'We're Building Something'

BUFFALO – It was your classic redemption arc.

From narrowly missing on a yawning cage, to cashing in with a deft tip only moments later, Dillon Dube experienced every imaginable emotion in those agonizing 36 seconds in Washington.

“I missed an empty net, so that's never the best feeling,” Dube chuckled following Thursday’s morning skate. “But to get it right after?

“That was nice.”

In all fairness, Dube was pressured from behind and the stick of John Carlson may have impeded what looked like a simple backdoor tap on the feed from Adam Ruzicka.

Dube, though, was clearly upset with himself. He looked skyward at the next whistle before doubling over and mouthing some words not fit for print. But No. 29 – who already had an assist, having set up the icebreaker with a splendid centering feed – did what he does best:

He went straight back to work.

“You always put a little more pressure on yourself at the start of a year,” Dube said. “In and around Game 40, if you don't score for two games or something like that, it's really no big deal. But I was telling myself, 'I can't be worried about my totals at the start of the year.' 

“The biggest thing is getting wins for the team and that's what we need to do right now.

“We want to win out on this trip.

“The personal stuff – if you do the right things – it’s going to come.”

And it has.

That Dube is off to such a lucrative start offensively is a boon for a Flames team in need of some scoring punch. The 25-year-old is among those in a large group looking to take the next step and become more of a consistent threat in a regular top-six role – and for Dube, specifically, the signs have been there for some time. 

Of his (career-best) 45 points last year, 37 of them came at on 5-on-5. That mark was second only to the now-departed Tyler Toffoli, and a significant improvement from the year prior when he scored roughly half that at evens to finish 11th in EV scoring.

“It’s all about earning your spot,” Dube said of his line with Nazem Kadri at centre and Ruzicka patrolling the left side. “This is the type of role I want to be in and I want to stay here the whole year. There were a lot of up-and-down changes throughout the lineup that made things different for me a lot of nights last year. This year, I want to stay where I am – stay in an offensive role – and do that for 82 games.”

There’s no reason to believe he can’t, especially with the progression we’ve seen over the past few years. 

His point totals have risen drastically in each of his five seasons and with some additional powerplay time this year, it’s hard to imagine a scenario where the numbers don’t take another massive leap forward.

Sure, that speaks to his pedigree as a former WHL standout, a second-round draft pick, and a key player on the international stage – but it also says plenty of Dube’s commitment to his craft.

For him, nothing happens by accident. He simply wants it more than most.

In September, Dube was announced as the ‘Fittest Flame’ for the third consecutive year – a credit to his dedication over the off-season, beginning with a hard summer training program that kicked off only a few weeks into the spring. 

“I was getting back from vacation and probably wanted another week or so off, but I found out (Mikael Backlund) was in the gym already,” Dube said of the captain’s infamous ‘12-day’ return to the gym. He was texting me with absolutely zero pressure, seeing where I was at, if I was back in town and stuff like that. But I felt a little guilty about not showing up, so I followed him and got back into the daily routine and the life we live over the summers.

“It's not easy. It's a grind. The summers are arguably tougher than the season because you're waiting for hockey nonstop and you're in the gym working your body pretty hard.

“But summers are long – especially when you're not in the playoffs and that was the case for us last year, so I wanted to put in the work to make sure I would be ready to hit the ground running in the fall. 

“It was tough getting in that early, but it definitely paid off.”

Rick Davis – the Flames Head Strength Coach – agrees. He says Dube’s work ethic is off the charts and that there isn’t a day that goes by where No. 29 doesn’t set the bar for the rest of the players.

“It's contagious. You can feel it. It’s actually tangible, the amount hard work that he puts in,” Davis told FlamesTV’s Brendan Parker last month. “It shifts the whole energy of our training session. He takes our training group to the next level and he is so critical and vital to this team.”

A lot of that comes natural for Dube, who’s always been a bit of a gym rat. 

But now that’s a veteran of the NHL game, the stakes are even higher. And he won’t leave anything to chance. 

“I remember when I first started as an 18, 19-year-old with them. I was nervous the first couple summers coming in. Now, it's nice being one of the older guys seeing the younger guys coming in during the summer and trying to help them out and push the pace a little bit. You know, welcome them to pro hockey."

And, again, set a new standard for what it means to be a Flame.

Just like in the gym, Dube – who’s been instrumental in helping redefine the culture – has no intention of slowing down on the ice, either. 

“Even that Pittsburgh game, I think we played well together and deserved a goal or two... Maybe that's why I missed the open net and got one right after,” Dube laughed. “It's funny how hockey works.

“I do think we're building something. We had a lot of games together in exhibition, but I still think there's another level there, for sure. 

“But it's early and I like the chemistry our line's building.”