Andersson credits system for Flames undefeated start
Published
The Calgary Flames sit atop the NHL standings one week into the season at 4-0-0.
The Flames hot start continued with a 3-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday, tying a franchise record for their best-ever start to a campaign.
There appears to be promise in Calgary after the team went 38-39-5 in their first season under new head coach Ryan Huska last year.
"We played our system, and our system is that we reload hard and we don't give too much up," Flames defenceman Rasmus Andersson said of Tuesday's win. "I thought we've done an unbelievable job with that. That's the reason why we're 4-0. We work hard for each other and we reload, we've got each other's backs, we block shots. That's the character we have in this group."
The Flames have picked up early wins over the rival Vancouver Canucks and Edmonton Oilers to start the year and shut down another star player Tuesday in Blackhawks sophomore Connor Bedard.
"I think there was extra motivation," goaltender Dustin Wolf said after stopping 31 of 32 shots, including seven from the 2023 first overall pick. "You see Bedard over there who's the next big thing, it's rewarding to go out there and shut him down. At the end of the day, you're trying to get wins and we're off to a good start."
Flames not a seller this year
Huska and general manager Craig Conroy both moved into their roles in 2023 and began a significant roster renovation that included moving on from key players such as Elias Lindholm, Chris Tanev, Nikita Zadorov and eventually Jacob Markstrom.
While some expected the Flames to return to the seller mindset this season, TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun reports that has never been the part of the game plan for the team's management.
"I think Craig Conroy is confused as to why people are expecting that. He’s done all the fire sale that he’s going to do here over the past 12-15 months," LeBrun explained on Insider Trading. "The reality is that all the core veterans that people think might get moved, they’re under contract past this year. Guys like Nazem Kadri, Mackenzie Weegar, and Blake Coleman. The fact is, Conroy sees those veterans as wanting to be a part of this roster transition. He wants them to be a part of this roster transition.
"He doesn’t want to tear it down to the studs. He wants to build the right culture in Calgary and wants those veterans around through that."
The Flames will go for their fifth straight win on Saturday on the road against the Seattle Kraken.