"Obviously, everyone's excited to be back," said Blake Coleman, who was one of only three players not to fall ill. "We're excited to get back in a game here. We've had four good days of practice now and we've got our legs back under us. Just nice to feel a little bit back to normal, as much as you can be. Obviously, a new building and a new environment for us - it will be fun."
It was way back on Dec. 11 that the Flames last played a game. It went down as a 4-2 loss to the Boston Bruins, extending a season-long losing streak to four games (0-3-1).
But all that is ancient history, now.
Three weeks later, and with four good days of practice behind them to shake off the rust, it's impossible not to view this final game of 2021, fittingly, as the beginning of a new chapter.
"There's a lot of energy in the room," Coleman said. "It feels like we're coming through training camp again with all the time off we had.
"For me, that was one of the longer breaks I've personally had in a long time. Sometimes it's good to step away for a couple days or weeks or whatever it is and get your mind right and I think we have a good mindset coming into tonight's game. Nobody's using the last few weeks as an excuse. We need to pick up running where we left off.
"It's a completely new start for us - but the confidence in our group hasn't wavered."
Head Coach Darryl Sutter cautioned the media that "execution" will suffer as a result of the long break, but the enthusiasm?
Certainly not.
The Flames are facing the expansion Seattle Kraken for the first time in regular-season action - and they'll do so with their inaugural trip to Climate Pledge Arena in the shadow of the Space Needle, where former Flames legend Mark Giordano now plies his trade,
But perhaps the greatest storyline is the addition of goaltending prospect Dustin Wolf to the Flames' active roster. The 20-year-old was recalled Thursday on an emergency basis, as backup puck-stopper Dan Vladar continues the road back from COVID.
For Wolf, it's not only his first look in The Show.
But a homecoming, of sorts, too.
"My house is only 45 minutes from here," said Wolf, who played his WHL hockey in nearby Everett, Wash. "To have some family in the building tonight will be exciting, for sure."
Wolf has been an absolute monster on the farm this year, posting a 14-0-2 record, along with a .940 save percentage and a 1.80 goals-against average with the Stockton Heat.
When he learned he was getting a ticket up to the big leagues, he immediately called his mom, Michelle.
"Being in the backyard of where my family lives now, it's obviously something that had crossed our minds (playing in Seattle) at some point over the last year," Wolf said. "It's pretty surreal. She was excited for (me) and it's obviously a big opportunity for both me and my family, who have put so much work into helping me get to this point."
While Jacob Markstrom is expected to get the call for the Flames tonight, Wolf knows that his turn is only just around the corner now.
And soaking up lessons from the Flames' No.-1 netminder can only help his already soaring career path.
"He comes to the rink every day and he wants to get better, wants to give the team a chance to win," Wolf said of his mentor. He's a tremendous competitor out there, has such a big frame, but moves like he's a smaller guy.
"Taking his work ethic and trying to add little things like that, there's a big reason why he's had so much success this year and throughout this career. Just being able to be around a guy like that does wonders."
