Friday Mailbag: The Lottery, Draft, Coleman, and More!

On the season finale of the Flames Alumni Krahnicles, we present some of the great conversation topics left on the cutting room floor from our second season! First off, we hear from Hall of Fame broadcaster Peter Maher (3:37) who takes us through a day in the life during his career! Then we hear from 2004 legend Mike Commodore (10:17) as he looks back at the end of his NHL career. Following that, we check in with 1989 Stanley Cup champion Jim Peplinski (19:11) as he details the start of the Flames Alumni. Finally, Craig Gillespie of Cuming and Gillespie LLP chats with us (29:31) about sponsoring the program and how important the Flames have been to him. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate. https://www.sportsnet.ca/960/flames-talk/Get full Flames games and great shows like Quick 60: The Stamps Show, Wranglers Watch and more ON DEMAND.

On hour two of Flames Talk, we officially kick off the first edition of the Flames Talk Friday Summer Mailbag! With the regular season in the rearview mirror, Pat Steinberg and Logan Gordon spend the full hour clearing out a jam-packed text line to answer your burning questions. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate. https://www.sportsnet.ca/960/flames-talk/Get full Flames games and great shows like Quick 60: The Stamps Show, Wranglers Watch and more ON DEMAND.

On hour one of Flames Talk, Pat Steinberg and Logan Gordon tackle the million-dollar question: how long should a proper rebuild actually take? One week removed from locker clean-out day, the guys discuss Craig Conroy’s commitment to a new organizational philosophy and why the Flames might have a head start compared to other rebuilding franchises. They look at successful blueprints like Anaheim and Montreal—both of which turned things around in roughly four years—and contrast them with "cautionary tales" from Buffalo and Edmonton. The guys argue that as long as the front office resists the urge to fast-track the process, the pieces are already in place to build something sustainable. (25:28) On the Daily Flames Roundtable with Derek Wills, the crew sits down for the final Roundtable of the season. They identify the biggest storylines they’ll be tracking over the summer and share their personal feelings on covering a Flames team that is finally trying something different than at any point in the last two decades. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate. https://www.sportsnet.ca/960/flames-talk/Get full Flames games and great shows like Quick 60: The Stamps Show, Wranglers Watch and more ON DEMAND.

On hour two of Flames Talk, Pat Steinberg and Logan Gordon take a look between the pipes with goaltending expert Kevin Woodley! Now that the dust has settled, Kevin provides a comprehensive year-in-review for the Dustin Wolf and Devin Cooley tandem. The guys discuss the sustainability of this young duo heading into next season, the impact of Arsenii Sergeev’s memorable NHL debut, and the unfolding front-office drama in Vancouver as the Canucks begin their search for a new General Manager. (20:07) To wrap up the show, the voice of the Calgary Wranglers, Sandra Prusina, joins Pat and Logan to put a bow on the AHL season. Sandra discusses the "double-edged sword" of the Wranglers' season—where NHL call-ups led to AHL struggles but provided vital experience for the next wave of talent. She shares her insights on the growth of William Strömgren and Rory Kerins and evaluates Brett Sutter’s first season behind the bench as head coach. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate. https://www.sportsnet.ca/960/flames-talk/Get full Flames games and great shows like Quick 60: The Stamps Show, Wranglers Watch and more ON DEMAND.

On hour one of Flames Talk, Pat Steinberg and Logan Gordon continue their look at the Flames' center ice depth by focusing on Morgan Frost. After a strong finish to the season—racking up 14 points in the final 21 games—the guys debate whether Frost has another gear or if he has found his ceiling as a high-end offensive specialist. They break down Craig Conroy’s end-of-year challenge to Frost, his impressive 56.8% clip in the faceoff circle, and the looming question of whether the team should commit to a long-term extension now or wait to see if his production holds up next fall. (31:20) On the Daily Flames Roundtable with Derek Wills, the crew gets honest about the most disappointing aspects of the 2025-26 season. From individual slumps to the overall standings, they sift through the low points before pivoting to the positive: naming their early candidates for next year's breakout player of the season. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate. https://www.sportsnet.ca/960/flames-talk/Get full Flames games and great shows like Quick 60: The Stamps Show, Wranglers Watch and more ON DEMAND.

On hour two of Flames Talk, we head to the farm as Calgary Wranglers Head Coach Brett Sutter joins the program to wrap up the AHL season. Following a tough campaign that ended on a high note with back-to-back wins in Colorado, Sutter provides a candid evaluation of his first year behind the bench. He discusses the "mandate of development" versus the win-loss record, sharing insights on the growth of key prospects like Rory Kerins and William Strömgren, and what he learned about coaching through adversity. (25:17) Our Pacific Division Insider Jonathan Davis joins the show to provide a look at the NHL postseason landscape. They dive into what we've seen between the Colorado Avalanche and the LA Kings, and with the Edmonton Oilers and Anaheim Ducks set for a pivotal Game 2 tonight, JD breaks down the tactical adjustments needed for the underdog Ducks to even the series. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate. https://www.sportsnet.ca/960/flames-talk/Get full Flames games and great shows like Quick 60: The Stamps Show, Wranglers Watch and more ON DEMAND.

On hour one of Flames Talk, Pat Steinberg and Logan Gordon tackle the "white whale" of the Flames' rebuild: the search for a true number one center. Following recent buzz from Elliotte Friedman on 32 Thoughts, the guys discuss whether Craig Conroy has the assets to move into the elite center market this summer. They break down the upcoming draft class—headlined by top pivots like Malhotra, Bjorck, and Lawrence—and debate if a trade for a young, established piece like Mason McTavish or Conor Geekie is a realistic path forward for the organization. (30:06) On the Daily Flames Roundtable, the crew clears out a busy text line as the listeners weighs in on the center ice dilemma. They discuss the price of admission for high-end talent and evaluate which current roster players could be moved to facilitate a major upgrade down the middle. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate. https://www.sportsnet.ca/960/flames-talk/Get full Flames games and great shows like Quick 60: The Stamps Show, Wranglers Watch and more ON DEMAND.

On hour two of Flames Talk, Pat Steinberg and Logan Gordon tackle what is arguably the biggest story of the summer: the future of Blake Coleman. After being the subject of intense trade speculation at the deadline, Coleman remains a Flame, but with the offseason here, the conversation shifts back to whether he fits a rebuilding timeline. The guys break down comments from both Coleman and GM Craig Conroy regarding the possibility of a contract extension versus a high-value trade, and why "retention" will be the magic word in any potential deal. (30:16) The guys wrap up the show by looking at the opening matchups of the postseason. They react to the Edmonton Oilers surviving a scare against the Anaheim Ducks in Game 1 and discuss the Carolina Hurricanes taking a commanding 2-0 series lead over the Ottawa Senators behind the steady play of Frederik Andersen.  The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate. https://www.sportsnet.ca/960/flames-talk/Get full Flames games and great shows like Quick 60: The Stamps Show, Wranglers Watch and more ON DEMAND.

On hour one of Flames Talk, Pat Steinberg is joined by NHL Insider Frank Seravalli to conduct the final postmortem on the Flames' 2025-26 season. While the Stanley Cup Playoffs are in full swing elsewhere, the focus here is on the future of the roster and the importance of a patient rebuilding process. Frank shares his insights on the potential trade market for Blake Coleman, the future of pending free agent Ryan Lomberg, and dives into a chaotic week for NHL front offices—including the firing of Patrick Allvin in Vancouver and the ongoing general manager searches in Toronto and Nashville. (24:55) On the Daily Flames Roudntable, alongside Derek Wills and Logan Gordon, the crew debates what stands as the "biggest success" of the Flames' season. Was it the graduation of top prospects, the emergence of a new goaltending tandem, or the commitment to a long-term direction? They also take a moment to look at former Flame Dan Vladar, who has become the MVP of the Philadelphia Flyers and is currently leading them through a first-round series against the Penguins. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate. https://www.sportsnet.ca/960/flames-talk/Get full Flames games and great shows like Quick 60: The Stamps Show, Wranglers Watch and more ON DEMAND.

On hour two of Flames Talk, Pat Steinberg and Logan Gordon are joined by Flames colour voice Meaghan Mikkelson for her final appearance of the season. The conversation focuses on the ultimate evaluation of the past year: by what metric do we call this season a success or a failure? Mikk shares her perspective on the growth of the youth movement and helps set the bar for Zayne Parekh as he prepares for a massive sophomore jump next fall. Finally, Meaghan gives us a peek into her broadcast prep as she gets ready for Game 2 of the Oilers and Ducks series. The guys wrap up the show with their final thoughts on the organizational direction and what fans should be watching for as the NHL draft lottery approaches. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate. https://www.sportsnet.ca/960/flames-talk/Get full Flames games and great shows like Quick 60: The Stamps Show, Wranglers Watch and more ON DEMAND.