'Excited To Be Here'

In the building and over the broadcast you could hear, loud and clear, MacKenzie Weegar screaming “Atta boy, Solo.”

This came after Ilya Solovyov made a couple big blocks on the penalty-kill during the Flames last preseason game in Winnipeg on Wednesday, that had the vet and entire bench fired up.

“It’s part of my job,” Solovyov said. “It’s what the coaches want to see for me. I did it pretty well last year, blocking shots and I love to do it for my team, for my goalies. I know it can help the team win the game, help my goalies to have an extra second rest after the shot.

“I love it and that’s what I want to do for my team.”

This was just one instance of the 23-year-old impressing throughout Flames training camp and preseason action, as he also scored a beauty of a goal last week in Seattle off the rush.

And, he’ll get the opportunity to further showcase what he can do on both sides of the puck as he draws into the lineup for tonight's preseason clash against the Oilers.

“I’m so excited to be here,” he said. “NHL training camp is a good part of the season. This is the part where you can show the coaches and GM what you can do. I’m just so excited to just sit here with all the guys. Everyone has helped me, I just try to learn a little bit of everything from all of them, take the best of what they say.

“Especially with guys like Andersson, Hanifin, Tanev, Zadorov to learn from, these guys are idols for me. I remember four years ago being in Belarus and watching them play. It means a lot to me to be here and learn as much as I can.

“(The goal) is for sure to stay here and be better every day. I want to show the coaches I can play here.”

This past summer proved to be a crucial one for Solovyov, staying in Calgary to work on his game, specifically with skating coach Danielle Fujita.

There were few off days. 

“Most part of summer I was here in Calgary, Monday to Friday, sometimes double skates in the morning with Danielle,” he said. “It was a pretty hard summer but what I needed.

“It was big for me to get ready for the season, skating in the morning and evening with her. She’s helped and taught me a lot of stuff. To be here and skate three times a week was a huge benefit to have.”

While his focus remains on that goal of cracking the opening-night roster, putting on the Flaming C jersey does offer moments of reflection.

From his minor hockey days, to being drafted back in 2020, to playing on Scotiabank Saddledome ice, it’s been quite the journey.

“My family, especially my father, did a lot to help me come here,” he said. “I want to say thank you to my family and my wife especially. She stayed with me two years here and didn’t go home, she’s supported me a lot.

“I’m so happy, my family is happy and that means a lot. It’s a huge step up, I was playing in a small town when I first started to play hockey and now to be here in this locker-room playing with my idols. When I look back sometimes I think ‘oh my god.’

“I have to keep taking steps up and then after I can look back and think ‘yeah, I did it.’”