Wilson: Who are the Calgary Flames? Rebuild isn't just a search for talent; it's a search for identity

Advertisement 1 This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Breadcrumb Trail Links HomeSportsHockeyNHLCalgary Flames Wilson: Who are the Calgary Flames? Rebuild isn't just a search for talent; it's a search for identity Being bad and picking high is the easy part. Taking those building blocks and assembling them into a coherent whole is where the challenge truly lies. Author of the article: By Kent Wilson  •  For the Calgary Herald Published Sep 18, 2026 Last updated 1 hour ago 3 minute read Join the conversation Players listen to head coach Ryan Huska during Calgary Flames training camp at Scotiabank Saddledome on Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026. Gavin Young/Postmedia PHOTO BY GAVIN YOUNG /Postmedia Article content The 2026-27 NHL season won’t be about the wins and losses for the Calgary Flames. Article content The rebuild is in full swing, and the next few poor regular seasons will be traded for high draft picks and (hopefully) more blue-chip prospects added to the pile. Article content Article content But a rebuild isn’t just a search for talent. It’s a search for an identity. Article content Being bad and picking high is the easy part. Taking those building blocks and assembling them into a coherent whole is where the challenge truly lies. Article content Article content The search for identity goes beyond establishing a style of play or organizational tagline. It’s easy to create slogans and talk to the media about being hard to play against or hating to lose, but creating and executing a compelling internal vision is something else entirely. Article content Noon News Roundup Your weekday lunchtime roundup of curated links, news highlights, analysis and features. Sign Up By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Article content The question for Calgary’s leadership becomes: What is our unique talent, insight or perspective? How do we craft an identity that is clear, consistent and confident so that everyone understands the vision? Article content One of the issues with the “just get in” team building that informed the organization’s modus operandi for the better part of three decades is that it leads to short-sighted management. An overarching vision could never gain footing because the focus was always on the next winning streak, the next month, the next season, the next signing, trade or coaching hire that would keep…