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For Calgary Flames Roster Hopefuls, Preseason Is Their Chance
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- For Calgary Flames Roster Hopefuls, Preseason Is Their Chance
The Calgary Flames Celebrity Charity Golf Classic has become something of an unofficial kickoff to hockey season in Calgary.
Players are back in town. Informal skates are underway. Rookie camp is around the corner, and with that comes the part of the season that can be every bit as important as it is unpredictable: training camp and the preseason.
For the established players, exhibition games are largely about getting their legs back, building chemistry and preparing for the regular season. For everyone else, they can mean considerably more.
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There are jobs to be won.
Flames head coach Ryan Huska made that clear while speaking with the media during the charity golf tournament. With a number of roster spots still up for grabs, Calgary's preseason schedule will provide prospects, younger players and veterans looking to re-establish themselves with an opportunity to make an impression.
"There's lots of opportunity to move around," Huska told FlamesTV during the tournament.
That opportunity could be particularly important this year.
Yan Kuznetsov. Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
Under the NHL's new preseason guidelines, players with more than 100 NHL games are limited to two exhibition appearances. That means more ice time for younger players and those fighting for a spot on the roster.
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It also means there isn't much room for a bad game.
"I think for people trying to steal jobs, the exhibition games are going to be important," Huska said.
The Flames have several players who will be looking to do exactly that.
Alex Nylander is one of the more obvious examples. The former eighth-overall pick arrives in Calgary on a professional tryout with plenty to prove and an opportunity to show the Flames he can still be an NHL contributor.
For him, and others in a similar position, preseason isn't simply about getting ready for opening night.
It's about making sure you're part of it.
Connor Zary. Credit: Bob Kupbens-Imagn Images
There are also familiar names, like Connor Zary , who enter camp with something to prove after difficult or underwhelming seasons. For those players, September provides an opportunity to reset the narrative.
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A strong camp can change the conversation quickly. The same is true for Calgary's younger prospects.
With veteran players limited to two preseason appearances , there should be more opportunities for players who might otherwise spend much of the exhibition schedule watching from the sidelines. A good performance can create momentum. A couple of good performances can make the coaching staff think twice about where a player fits.
"Those are going to be situations where you want to make sure that you really can show that you're ready to, one: play and two: take someone's job," Huska said. "And take advantage of it if you're in those couple games."
That's really what preseason is about for a large portion of the Flames' camp roster.
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Taking advantage.
The games may not count in the standings, but they matter to the players trying to earn a spot on the team. The Flames will get their first look at some of those players very quickly.
The Flames host the Edmonton Oilers in the NextGen Showcase on Monday, September 14, giving fans an early opportunity to see some of the organization's promising young talent in action.
Matvei Gridin. Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
Matvei Gridin , Tyson Gross, Axel Hurtig and Arsenii Sergeev are among the prospects expected to take the ice as they begin making their case.
For some, the preseason will be little more than a tune-up. For others, it could be the beginning of something much bigger.
The opportunity is there.
Now they have to take it.
