'LOOKING FORWARD TO TONIGHT'

MONTREAL - When the Flames acquired Tyler Toffoli last season, the immediate response was joy from the C of Red.
From the Montreal side of the equation? Their fanbase was very vocal about their love for the winger, with a constant stream of messages on social media wishing him and his wife Cat and their dog Dodger all the best in his new city.
Tonight, he makes his first trip back to Bell Centre since joining the Flames and the reaction when a player returns to face their former club generally goes one of three ways: thunderous applause, boos, or a combination of the pair.
What kind of response from the fans is Toffoli expecting?
"Hopefully a good one," he laughed. "We'll see what happens. I know how it normally goes here, so I'm just excited to be back and hopefully get a win."

Trips to Montreal are always special for players who don't get to make the trek to Bell Centre often during the season, so regardless of how the crowd reacts to his return, he can't wait to hit the ice tonight.
"Teams are always so excited to come here. The fans are extremely passionate and it kind of goes both ways. So, we're looking forward to tonight and I'm looking forward to coming back."

Toffoli played a big role for the Habs during his time in Montreal, both on and off the ice. He played a crucial role for the Canadiens in their playoff run in 2021, scoring five goals and 14 points through 22 games. In the locker-room, he provided leadership for a very young roster who benefitted from his experience and mentorship.
"I think coming in, I didn't really know anybody," he said of that period of his career. "Being one of the older guys, just try and take that role and leadership, and hopefully the things that I said and did go a long way for them. I had a lot of fun for them and some really good memories."
One member of the Canadiens roster that he remains quite close with is centre Jake Evans. The pair were able to get together on Sunday evening, catching up before squaring off tonight.

"We lived in the same apartment building, so it was easy after games and stuff to hang out," he said of their friendship. (My) wife and his girlfriend got along really well. It definitely made things easier and kind of helped get through the COVID year."
While he cherishes his time with his former teammates, tonight it's all business as the Flames look to close out their road trip with a win. They were able to pick up a point in Toronto on Saturday in a hard-fought 5-4 overtime setback and feel they're building momentum.
On an individual note, Toffoli likes how his game has taken shape in the first few months of the season. He is third in team scoring with 20 points and second in goals scored with 10 through 28 games.
"I think it's been going pretty well. Obviously some ups and downs, but for the most part I feel like I've been pretty consistent. I'm happy with my game, just being able to do the little things and help our team win games."