'Everyone's Excited'

It’s different this year.

You can feel it.

The buzz reverberating through the rink isn’t at all unique to Calgary, but the reasoning for it… is.

Motivation comes in many forms, but for the forward-thinking 2023-24 Flames, it’s impossible not to look back on the perils of last year and know they’re capable of more.

“I think it's because embarrassment, the disappointment,” said a smiling Jacob Markstrom, who himself is poised to bounce back after a challenging campaign that saw the locals miss out on the spring dance by a measly two points.

“I want to look forward, but those two words – I think – showed up in a lot of guys’ heads and minds after the season.

“But we’re looking ahead and everyone’s excited.”

That goes double for the steely-eyed Markstrom, who put up an .892 save percentage last year, but has come back looking refreshed and predictably dialled in on the task at hand. More than that, it was good to see the 33-year-old – who wears his heart on his sleeve – wearing a smile that said even more than his powerful words did.

Too often last year he spoke in absolutes, brusquely assessing his own play and wearing the losses harder than anyone. It’s unlikely that that fiery persona will deviate much – but not letting the past influence the future is a good first step to returning to form.

And for a ‘tender that was a Vezina finalist in the spring of 2022, the belly burns hotter than ever before.

“I think everybody is excited to come back and everybody wants to play and for the games to start,” he said. “It's a great feeling in the room and everybody realizes we have to come together. There are jobs to be taken and people are pushing from (below) with the Wranglers' success last year and some higher draft picks. There are spots to be taken and it's a whole new competition out there, so it's good for us.”

Ultimately, the proof is in the pudding – and words only do so much before the puck drops and the standings take effect on Oct. 11 against the Winnipeg Jets.

But it was clear after the year the Flames endured that a change was needed. With a new general manager, new head coach, and a new reason to smile, the players can’t help but see the possibilities in front of them.

“There is no doubt about it,” Head Coach Ryan Huska said of the importance of maintaining a positive atmosphere. “It's like in any walk of life. If you enjoy going to work every day, the job is that much easier to do. And it's no different for these guys.

“Sometimes I even catch myself. These guys are the best at what they do. ... (But) they have bad days just like anyone else. It's important that they know when they come to the rink that they're going to get pushed to get better every day, but they're going to enjoy being around each other. And that's what we have to create. It's easy to say that now, but when everything starts to get going for real and when we go into a stretch where we face a little adversity, that's the challenge.

“It's a challenge for the coaching staff so we stay status quo, and it's a challenge to our players that, 'Hey, if we're in a situation where things aren't going our way, we're staying the same.' Because eventually – with good people in the room – they're going to pull themselves out of it.”

The players have already bought into that message. Yes, there’s work to do – and after falling short of their goal last year, it’s clear how invested they’ll need to be from now until April, May and June.

But they won’t get there without a foundation. One they can fall back on.

Believe in.

And be proud of.

“I feel like guys are walking around here upbeat, a lot of smiles, clear-minded, fresh – however you want to put it, guys are ready to go,” said stud defenceman MacKenzie Weegar, who got a head start on the ‘Summer of Change’ by winning a gold medal at the IIHF World Hockey Championship in May. “I want us to dig into this season and get started.

“It was a long off-season for a lot of guys. Clear your mind, get back into shape.

“Ultimately, I think that comes with a new organizational change. That was needed for everybody. You come in here with new systems, new teammates, new linemates… Shake it up. Just changing the identity, changing the culture, all for the better.

“And you can tell on Day 1.