Flames notebook: Markstrom opens camp with classy gesture - Sportsnet.ca

It would be tough to think of a better way for Jacob Markstrom to open his six-year relationship with the Calgary Flames and its fan base.

No, not with a handful of big saves in his camp debut Monday.

But by picking up the phone to call a Flames legend a few days earlier with an eye on asking permission to wear his beloved No. 25.

Previously worn in Calgary by Hall of Famer Joe Nieuwendyk, the number has been in circulation despite the fact the three-time Stanley Cup winner has been officially honoured as one of the franchise greats.

“You do a little research and see the history of the number with a pretty good player in Nieuwendyk wearing it - and also it’s up in the rafters - so I asked for permission from the team and also asked for his number,” said the 30-year-old Swede, who signed a $36-million deal in the off-season to be Calgary’s go-to goalie.

“I called him and asked if it was okay with him to wear it, to show respect after coming to a new team. He said he was totally fine with it and appreciated the call. It’s a number that’s special to me. I’ve had it for a long time. It’s nice for me to be able to wear it here.”

Classy move.

The only numbers retired by the Flames are Nos. 9, 12 and 30, worn by Lanny McDonald, Jarome Iginla and Mike Vernon. Nieuwendyk and Al MacInnis were honoured as part of a controversial Forever a Flame induction that kept their numbers open.

“Calgary sent me a tribute video of him, so it’s nice to see - coming from Sweden you don’t really know that much about him, but the things he was doing and the numbers he put up he obviously had a huge impact on the Calgary Flames,” said Markstrom, who wore 25 in Vancouver where he emerged a Vezina candidate the last two years.

“He obviously loved it here. It was an honour talking to him. He said, ‘go ahead.’ He didn’t expect the call, but appreciated it.”

As should Flames fans.

OPENING LINES

Brad Treliving warned everyone not to pay too much attention to Day 1 line combinations, as they’ll likely change throughout camp.

However, plenty of interesting trios and duos to start with:

Tkachuk-Lindholm-Leivo

Gaudreau-Monahan-Simon

Mangiapane-Backlund-Bennett

Lucic-Ryan-Dube

Giordano-Tanev

Hanifin-Andersson

Valimaki-Nesterov

• Josh Leivo said Monday he was told before signing in Calgary he’d be put in a position to be an offensive-minded player, which is exactly where the right-handed free-agent signing opened camp. The 27-year-old former Leaf and Canuck has had a hard time staying healthy in his career, but insists the major surgery on his fractured knee suffered last Christmas is behind him.

• Coach Geoff Ward said Giordano and Tanev were paired together Monday to work on special teams, as the two will likely kill penalties together. “Probably by the end of camp you’ll see (Tanev) with some younger guys.” That younger guy will likely be Noah Hanifin, who skated Monday with Rasmus Andersson, who is expected to play alongside Giordano.

• All coaches wore masks throughout the two sessions, which both ended with rigorous skating drills. Practices also included spirited, one-on-one battle drills with an eye on trying to get players used to the upcoming contact they’ve been missing since the summer.

• Open only to the media, the Saddledome is filled with two-by-fours as the team frames the rinkside seats much like the NHL did in the playoff bubble in Edmonton.

JOHNNY ON THE SPOT

Two seasons ago, Johnny Gaudreau finished tied with Nathan MacKinnon for seventh in NHL scoring with 99 points. Last year he was 46th with 58 points and half of the 36 goals he had a year earlier. It has been well documented his playoffs also left plenty to be desired.

Speaking for the first time since then, he was asked if he thought it was accurate to suggest he’s looking for a bounce-back season.

“I’m just going to play my game like I do every year, work hard and try to help my team win games and go from there,” said Gaudreau, a man of few words.

Gaudreau got engaged in the summer to his girlfriend, Meredith, who is a nurse at the Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia.

“Special time, obviously. Someone special to me. It turned out to be a good 2020 for us.”

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2021-01-04 23:06:00Z
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