Flames training camp preview: Incoming arena, roster reset bring fresh vibe

CALGARY — Expectations in the marketplace are low, but excitement is sky high in Calgary where the Flames fan base is jacked up about a new arena and the first full rebuild in club history.

As a crowd of 9,000 for Monday’s prospects game can attest, the locals are focused on the next generation of Flames who will be pillars of the franchise as it moves across the street to Scotia Place.

Main camp will open with all eyes on the size and continued development of prized defenceman Zayne Parekh, whose rookie season was marred by injury and confidence issues.

A sublime skater whose ability to dominate from the back end was on full display when he was loaned to Canada’s world junior squad, he was told to spend the summer trying to put more meat on a six-foot-one, 179-pound frame that found itself in harm’s way far too often last year.

“I saw him – he’s not huge, but I can tell he’s stronger,” reported GM Craig Conroy with a grin. “Even when I grabbed his shoulder, I’m like, ‘OK, I like it.’ He’s not going to be Tony Twist, but he definitely looks like he’s put on some weight and he’s looked good in the skates.”

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Last year, Parekh had a rough training camp and entered the season with some self-doubt, but in the final few weeks of the season Parekh’s swagger and skill were on full display, giving the locals a glimpse of what they hoped they’d see when he was drafted ninth overall in 2025.

How that translates into camp will be interesting to watch, as will the jockeying for positions amongst youngsters like Matvei Gridin, Tyson Gross, Aydar Suniev and Jonathan Castagna.

Four of the franchises’s most exciting cornerstones won’t be in camp — Cole Reschny, Carson Carels, Cullen Potter and Ethan Wyttenbach — but they have all declared their intention to join the Flames right after their college seasons end.

Indeed, lots to look forward to.

Salary cap space: $14.8 million

Head coach: Ryan Huska

Assistant coaches: Dave Lowry, Trent Cull, Cail MacLean, Jordan Sigalet, Jason LaBarbera (goalies)

Unsigned players: Brennan Othmann

Key additions: Simon Nemec, Jacob Middleton, Maxim Tsyplakov

Key subtractions: Blake Coleman, Olli Maatta

1. Is Parekh ready to be an impact player?

If not for the old CBA rules, which dictated last season that Parekh was ineligible to toil in the minors (save for a conditioning stint), the rambunctious defenceman would almost certainly have spent the bulk of last season in the AHL, building confidence as a 19-year-old.

A new season gives hope that Parekh is ready to start making strides towards being a staple on the power play. His camp will help determine where he’ll fit in on the organizational depth chart.

2. Who will push to be the team’s fourth centre?

Morgan Frost, Ryan Strome and Mikael Backlund are locks up the middle, but it has yet to be determined who will emerge as an opening day fixture at centre. Is it Martin Pospisil’s gig to lose, or would they rather keep him on the wing?

Is this the year Connor Zary moves to the middle? Late-season college signing Tyson Gross might have the upper hand against young competitors, but Jonathan Castagna (acquired in the MacKenzie Weegar deal) will also press hard.

3. Can Alex Nylander make good on his PTO by showing he can help create offence?

Conroy was hesitant to bring anyone else to camp, as he wants the youngsters to have every opportunity to emerge. However, this team needs to find goals somewhere, and the 28-year-old son of former Flame Michael Nylander had 24 of them last season with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies.

4. Which seven defencemen start the season in the bigs?

The Flames open camp with 12 defencemen with NHL experience, which means several will start the season in the minors. Where will newbie Simon Nemec fit in amongst the top four?

Those fighting for the seventh and eighth spots include Hunter Brzustewicz, Joel Hanley, Brayden Pachal and Abram Wiebe.

5. How long will Jonathan Huberdeau be out?

We might not get the answer in camp, as he won’t start right away and has been given no timeline on a return from hip resurfacing surgery. The plan for him is to skate alone, or with coaches, at first.

When he’s comfortable enough to join the group, he will. No rush at all, as he’s just seven months out from his surgery, which can require up to nine months of recovery.

6. Who will get letters?

By the end of camp, the Flames will hand out another A to replace departed players like Blake Coleman, Nazem Kadri and Weegar. Joel Farabee was given a temporary A late last season, but this year the plan is to add one other associate captain to join Huberdeau.

Farabee is a frontrunner alongside Zach Whitecloud to assist captain Mikael Backlund.

Matt Coronato hits the 30-goal mark.

The 23-year-old winger is coming off an 18-goal season, and scored 24 the year before. As the team’s new go-to scorer, he’ll be given every opportunity to anchor the top line and top power-play unit.

*Jonathan Huberdeau (injured)

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