Practice Notebook - 26.03.25

On the heels of Tuesday's overtime thriller against Seattle, the Flames held an optional skate Wednesday morning at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

Get caught up on the news of the day with our Practice Notebook!

On His Way Backs

Flames captain Mikael Backlund was one of the handful of skaters on the ice Wednesday morning, as he continues to work his way back from an upper-body ailment that's kept him out of the last six games.

Head Coach Ryan Huska admitted he was unable to provide a firm update on Backlund's progress, but hinted that everything is 'trending in the right direction' with respect to his captain's recovery.

No doubt, he'd love his top face-off taker back in the fold, but Calgary still went 53% in the circle without Backlund's services Tuesday night against the Kraken. Morgan Frost led the way in the dot, going 9-13.

If I Ruled The World (Imagine That)

One sleep on from that overtime thriller, all the buzz outside the Flames dressing room was still about Nazem Kadri's game-winning, breakaway tally.

And what a run it's been for the Calgary centreman, too.

Since March 2, only one player - John Tavares - has scored more than the eight goals Kadri has put home.

And Tuesday, he became the first player in Flames history to score overtime winners in back-to-back games.

"I think he’s such an underrated player in the league, he kinda has that compete and skill all at once, there’s not a lot of guys that have that," said defenceman Joel Hanley. "He just elevates his game, obviously, in the big games.

"These games, for us, are really big, so I think he’s just proving that."

And in make-or-break moments, Kadri's teammates know, too, that their top centreman will come through in the clutch.

Blake Coleman termed it as Kadri's 'it' factor in his post-game scrum Tuesday, and Adam Klapka added a bit more colour when asked about the game-winner in his media session Wednesday morning.

"It’s so sick. He is such a good hockey player, such a good person," the big winger exclaimed. "As soon as he went by himself on the net, I just told Vladdy ‘open the doors.’

"I was ready to jump on the ice, I knew he was going to score that goal."

Handy Hanley

Joel Hanley has logged more than 20 minutes of ice-time 11 times since being acquired by the Flames a year ago - but two of those occasions have come in Calgary's last three games.

The steady blueliner logged 20:42 in Tuesday's win over the Kraken, and has been even or on the plus side of the plus/minus ledger in each of his last eight games.

The soft-spoken defenceman has earned an opportunity - and done well with it - in playing heavy minutes alongside MacKenzie Weegar in the Flames' top-four.

"I remember last year, I was just so nervous," he recalled. "Because I’ve never been in a position - it was almost like you were traded, obviously waivers is different - but I just remember being super-nervous.

"I think I’ve grown a lot since then."

Now 235 games into his NHL career, the 33-year-old faces his former Dallas Stars mates Thursday evening.

Hanley spent parts of six seasons with the Stars, and reminisced fondly on his time there Wednesday.

"My time in Dallas, it kind of put me on the map," he said. "They gave me a chance - they have a great organization - and I loved my time there.

"But being able to come here, and getting an opportunity to play a lot, the coaches believed in me."

He's found a home on the Calgary blue line, and over the past year, he's found a home in the Stampede City, too.

"I love it here," he said.

"I’m just trying to make the most of it."