The Daily: Flames Playoff Hopes Sinking Fast, NHL Draft Lottery Date Set

Another overtime appearance, another overtime loss for the Calgary Flames. They've dropped 14 of them this year. Can you imagine where they might be if they won even half of those? Meanwhile, the NHL set the lottery draft date, and maybe the Flames will be in on that before this season is over. Their next opponent, the Vegas Golden Knights, have been fire since the all-star break, and even Matthew Tkachuk has a better shot at the post-season than the Flames right now.

Calgary Flames

At this point, you can't pick one moment to say the Calgary Flames' playoff hopes ended here … but another missed opportunity against a fellow non-playoff team doesn't help. Disappointment in the desert against the Arizona Coyotes. 

Things are pretty bleak. The Calgary Flames playoff chances according to MoneyPuck are less than 22 per cent now. 

Craig Ellingson and I have been chatting a lot lately for a new Hot Talk series for the Calgary Hockey Now site. Recent topics have included the incredible Mikael Backlund and the not-so-great follies of Calgary Flames head coach Darryl Sutter. 

NHL News and National Hockey Now

NHL: The NHL has announced key dates for the remainder of the season. The Draft Lottery for Connor Bedard will take place on May 8th. The salary cap isn't expected to rise more than $1M, and the Calgary Flames are already projected over that mark. 

Vegas: The Golden Knights are 10-2-2 since the All-Star Break, are they legitimate Stanley Cup contenders?

Colorado: Who will step up in the absence of now-injured forward Artturi Lehkonen with the Colorado Avalanche? Does this help the rest of the Pacific Division?

Florida: Is it still possible for former Calgary Flames star Matthew Tkachuk and the Florida Panthers to sneak into the Stanley Cup playoffs?

San Jose: William Eklund has scored his first NHL goal with the San Jose Sharks.

Long Island: Should Ilya Sorokin be receiving votes from major NHL Awards this season?

Philly: Injured Philadelphia Flyers forward Sean Couturier is antsy to get back on the ice. 

Pittsburgh: Dmitry Kulikov is now out week-to-week for his new team, the Pittsburgh Penguins.