washington stumbled Saturday, falling 3-1 at Boston with Aliaksei Protas providing the lone goal. 

"I'm not going to sugarcoat it - the last two days have been extremely rough on the group. To say I saw positivity and energy would be a lie,” Capitals Head Coach Spencer Carbery told reporters post-game Saturday. “Now, I also have a lot of confidence in the leadership group that's still here and the rest of our group of understanding we have a job to do, and we are still in this fight."

Alexander Ovechkin and Jakob Chychrun are tied for the team lead in scoring with 50 points apiece, while Canadian Olympian Tom Wilson and fellow forward Dylan Strome are one point off the pace among Capitals scoring leaders. 

Ovechkin, who is the all-time NHL leader in powerplay goals with 330, has lit the lamp only four times on the man-advantage this season. He's reached double digits in powerplay markers in every 82-game NHL season since 2011-12.

3. Fast Facts

2025-26 Season Series

The two sides have met once already this season, a game that ended 3-1 in Washington's favour Jan. 23 at the Scotiabank Saddledome. Morgan Frost opened the scoring for the Flames in the first period, but the Capitals recorded three unanswered goals to earn the win.

Martin Pospisil, Matt Coronato and Jonathan Huberdeau scored in Calgary's last visit to D.C., a 3-1 Flames win in February of 2025.

Did You Know?

The Flames enter tonight's contest having recorded points in 15 of their last 17 games against Metropolitan Division opponents, a run stretching back to that 3-1 victory over the Capitals here in D.C. 13 months ago. Over that span, Calgary holds a 12-3-3 record against the Metropolitan Division.

4. Victor Gets The Spoils

The group welcomed a new teammate to the fold as they boarded Air Flames Sunday morning at YYC. Forward Victor Olofsson joined the squad in advance of their flight East and figures to be a lineup option for Head Coach Ryan Huska tonight.

Olofsson had 11 goals and 25 points with the Colorado Avalanche this season before being acquired by the Flames on Trade Deadline day.

The 30-year-old hails from Ornskoldsvik, Sweden, the same hockey hotbed that produced NHL stars Daniel and Henrik Sedin, Peter Forsberg and Victor Hedman, as well as Flames prospect William Stromgren. 

Olofsson, who was teammates with Calgary d-man Zach Whitecloud with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2024-25, has eight goals in 18 career games against the Washington Capitals. The New Jersey Devils (who we'll see Thursday in Newark) are the only NHL club against whom Olofsson has lit the lamp more times.

The Flames also made a roster move Sunday, recalling forward Matvei Gridin and defenceman Hunter Brzustewicz from the AHL. Both were expected to link up with the team ahead of Monday's morning skate after playing with the Wranglers Saturday at Coachella Valley.

5. Players To Watch

Flames - Joel Farabee

Farabee took over the team lead in goals Saturday with a two-tally, three-point night against the Hurricanes. And he did so while adding a little weight to the left side of his sweater. 

Farabee had the 'A' on his jersey Saturday against Carolina, a sign he's being counted on for his leadership skills as part of this new-look Calgary squad.

And post-game Saturday, the 26-year-old made it clear that being trusted with wearing a letter is a source of pride.

"It’s one of those things you kind of work towards your whole career. For the organization and the guys in the room to think of me like that, and to get the honour to wear it, it meant a lot to me and my family," Farabee said. "I feel like I’m at that age where I’m in-between being a young and an old guy, so I feel like I have a little bit of a voice there.

"Between Backs and Coles and the leaders we already have, I’m excited to learn and just keep improving every day."

Capitals - Dylan Strome

All of a sudden, it's a family reunion for the Stromes. Dylan was set to host older brother Ryan for a get-together Sunday evening after the Flames landed in D.C., and tonight, the brothers will play a rubber match against each other after splitting the two games between Washington and Anaheim earlier this season.

The younger Strome turned 29 years of age Saturday and sits one point shy of 50 on the season. He had an assist in the first meeting between the Flames and Capitals back in January.