Buzz around Flames, city of Calgary as training camp looms

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Jonathan Huberdeau felt excited with a renewed sense of purpose at the airport when he first arrived in Calgary. For MacKenzie Weegar, the same feelings overcame him while he was shopping at one of the city’s malls. Nazem Kadri felt it immediately after signing his seven-year deal. 

After an unprecedented off-season where they lost stars Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk, Calgary’s newest roster additions are feeling the excitement from fans as the team heads into training camp for the upcoming season with arguably a better roster than the one that shocked the hockey world in winning the Pacific Division in 2021-22 before bowing out to Edmonton in Round 2 of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

“I’m excited,” the 29-year-old Huberdeau said.

“I was in Florida for 10 years. It wasn’t obviously a hockey market…you go around town, you get recognized. In Florida, it wouldn’t really happen.”

Huberdeau did sneak in a Costco run without getting recognized very much, but those days are likely now few and far between for the native of Saint-Jerome, Que., and his teammates in Calgary.

“A lot of people have come up to me in the city,” Weegar said.

“They’re really excited for this season with Johnny, and I and Naz and a couple of new faces…I’m excited just as much as they are.”

Over the past two seasons, the 28-year-old Weegar is 15th among all NHL blueliners with 80 points. His plus-69 rating is second only to Devon Toews of the Colorado Avalanche. He is one of the league’s more underrated blueliners, and will now showcase his abilities in front of one of the more passionate fanbases in the league.

“I think I’m sort of like a hybrid defenceman,” the Ottawa product said.

“Play strong defensively but can also get up in the