Flames, Flyers And Canadiens Among NHL's Biggest Positive Surprises At Halfway Mark

The NHL is at the halfway mark of the 2024-25 regular season, and The Hockey News is taking this moment to examine the biggest shocks and surprises so far this year.

On Wednesday, we focused on the league’s biggest shocks, and in today’s file, we’re breaking down the most positive surprises this season.

Calgary Flames

Few people gave the Flames any chance to do something good this season, and it’s easy to see why. Beginning last year, Calgary GM Craig Conroy began tearing down his roster by trading defensemen Chris Tanev, Nikita Zadorov and Noah Hanifin and center Elias Lindholm. While more trades could be coming, the Flames have shown some serious determination to avoid finishing at or close to the bottom of the Pacific Division, going 19-14-7 this season.

Calgary is still going to have an uphill battle to outlast Pacific powerhouses in Vancouver, Edmonton, Los Angeles and Vegas, but the Flames' strong first half means they’ll be playing meaningful hockey for at least the next couple of months. The Flames are still a team in transition, but the fight to stay relevant has warmed the hearts of Calgary fans, and because of that, the Flames could still surprise the hockey world and qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs this season.

Columbus Blue Jackets

Admit it – you didn’t think the Blue Jackets would be anywhere except the bottom of the Metropolitan Division this year. But since Nov. 17, Columbus has gone 12-8-4 and 6-2-1 since Dec. 18. That’s pushed them up the standings into the second wild-card slot.

They still have plenty of competition for that spot – seven teams below them all are within five standings points – but at a time when the Jackets need as much good news as it can get, having a solid hot streak could do wonders for the rest of Columbus’ season.

The Blue Jackets have the NHL’s fifth-best offense at 3.37 goals-for per game, but they also have the league’s second-worst defense (averaging 3.61 goals-against per game) and the fifth-worst penalty kill (72.9 percent efficiency). So the challenge is clear for them – clean up their play in their own zone, and they can continue rising through the ranks. One of the wild-card slots are very much up for grabs, and that should be thrilling for Jackets fans.

Related: Should The Columbus Blue Jackets Push For The Playoffs By Trading For Upgrades?

Montreal Canadiens

Like the Flames and the Flyers below, the Canadiens are amid a massive roster rebuild. Slowly but surely, Montreal has scratched and clawed its way into the playoff picture.

Since Dec. 1, the Habs have gone 11-5-0, and they now occupy the fifth spot in the race for one of two wild-card berths. More impressively, they’re one point behind Columbus for the second wild-card spot, and they’re just three points ahead of Tampa Bay for the first wild-card spot.

Canadiens coach Martin St-Louis faced scrutiny early in the season for the team not showing much improvement, but he deserves a lot of credit for squeezing whatever he could out of the roster.

Although it wouldn’t surprise some people to see the Habs stumble and wind up out of the playoff picture, it’s still a significant achievement to be where the Canadiens are in the standings right now. In many ways, Montreal is playing with house money, and their comparative lack of pressure might just provide the foundation for a surprise playoff appearance that would thrill Habs fans.

Even if that doesn’t come to pass, the Canadiens are gifting their fans with a terrific experience reminding them of what it’s like to root for a legitimate playoff contender.

Related: What Is The Montreal Canadiens' Secret To Success In This Latest Hot Streak?

Philadelphia Flyers

The Flyers wowed the hockey world in the early part of last season by flirting with a top spot in the Metropolitan Division before just missing the playoffs and finishing sixth in the division.

This season, Philadelphia is looking just as feisty, putting together a 17-19-5 record. That has them in seventh place in the wild-card race, but they’re only three points behind the Blue Jackets and five points behind Tampa for the two wild-card slots.

Philly’s biggest issue is its defense, which is currently third-worst in the NHL at a goals-against average of 3.54. There’s little chance the Flyers can overcome that problem and still earn a playoff berth, so Philadelphia coach John Tortorella’s challenge is obvious – tighten things up in their defensive zone or suffer the same fate as the Flyers suffered in 2023-24.

Flyers fans are well aware of the team’s place in their rebuilding program, but it would be an excellent treat for their supporters if they were able to mix in a playoff appearance for the first time in five years.

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