Improved chemistry helping Flames in surprise playoff chase

Of all Calgary Flames goalie Dustin Wolf’s accomplishments this season, including sitting near the top of the NHL leaderboard in several categories and making a run at the franchise record for wins by a rookie, there’s one that evokes a different type of grin from the 23-year-old Californian.

In the fall, he earned a spot in the team’s in-flight poker games.

“I was able to sneak in to the table just due to some injuries at the start of the year,” he said last week.

The tables are overwhelmingly occupied by veterans. Rasmus Andersson, Nazem Kadri, Jonathan Huberdeau, MacKenzie Weegar, Yegor Sharangovich, Brayden Pachal, Kevin Bahl, and Wolf are split into two groups that site beside each another to play on the plane. 

“I thought at the start of the year when I got an opportunity, that I wanted to get into the group and feel a part of it right away,” Wolf said. “It’s a great time. Lots of banter. A lot of poker faces you’re not too sure of. Ras, you’re definitely not too sure if he’s bluffing you or if he’s telling you straight up what cards he has.”

Wolf’s success on the ice this season apparently hasn’t translated to the poker table.

“He’s just okay,” Kadri said of his goalie. “He’s got some good days and he’s got some bad days. Mostly bad days, but I think he’s hanging in there. It just speaks to his competitive nature. I think he just always wants to be the guy in the lead, but unfortunately at the poker table, that doesn’t happen a whole lot.”

Card games on the road are just one example of how the Flames’ bond off the ice is propelling them during a playoff race few could have anticipated in training camp. Calgary sits one point out of the second wild-card spot entering play Tuesday night, with one game in hand on Vancouver.

Huberdeau called this the tightest team he’s been a part of during his three seasons in southern Alberta, in part because there’s not the noise of contract extensions and trade chatter that was present a year ago.

Even newcomers Joel Farabee and Morgan Frost, acquired in late January from Philadelphia in exchange for Andrei Kuzmenko, Jakob Pelletier, and draft picks, have gotten immersed quickly. Farabee took Bahl's place in the poker group during Bahl's recent injury absence. 

“A lot of guys [from last season] obviously left, so I feel like it’s more solid,” Huberdeau said. “Everybody wants to be here. That’s why maybe we’ve got a tighter group.”

There are daily signs that this Calgary squad has chemistry beyond the rink. 

Practices are generally louder, with fourth-line winger Ryan Lomberg often yelling words of encouragement that can be heard in all corners of the Saddledome. They also stand up for one another more on the ice. At different points this season, rookies Matthew Coronato and Adam Klapka have gone after opponents who targeted captain Mikael Backlund. 

The head coach has noticed the tight-knit locker room.

“I always gauge the room in the morning,” Ryan Huska said. “Are they talking when they come in? Usually, you get the best indicator of how a room is when you’re going through some challenging times when the team’s not winning.

“Our guys, in whatever situation we’ve been in this year, there’s been good energy where they’ve enjoyed being around the rink…from speaking to some of the older players, they really do think this is one of the stronger teams they’ve played on in regards to the personalities and how everyone connects.”

Bahl’s introduction to the revamped Flames culture early on in his first training camp after he was acquired from New Jersey over the summer.

“The vets lay out what the culture is and what’s expected of guys, and it makes it kind of easy to gel in if you just follow the script of what other guys do,” he said. “That’s a big thing. You’re a young guy. You don’t really know how to take care of your body…just their presence and seeing how they take care of themselves.”

Sometimes, those veterans haven’t had to say anything. They simply lead with their actions.

“It doesn’t have to be verbal, right?” Bahl said. “It’s just the way the guys carry themselves. Showing up extra early, taking care of their bodies, that extra spin on the bike, extra lift. That’s a big thing.”

Veteran Blake Coleman, a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Tampa Bay Lightning, said that strong off-ice bonds between teammates have a real impact during games. 

“It’s pretty obvious guys on this team care about each other,” he said. “It carries over on the ice, whether it’s sticking up for somebody, scrums, playing hard for someone…it makes it a lot more fun to come to the rink, you tend to have a lot more energy.”

Wolf, who has played his way into the Calder Trophy discussion, said that the culture has made his transition to the NHL easier and played a big role in his early success. He’s among league leaders in categories like five-on-five save percentage and goals saved above expected. 

“The poker table’s a great example of that,” he said. “A bunch of older guys that are letting a young buck like me get in there. They probably look at me as bait to take some cash out of my wallet, but these are great leaders in our room. It’s a big reason why we’ve had the success we’ve had this year, because everybody is included in everything.