SWEDE EMOTION

By now, Johannes Kinnvall is no stranger to these parts.
His earlier, welcome-to-the-big-leagues moment came in 2019 when he arrived at Flames Development Camp as an undrafted invite. Then, he had a monster showing across the pond in the months after and parlayed that into an NHL contract the following spring.
Now, more than two years after that first positive first impression, the talented blueliner is about to give fans their first look at what's in store.
Sure, it's only a prospect camp - the start of a long grind and the conduit between ranks for many of these apple-cheeked newcomers.
But there's little that screams 'rookie' about this 24-year-old dynamo.
"We're really excited about having him in our organization," said Flames Director of Player Development, Ray Edwards. "Just watching him out there now, it's obvious how good of shape he's in. He was one of the leaders for us in that category when we did our testing earlier this week, so we know he did the work in the off-season.
"Typically, these guys that have played a couple years at a high level, they know the deal. They know the summer is important and how to best take care of their bodies, to put themselves in a good position to succeed.
"He's done that.
"Now, he's here in camp and is giving us a good showing so far."

Kinnvall's two-year deal begins this year as he officially makes the transition to North America. He spent the past three seasons playing full-time in Sweden's top tier, the SHL, amassing 84 points (30G, 54A) in 135 games.
Last year with HV71, he was limited to only 32 games due to injury, but still put up a whopping 22 points (7G, 15) - a pace that would have had him within an eyelash of the team scoring lead, had he completed the entire, 52-date schedule.
"To be able to produce at that rate, in a league where there are typically a lot of 2-1 and 3-2 games, is pretty impressive," Edwards said. "Now it's about him understanding how to change the way he plays a little bit to adapt to the style over here.
"Things are going to happen a little bit quicker and things aren't quite as controlled over here as they are in Sweden, with how tight their structure is on the larger ice.
"But one of the reasons we really liked this guy is that he's got really good hockey sense. Our Swedish guys have raved about that part of his game for years."

Three of Kinnvall's goals last year came on the powerplay - so it should come as no surprise that the 6-foot, 187-lb. rearguard will quarterback Calgary's top unit on Saturday, as the Flames Rookies take on the Edmonton Oilers Rookies at Rogers Place.
In practice on Friday, he was picking corners from the right high slot, and making good, smart plays to set up one-timers for Dmitry Zavgorodniy, Jakob Pelletier and Connor Zary.
Tracing back to his formative years in Gävle - home to Flames puck-stopper Jacob Markstrom - he was always putting up big numbers.
But more recently - and with the goal of one day playing in the NHL - he knew he had to tighten up his game defensively.
In fact, that was motivation for spending one more season in Sweden.
"I really wanted to focus on that and felt that playing back home would give me the best opportunity," said Kinnvall, who said he averaged about 20 minutes per game in the SHL last year. "That was my goal last year - to play harder, more physical, and really work on my positional play.
"Obviously, I had a few injuries last year and that was tough knowing I was on the right track, but in the 30 or so games I did play, I could really feel that my game was going where I wanted it to."
Certainly, the Flames feel the same.
Kinnvall has a number of high-end skills, but perhaps his greatest asset is his ability to transport the puck with an excellent show of edge-work and top-end speed - or, simply distributing it with a crisp, hard feed to kickstart the breakout.
"That's something you have to do nowadays," Edwards said. "You have to get back quick, to be able to scan and distribute the puck. And that's what he does best. So, the big thing for him is to adapt to the physical style and the competitive stuff around the net, being able to box guys out in front of the net and be strong and check hard."
Fortunately for Kinnvall, he won't have to wait long for his 'rookie' initiation. He's the grizzled vet of the group, more than five years older than fellow powerplay quarterback, Jeremie Poirier. But that hasn't quelled the nerves of what the next few days will bring. Indeed, it's only a rookie game - but it's also Kinnvall's very first in North America.
And he couldn't have picked a better opponent.
"I'm really excited," he said of the upcoming tilts against the Oilers. "Of course, I'm also a bit nervous.
"I haven't played in these smaller rinks before, so that's a new thing for me. But I hope that we can go out there and have fun and try to win.
"I've heard so much about the Battle of Alberta.
"It's going to be fun."