For an athlete, being the odd man out of the lineup has to be tough. That competitive fire inside all of us is magnified under the spotlight of pro sports.
But Miromanov had help in remaining sound of body and sound of mind, as he awaited his next opportunity to make an impact.
“I give a lot of thanks to the coaching staff. There were times I wasn’t playing, but they kept me in shape, and I was always ready mentally and physically,” the defenceman said after Thursday’s morning skate, ahead of the team's tilt with the Dallas Stars CLICK FOR TICKETS. “When I stepped in, I felt like I didn’t really miss anything. My head was there, felt like everything was right.
“It feels good to play, and most importantly, it feels good to help the team win.”
And for the Flames, winning is the thing. They take a four-game streak into another must-win contest with Dallas.
But unique to this latest run of success, the fact the locals have rallied from deficits every time, including in that wild, 4-3 OT thriller Tuesday night against the Kraken.
It’s that mindset, according to Miromanov, that’s helped the team stay grounded amid the ups and downs of the past 70 games.
But it’s an attitude he figures started right from the drop of the puck in October.
“I think it started from the first game against Vancouver, the opening game of the year,” he recalled. “You look around the room, there’s no quitting in this room. No matter what, we never quit, we never give up. We came back numerous times, and then, it was just that we had that belief.”
Miromanov has had to bide his time - at times - over the course of his career.
But that hasn’t stopped the 27-year-old from putting his best foot forward. He’s up to 42 appearances on the season with the Flames, more than double his previous NHL best.
“The more experience you have, the more you understand that you have no idea what’s going to happen tomorrow,” he said. “It’s understanding that you’ve always got to be ready, you’ve always got to be prepared and making sure, you know, when that opportunity comes, you’re not caught off guard. This might be the only opportunity you ever get.
“It’s having that mentality, having the resilience to wake up every single day and give it 110%, just showing up, really doing your best and growing, no matter what.”
And as the Flames continue their chase for a post-season berth, no less than 110% will do.
Miromanov - like his teammates - is ready and willing to do whatever it takes, whenever he’s called upon.
“It’s all about the team success,” he said. “We’re really pushing here for playoffs, it’s an exciting time.”
