Calgary Flames coach Ryan Huska grew up in Cranbrook, British Columbia, and the climate there doesn't exactly allow for outdoor hockey.
"It never really got all that cold when I was a younger guy," Huska said on the latest episode of the "NHL @TheRink" podcast. "Every once in a while, my dad would try. The outdoor rink would last for a little bit and then it would get soft and slushy."
Huska, though, said he's really gotten a good taste of outdoor hockey since arriving in Calgary as an assistant in 2018. He'll consume it in a major way for the second time on Oct. 29, when the Flames play the Edmonton Oilers in the 2023 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton (7 p.m. ET; TBS, SN, TVAS, MAX).
It will be Huska's second NHL outdoor game experience after working the 2019 Heritage Classic in Regina, Saskatchewan, as an assistant with the Flames, who lost 2-1 in overtime to the Winnipeg Jets at Mosaic Stadium.
"The conditions for that game were awesome," Huska said. "There was a little bit of light snow falling. It really gave it the feel of playing outside as you were as a younger guy or when I watch my son play on the ODRs (out door rinks) and have to shovel it off from time to time. It's such a neat thing. Our players are really fortunate to be a part of it. Our staff is fortunate to be a part of this. And it makes it better that it's the Battle of Alberta."
Huska talked more about the rivalry between the Flames and Oilers in the interview with co-hosts Dan Rosen and Shawn P. Roarke. He also talked about the start to his first season as an NHL head coach and how he got to this stage of his life in coaching after playing in one NHL game as a player.
This episode also features a musical interlude. Brian Slagel, the founder, chairman and CEO of Metal Blade Records, sat down with Jack Eichel and the Vegas Golden Knights center showcased his musical knowledge. Eichel talked bands and genres and much more with Slagel, who has worked with some of the most legendary artists in the industry, including Metallica and Slayer.
Slagel is also a Golden Knights season ticket holder and a massive hockey fan who has a house in Las Vegas for his memorabilia, including his collection of more than 2,000 jerseys, including 800 game-worn jerseys.
In addition, Rosen and Roarke talked about the hot starts to the season for both the Ottawa Senators and Detroit Red Wings, and were maybe guilty of overreacting to each.
The Tampa Bay Lightning's early-season struggles, ESPN's upcoming "Frozen Frenzy" on Tuesday, the potential for a de-centralized NHL Draft and Chicago Blackhawks rookie Connor Bedard's first home game in the NHL, slated for Saturday against the Colorado Avalanche at United Center, were also topics talked about on this week's episode.
The "NHL @TheRink"podcast is free and listeners can subscribe on all podcast platforms. It is also available on NHL.com/multimedia/podcasts and the NHL app.
