Flames are ready to drop the puck

Game on!

After a long and at times tumultuous off-season, the Calgary Flames can finally put the disappointment of the 2022-23 season in the rear-view mirror when they open the campaign at home to the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday.

You bet there is plenty of juice around the team, even for a veteran like Mikael Backlund, who will be skating in his 13th season opener.

“This one’s a little extra special, being the captain for the first time,” Backlund said after Tuesday’s practice at the Saddledome. “Either way, I would have been nervous and excited.”

With an array of players looking for a bounce-back season (such as Jonathan Huberdeau, Jakob Markstrom, Andrew Mangiapane and Nazem Kadri to name a few) and others looking to either make their mark (Matt Coronato) or take their game to the next level (Dillon Dube, Yegor Sharangovich), the energy around the rink is palpable.

“It’s a lot of fun to be around,” said Ryan Huska, who is ready for his first season opener as head coach. “I get nervous every day. I don’t sleep much, but it’s a different nervous, you’re loving it. You want to ensure you’re prepared the best you can be so the team is prepared.”

With the clock counting down, here are three thoughts about the Flames from their last practice before the curtain lifts.

Line combinations

Here is how the Flames practised in their final tuneup:

Forwards
Jonathan Huberdeau-Elias Lindholm-Dillon Dube
Yegor Sharangovich-Nazem Kadri-Matt Coronato
Andrew Mangiapane-Mikael Backlund-Blake Coelman
AJ Greer-Adam Ruzicka-Walker Duehr
Extra: Dryden Hunt
Defense
Noah Hanifin-Rasmus Andersson
Nikita Zadorov-MacKenzie Weegar
Jordan Oesterle-Chris Tanev
Extra: Dennis Gilbert
Goal
Jacob Markstrom
Dan Vladar

Dube, who has been all over the lineup the past few seasons, is staring at a golden opportunity. Huska, who said through experience Dube has learned who he is and what he can achieve at the NHL level, will provide both speed and a finishing touch with his more proven line mates.

“Dillon needs to be a guy that’s pushing people back and creating loose pucks,” Huska said.

With the Mangiapane-Backlund-Coleman trio a proven entity, the team is looking to Kadri to guide Coronato into being a NHLer and Sharangovich find his spot on a new team.

As for the fourth line, there is certainly a blend of size — average size is 6-foot-3, 212 pounds — along with speed and skill.

Igniting the power play

Last season, the Flames had the 19th-ranked power play (19.8 percent), but their mark on the road was 11th (21.2%), while they were 25th at home (18.3%).

Either way, they expect to improve with a more dynamic approach, that features quicker puck movement with Marc Savard coaching it.

The first power-play unit, based on practices the past couple of days, has rookie Coronato with Huberdeau, Lindholm, Kadri and Andersson.

“He’s earned it. That’s, for me, the biggest thing,” Huska said of Coronato’s inclusion. “He’s come to play, he’s ready to shoot the puck. He’s not afraid to shoot the puck, he’s not afraid to play with those guys. He’s in that position because he’s earned it.”

The new kid in town

Greer, claimed off waivers from the Boston Bruins on Monday, had quite the trip to get across the continent that evening. Amidst trying to race across Boston in rush hour traffic to catch his flight — a fate we wouldn’t wish on many people — he was stopped for not having a registration sticker on his licence plate.

“He gave me a warning,” Greer said.

Now, the 6-foot-3, 209-lb. left wing will try to integrate himself with a new team, although his rambunctious style will help. Greer, 26, collected five goals, 12 points and 114 penalty minutes in 61 games last season in Boston.

“I’m here to do everything I can to win,” he said. “I’ll never put my team in a bad position, put them in a situation where I’m trying to be overly physical for my own benefit, but I definitely will be that physical presence and give that energy.”

Greer is not new to everybody in the Flames’ room. He played with Nikita Zadorov and Nazem Kadri in Colorado, Yegor Sharangovich in New Jersey, summer league with MacKenzie Weegar, and works out with Kadri and Andrew Mangiapane in the summer. Curiously, he and Milan Lucic have essentially traded spots and roles. After hearing Greer was heading to Calgary, Lucic reached out to him and offered to provide any advice Greer and his wife, who is due to have a baby in February.