Man, talk about bittersweet vibes in Calgary. On one side, the NHL Flames couldn’t quite light it up enough to crack into the Stanley Cup Playoffs—again. Three seasons now without a ticket to the big dance, and yeah, it stings. They gave it a gritty go, but the scoreboard just didn’t wanna cooperate. Scoring droughts, power-play blues, and a penalty kill that leaked more than a busted faucet—it all added up. But here’s the thing: this squad wasn’t supposed to be in the race at all, and yet they clung on ‘til the final week like underdogs with a point to prove. With a fresh wave of hungry young guns, a sprinkle of vet magic from guys like Huberdeau and Kadri, and a rising goalie beast in Dustin Wolf, there’s real hope that this rebuild might just be a slow-burn masterpiece.

Now, while the whole squad was trying to keep the dream alive, there was one dude who still had his glow-up moment—Matt Coronato. Kid’s rookie AHL season? Straight fire. Dude was putting up points like it was a summer BBQ—nonstop. But when he hit NHL ice, the real grind showed up. Still, no shame there. Every great story needs a few chapters of growth, and Coronato’s just getting warmed up. He was all set to rep USA at Worlds, but guess what? Flames pulled the plug and said nah, you’re staying home to prep for next season.

The Calgary Flames hopped on X and dropped a little update that had fans both sighin’ and noddin’. In their own words, the Flames shared, “Following the results of an MRI conducted last week, the Flames have decided that Matt Coronato withdraw from participation for Team USA at the World Championship. This preventative decision will allow Coronato time to recover and train on schedule for the 2025-26 NHL season.” Basically, they’re playing the long game. No rushing, no shortcuts—just making sure their rising star gets the downtime he needs to come back swinging when next season rolls in.

And let’s be real—this NHL young gun didn’t just show up, he lit it up. At just 22, Matt Coronato skated into the spotlight like he owned the ice, racking up a shiny 24 goals and tossing in 23 assists for a slick 47-point total across 76 games. Like, talk about stepping up and showing out! Everyone knew he was part of the Flames’ future plans, but nobody expected the dude to blow the doors open this early. He straight-up turned heads, dropped jaws, and probably made a few scouts double-check their notes.

And yep, the cherry on top? All that on-ice magic came with a lil’ extra love in the wallet—bonus city, baby. That breakout season didn’t just pump the fanbase full of hope, it also sprinkled some well-deserved cash into Coronato’s corner.

NHL star receives some shiny bonuses!