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The Calgary Flames are right down to a half-dozen dates remaining within the 2023-24 marketing campaign.
Whereas this retooling crew has already been eradicated from the playoff race, listed here are six storylines to observe as they play out the string …
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HOMETOWN HERO?
Rookie puck-stopper Dustin Wolf has an opportunity to understand a lifelong dream Tuesday because the Flames open a three-game road-trip in San Jose. Wolf hails from Morgan Hill, Calif., and his childhood house is a couple of 20-minute drive from the Sharks’ residence rink. His mother and father have been season-ticket holders and his mother tells a heartwarming story about attending video games whereas pregnant, and the way Dustin would all the time appear to be kicking up a storm on these nights. Now 22, it could be particular for Wolf to start out in his hometown and likewise to have an opportunity to avenge that 6-3 shellacking from the Sharks in mid-February, the hardest outing of his profession up to now.
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DOOZY OF A DOUBLE
Flames workhorse MacKenzie Weegar is on the point of an unprecedented double. Along with his subsequent snipe, and so long as he retains up his selfless play in his personal zone, Weegar can grow to be the primary dude in league lore to register 20 targets and 200 blocked photographs in the identical season. With six video games to go, ‘Weegs’ has up to now scored 19 and dead-ended 193 pucks with a skate, a shin-pad or another physique half. The 30-year-old has been a both-zones vibrant spot for the Flames, and a slice of NHL historical past could be a pleasant strategy to cap off the most effective marketing campaign of his profession up to now.
PLAYING THE ODDS
You’re not a nasty fan should you hope the losses will to proceed to pile up — or should you’re abruptly an enormous supporter of the Ottawa Senators, Arizona Coyotes and Montreal Canadiens, the three golf equipment that might nonetheless bump the Flames slightly additional down the leaguewide standings. With a dreadful 1-8 document over their previous 9, the locals have now tumbled to 25th total. If it stays that means, they’d have the eighth-best odds within the draft lottery, with a 6% shot on the high choice. Perhaps the Flames will lastly get fortunate with the ping-pong balls. Macklin Celebrini would look good in crimson, wouldn’t he?
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POTENTIAL PIVOTS
Connor Zary and Martin Pospisil have been among the many centres-of-attention on the Saddledome this season. Query is, can both of those rookie wingers be a long-term answer on the centre place? With the Flames skinny on pivot prospects, now’s prime-time to discover the chance. The experiment has already began with the 22-year-old Zary, who was manning the center of the ice in Saturday’s loss to the Edmonton Oilers and earned a optimistic evaluate from head coach Ryan Huska. The skipper appears torn on whether or not to strive Pospisil at centre, maybe frightened the 24-year-old wrecking ball wouldn’t be as impactful on the forecheck whereas balancing the added defensive duties.
THIRTY-SOMETHINGS
Yegor Sharangovich received the race to 30 targets, hitting that mark with a depraved blast on the power-play throughout Saturday’s Battle of Alberta. Blake Coleman wants another notch to bump his personal whole to 30, which might be a heck of an achievement for a defence-first ahead. If he’s nonetheless caught on 29 with solely a pair video games to go, you’ll be able to guess Coleman’s buddies will probably be doing their darnedest to supply a setup. So long as he completes the feat, it’ll mark solely the fourth time over the previous decade that the Flames have completed a season with a number of 30-goal males.
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ANOTHER DEBUT?
Who doesn’t love a solo lap, the customary welcome for any new arrival previous to his NHL debut? Might we see one other over the following week and alter? Many followers are pining for a glimpse of Jeremie Poirier, however the offensive-minded defenceman is presently on the shelf — the 21-year-old has had rotten damage luck this season — and will not be an choice. Fellow blue-line prospect Artem Grushnikov, acquired in a commerce in late February, can also be banged up. Whereas he wouldn’t obtain the solo-lap therapy, you could possibly make a case that right-winger Adam Klapka has earned one other call-up. The 23-year-old tower has piled up 10 targets and 18 factors in his previous 18 appearances with the AHL’s Wranglers.
wgilbertson@postmedia.com
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