When the Calgary Flames took to the ice to play the Minnesota Wild on November 15, they were (by points percentage) the worst outfit in the entire National Hockey League. At the time, they boasted an abysmal 5-10-1 record and seemed adrift. Tonight, roughly four and a half months later, the Flames can officially punch their ticket to the 2017 Stanley Cup playoffs with a victory over the Los Angeles Kings.
The Flames have been a very solid team since that November 15 game where Johnny Gaudreau broke a bone in his hand. They simplified their game and went on a decent run, then kicked it into high gear in late January.