1. Together As One

It’s here.

After weeks of grueling on-ice sessions, and an eight-pack of preseason games, the 2024-25 regular season begins tonight in Vancouver.

And for the Flames, the new campaign brings about a sense of anticipation, but also one of unity and self-belief.

We’ve all seen the adage: Hard Work Beats Talent When Talent Doesn’t Work Hard.

But so far this fall, we’ve also seen buy-in.

From everyone.

And an acknowledgement that success is that much sweeter when it’s earned.

Make no mistake, these Flames have heard the doubters.

But head coach Ryan Huska’s focus is on what’s being built within the four walls of the Calgary dressing room.

“What happens outside of our room does not matter, what truly only matters is the belief that’s inside the room,” he said Tuesday. “So far, I like the way the guys have approached it. I think they have a lot of belief in themselves as individuals, but also in the guys that are sitting beside them. I’m really excited, I want to get our season started.

“I like what they’ve done in exhibition, and now they get an opportunity against one of the very best teams in the league. It’s going to be a good challenge for us.”

Driving that sense of belief, a group of six veterans named to the Flames’ leadership group over the weekend.

A list that includes Stanley Cup champions, long-serving NHL veterans, and a captain who has dedicated his playing career to one city since being drafted in 2007.

Nazem Kadri will don an ‘A’ for the club this year, his third as a Flame.

For him, the team’s success hinges on playing the game the right way, and taking advantage of the individual skill sets on display up and down the lineup.

“We’ve got a sneaky amount of talent in this room,” Kadri said. “We’ve got some pace, we’ve got some physicality, we’ve got a little bit of everything.

“If everyone does their job and plays well, and does it collectively, we’re good.”

2. Know Your Enemy

Expectations are high in Vancouver, after the Canucks reached the second round of the playoffs this past spring after capturing the Pacific Division title during the regular season.

The team hosted post-season games at Rogers Arena for the first time in nine years, and return a core this winter that includes 103-point man J.T. Miller and reigning Norris Trophy winner Quinn Hughes.

Vancouver added pieces over the summer, too, signing ex-Bruins Jake DeBrusk and Danton Heinen, as well as former Red Wings forward Daniel Sprong and ex-Edmonton blueliner Vincent Desharnais.

But the core remains untouched. The Canucks return their top seven scorers from 2023-24, a group that totalled 177 goals during the regular season.

Head coach Rick Tocchet pinpointed his team’s depth when asked Tuesday about things that stood out from the preseason.

“I think competition is good,” he said. “Guys know they’ve got to stay on top of their game. You can lose some minutes, you can lose a position – it doesn’t mean it’s the end of the world – but I think internal competition has helped, and it’s a close group.

“For the most part, the pace and the work ethic of the guys, I’ve really liked these past three weeks.”

2023-24 Stats

3. Fast Facts

2023-24 Season Series:

Calgary and Vancouver met four times during the 2023-24 campaign, with the Canucks coming away the victor in three of the four meetings.

The Flames’ lone triumph in last year’s season set came on home ice Nov. 16, 2023, a 5-2 Calgary decision that saw both Jonathan Huberdeau and Blake Coleman enjoy multi-point efforts.

After tonight’s game, the teams will meet again in Vancouver Nov. 12 before a pair of matchups at the Scotiabank Saddledome Dec. 31 and Mar. 12.

Did You Know?

Mikael Backlund will set a Flames franchise record when he hits the ice at Rogers Arena Wednesday night. Backlund, the second-year Calgary captain, will suit up in his 17th NHL season with the Flames, the most of any player in franchise history. The 35-year-old begins the season 10 games shy of 1,000 for his NHL career. For more on Backlund’s latest milestone, click here.

4. Honzo Time

Sam Honzek had some of his old Vancouver Giants teammates over to his apartment over the weekend, before the WHL club suffered a 4-3 defeat at the hands of the Calgary Hitmen Sunday afternoon.

It’s almost a shame his former Giants teammates will be continuing an Alberta swing tonight, since Honzek is trending toward making his NHL debut a few miles down the road from where he laced up his skates for the past two winters.

The 19-year-old has arguably been the story of Flames training camp, and for the past two days, Honzek has seen top-line billing, alongside veterans Nazem Kadri and Andrei Kuzmenko.

Calgary’s first-round pick in 2023, Honzek led the team in preseason scoring, and earned a spot on the opening-night roster thanks to a relentless work ethic, and some pretty slick hands.

Should he debut Wednesday night in Vancouver, Honzek would be well-served to do more of the same, according to his head coach.

“For him, it’s just playing the way he played through our camp,” Ryan Huska said Tuesday. “We talked to him about just using your size, use your speed to your advantage, find a way to keep winning races to loose pucks, and create some room for Kads and Kuzy.

“I think if he just enjoys his game (Wednesday), I think we’re going to get a real good night from him.”

5. Players to Watch

Flames – Nazem Kadri

Kadri led the Flames with 75 points a season ago, and starts the 2024-25 campaign as the team’s top-line centre.

The new season brings a new assignment for Kadri; gone for now are last year’s linemates in Martin Pospisil and Connor Zary, replaced by former 39-goal man Andrei Kuzmenko and – in practice this week – rookie Sam Honzek.

Kadri deserves a lot of credit for getting Pospisil and Zary up to speed last season. This year might well bring about more tutelage, though he and Kuzmenko have shown some early chemistry this fall, both on the Flames’ top line and on the No.-1 powerplay unit.

He set a personal best last season with 277 shots on goal, from which he extracted 29 tallies, a total he’s bettered only twice over the course of his 15-year NHL career.

Canucks – Elias Pettersson

Pettersson is the big money man in Vancouver this year. In fact, his $11.6-million cap hit is the biggest of any Vancouver-based athlete since Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Bryant “Big Country” Reeves each earned $10.1 million while hitting the hardwood for the 2000-01 Vancouver Grizzlies.

Pettersson’s got pedigree, though.

The former Calder Trophy winner had 89 points last season, and is just a year removed from a career-best 39-goal, 102-point campaign for the Canucks.

He skated Tuesday on a line with newcomers Jake DeBrusk – a three-time 25-goal man himself – and Daniel Sprong.

Pettersson has enjoyed playing against Calgary over the course of his career, too. In 26 contests against the Flames, the 25-year-old has averaged a point per game (12G, 14A).