Practice Notebook - 08.11.24

BUFFALO — Flames head coach Ryan Huska shuffled his lines a bit Friday, as the team held a brief practice at LECOM HarborCenter ahead of Saturday’s road-trip finale against the Sabres.

Get caught up on all the goings-on with our Practice Notebook!

New Look Lines

Calgary’s forward corps looked slightly different as the team hit the ice in Buffalo Friday afternoon.

Notably, Martin Pospisil found himself back in the middle of the rink, centring a unit with Jonathan Huberdeau and Andrei Kuzmenko.

While Connor Zary, Nazem Kadri and Yegor Sharangovich formed another trio.

Head coach Ryan Huska was quick to point out that no real decisions have been made, yet, with respect to who will play where Saturday afternoon.

“There wasn’t much going on offensively for our top two lines last night until late in the game,” Huska said. “We talked about it between periods, to see if we made a certain shift, what it would look like.

“We had a chance to see them in a brief practice today, and then we’ll make a decision later tonight as to where we’re going to go.

Swimming With Sharky

After missing most of October due to injury, Yegor Sharangovich is starting to find his form.

His goal Thursday in Boston was his second over the past three games, a promising sign for the man who led Calgary with 31 markers in 2023-24.

“I think like every game, I feel a little bit better,” he said Friday. “But still, I need to play harder, and in more battles in the corners, more on the puck.”

And while ‘Sharky’ has developed quite the snapshot, which was put on display numerous times last winter, his powerplay marker against the Bruins came via a nifty deflection off a MacKenzie Weegar point shot.

It’s another part of a tool kit that is becoming more and more familiar to Flames fans, and more and more feared by opposing goaltenders.

Even if Sharangovich is a bit stoic when describing his craft.

“After practice sometimes, we’re working on deflections,” he said. “Yesterday, I just saw Weegsy wanted to shoot the puck, and I just screened through it. Just touched the puck, and that’s it.

“Sometimes you miss, sometimes you touch it.”

On The Hunt

Forward Dryden Hunt arrived in Buffalo, and skated with the team after being recalled from the AHL late Thursday.

The 28-year-old got into 28 games last season with the Flames, and has enjoyed a strong start to the campaign with the Calgary Wranglers, posting 10 points (2G, 8A) in 12 games, helping the squad to a 10-2-0 record, the best in the AHL.

“Just really excited to be back,” he said after Friday’s quick skate. “Obviously, seeing the guys today was nice. They’ve been playing pretty well, it’s been fun to watch.

“Hopefully, it’s a seamless transition and when I get my chance, I’ve got to make the most of it.”

In his time with the Flames last season, Hunt played just about every forward position, on just about every forward line.

That includes down the middle, meaning head coach Ryan Huska has another option at centre should the need arise.

Huska pointed to Hunt’s experience, but also familiarity with the system, when asked about the recall Friday.

“I think it helps,” he said. “The other thing that I think helps is, no matter who we recall in certain situations, they play the same way with the Wranglers as they would with us. So I think there’s familiarity for all the players in what we’re looking for out of them.

“Whether it’s Dryden in this situation, we know if he gets an opportunity to play, he’s going to do some great things for us.”