The consensus among Calgary Flames fans was that MacKenzie Weegar would be named captain of the team once current captain Mikael Backlund either left or retired. However, following the recent blockbuster trade of Weegar to the Utah Mammoth, someone else will have to step up and take that role.
Let’s take a look at some candidates for Backlund’s successor as the Flames’ next captain:
Blake Coleman
When you think of the Flames’ leadership group, Blake Coleman immediately comes to mind. He is already the team’s second-in-command behind Backlund. Management clearly views him as an important part of the Flames’ roster transition, considering he was retained through the 2026 trade deadline while veterans such as Weegar and Nazem Kadri were traded.
Coleman represents the standard of work ethic the Flames want to instill in their younger core. He has been Backlund’s right-hand man on the team’s primary shutdown line for years, and he carries the pedigree of a two-time Stanley Cup champion.
However, given that he only has one more year left on his contract after this season, his time with the Flames may be over before Backlund leaves. But, he still remains the most logical and deserving choice for the team’s next captain as a “stop-gap” if Backlund’s tenure in Calgary concludes earlier than expected.
Jonathan Huberdeau
While Coleman doesn’t have very much term left on his contract, Jonathan Huberdeau certainly does. With five years remaining on his $10.5M AAV contract after this season, Huberdeau is most likely going to be sticking around in Calgary for the entire duration of the team’s rebuild.
Naming Huberdeau captain would be a massive show of faith from the front office, especially considering he hasn’t been able to replicate his point totals from his Florida days in Calgary. However, his off-ice commitment to Calgary is already at a high level, considering he was the Flames’ 2025 King Clancy nominee, recognized for his leadership and his “Huby’s Hangout” initiative.
Huberdeau is currently sidelined for the season with a hip injury, so we’ll have to wait until next season to see if he is a worthy successor to Backlund. If he returns in 2026–27 and regains his form, him getting the “C” becomes much more likely.
Joel Farabee
With several leadership spots vacated, Joel Farabee wore the “A” for the first time on March 7 when the Flames took on the Eastern Conference-leading Carolina Hurricanes. Farabee scored the game-winning goal via a breakaway beauty to lead the Flames to a 5–4 victory and snap their four-game losing streak. Overall, he had two goals and one assist that night, and was named the game’s first star.
Ever since Farabee was acquired from Philadelphia in early 2025, he has grown into a key part of the Flames’ lineup. He is currently tied for the team lead in goals with 15. Additionally, he was acquired by Craig Conroy himself, unlike Coleman or Huberdeau. If a player who entered the organization under Conroy is named captain, that would symbolize that the Flames are turning a new leaf and are moving on from the holdovers from the previous regime under former GM Brad Treliving.
Kevin Bahl
Kevin Bahl would make an excellent captain who leads by example. Defensive defencemen such as Anaheim’s Radko Gudas and Minnesota’s Jared Spurgeon already serve as NHL captains, which proves that you don’t need to put up massive point totals in order to be a good leader. Bahl wore the “A” for the first time on March 9 against the Washington Capitals. A worthy promotion for the team’s most reliable defender.
Like Huberdeau, Bahl is signed through the 2030–31 season. He’s here to stay for the long run and will be a huge part of the Flames’ blueline going forward. Following the losses of Weegar and Rasmus Andersson, Bahl is essentially the Flames’ #1 defenceman for the time being. He is a primary penalty killer and is often tasked with shutting down the league’s top superstars, a role that requires the high-level accountability expected of a captain.
Zayne Parekh
The vast majority of current NHL captains were drafted by the club that they are captains of. Out of all the captain candidates listed here, Zayne Parekh is the only one who was drafted by the Flames.
Ever since he was selected ninth overall by the Flames in 2024, Parekh’s rise has been meteoric. After spending his Draft+1 season dominating the OHL, his Draft+2 season has been a roller coaster. He got injured in November, then represented Canada at the World Juniors, and then spent two weeks in the AHL on a conditioning stint. But now, he finally has some stability. His job in the Flames’ lineup is secure, especially after the trades of Weegar and Andersson.
Parekh already possesses elite offensive defenceman traits seen in current NHL captains such as Buffalo’s Rasmus Dahlin and Nashville’s Roman Josi. Out of all the players currently on the Flames’ roster, Parekh would certainly be my pick to wear the “C” next.
However, Parekh is still a young rookie trying to find his footing in the NHL. He’s definitely not ready to be captain yet. But, Backlund is signed for two more years after this season. Parekh has plenty of time to figure things out before the Flames’ captaincy becomes vacant.
Future draft pick
Could the Flames’ next captain not even be drafted yet? The Flames are poised to select in the top-five of the NHL Draft this year. And given that they sold off many veteran players at the trade deadline, they should have a high draft pick for at least the next few years.
If not Parekh, a different franchise player drafted by the Flames could be a strong contender to captain the team. Franchise players such as Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby and Edmonton’s Connor McDavid were both named captains of their respective teams before they even turned 20 years old. If the Flames get their hands on a player of that calibre, they should definitely make him the captain extremely early on in his NHL career.
Final thoughts on the Flames future captain
There are many possibilities for who the Flames’ next captain will be. Whether the next leader is already in the locker room or is currently waiting for his name to be called in the draft, I’m certain that the leaders will reveal themselves in due time.