Five milestones Flames players can hit in the final two games

Article content material

The Calgary Flames have precisely two video games remaining of their schedule.

The playoffs aren’t a risk and haven’t been for some time, however there are nonetheless a number of profession milestones that particular person guys are taking part in for.

Article content material

And the Flames are going to do every little thing they’ll to assist them hit their marks.

“You need to see these guys hit these milestones,” Zary mentioned. “Clearly, they could say it’s not an enormous deal and so they’re completely happy simply profitable video games however I believe at the back of their minds we need to see them hit it simply as a lot as they need to hit these milestones.

Article content material

“We’ll attempt to get that achieved in these subsequent two video games right here.”

It’s not simply the gamers saying that, both. The Flames coaches need to see their guys rewarded, too, and whereas they don’t need anybody abandoning the sport plan to get a man an additional shot on internet, they’re completely happy to see their gamers making an attempt to assist each other out.

“They matter,” mentioned Flames head coach Ryan Huska. “You need it to all the time be a workforce recreation, however there are issues like getting 30 objectives or 20 for a defenceman that matter and teammates know that, too.

“There are conditions the place if they’ll, they’re going to do every little thing they’ll to attempt to assist these guys rating that objective. As a lot as it’s about workforce, these milestones are vital as a result of it solidifies the kind of season that sure people have for us.”

Listed below are 5 milestones that the Flames might hit of their ultimate two video games:

1. MacKenzie Weegar getting 20 objectives

As my colleague Wes Gilbertson uncovered final week, Weegar can grow to be the primary NHLer to attain 20 objectives and block 200 photographs in the identical season because the league began holding information on shot-blocking in 2005-06.

Article content material

Article content material

He’s been a revelation in his second season with the Flames and has sailed previous his earlier excessive of eight objectives in a 12 months.

He already received to 200 blocked photographs, however he’s sitting on 19 objectives with two video games to go and solely three defencemen within the NHL have extra.

If the 30-year-old does end the season with 19 objectives, it doesn’t take away from what’s been a incredible 12 months from begin to end.

It will be a outstanding feather in his cap, although.

2. Nazem Kadri scoring 30

Kadri has scored 30 objectives in a season twice earlier than, each in the direction of the top of his stint with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

However getting there a 3rd time could be an enormous deal, too, even when he downplayed that when he was requested after Sunday evening’s two-goal efficiency towards the Arizona Coyotes.

“It actually doesn’t matter to me in any respect,” Kadri mentioned. “Fortunately received scorching, clearly I’ve proved I can get there earlier than and I can by no means promote myself quick however my linemates are taking part in nice and my teammates are setting me up with probabilities.”

Kadri has been arguably the Flames’ greatest participant this 12 months and introduced out the very best in rookies Connor Zary and Martin Pospisil. He deserves a tonne of credit score for his angle all through tough circumstances.

Article content material

Attending to 30 could be a simply reward.

3. Thirty for Blake Coleman, too

There’s no query Coleman would already be at 30 objectives if he hadn’t gotten injured on April 9 towards the San Jose Sharks.

He’s now missed three video games, although, and received’t seem in Tuesday’s matchup with the Vancouver Canucks.

The Flames are hopeful that he’ll be out there Thursday towards the Sharks and that can give him one recreation to get the objective he must hit the 30-mark for the primary time in his profession.

“He places individuals first, so when he’s near a milestone as a result of he’s that method, guys need to repay or reward him for that,” Huska mentioned. “Hopefully, we are able to get him again in one in every of these video games.”

Coleman, the winner of the Peter Maher Good Man Award for 2023-24, has 29 objectives and 23 assists this 12 months, each of that are profession highs.

4. Enjoying in all 82

In the event that they play within the final two video games of the season, 4 gamers could have skated in each single contest for the group in 2023-24.

These guys? Kadri, Weegar, Mikael Backlund and Yegor Sharangovich.

It will be the primary time Weegar and Sharangovich have performed in all 82, whereas Kadri’s achieved it twice beforehand — together with 2022-23 for the Flames — and this could mark a severely spectacular fifth time that Backlund has pulled it off.

Article content material

Enjoying in each recreation isn’t simple and it will probably solely be achieved by a mix of a dedication to health and a few critical toughness.

“They know tips on how to deal with days off, they know tips on how to deal with their time to get the utmost restoration that they should have,” Huska mentioned.

5. Get a primary one

Adam Klapka and Ilya Solovyov have an opportunity to gather a souvenir puck earlier than the season is thru.

Scoring for the primary time within the NHL could be a particular second for each of them, and a confidence enhance earlier than going again to the AHL for a playoff run with the Calgary Wranglers.

Solovyov has performed in eight video games this season and has recorded two assists, whereas Klapka will return to the Flames lineup after going pointless in a four-game stint again in January.

daustin@postmedia.com

X: @DannyAustin_9

Article content material