DENVER — He’s an imposing presence on the ice, doling out hits, causing havoc and even shedding his gloves now and again.
But one month into his 2026-27 campaign, Adam Klapka feels like his game is becoming more well-rounded, as his Flames get set to kick off a three-game road swing Saturday evening against the Avalanche (8 p.m. MT, Sportsnet).
Through 13 games, the big Czech winger has four points - a total that included a drag-and-snipe beauty the last time Calgary and Colorado locked horns - in addition to ranking second among NHL skaters in penalty minutes and inside the League’s top 15 in hits.
But in addition to the numbers game, Klapka’s defensive acumen is starting to show through. That 6’8” size includes a wingspan several Denver Nuggets would probably envy, and Klapka’s recent form has included a propensity to dispossess opposing skaters from seemingly impossible distance.
“I know I have a long stick, and I can reach much farther than other guys,” he said during a quick conversation at the team hotel Saturday morning. “I learned a lot of it when I was with the Wranglers, that was a time when I was working on it a lot.
“That (AHL experience) was one part, and during the summer, I was trying to (work on) some stuff like this too.”
“Adam is one of our more consistent guys, from the start of the season, he’s been a guy that I think has played to the identity that we want him to have,” Head Coach Ryan Huska added Saturday. “He’s such a big man, that he’s hard to contain and hard to control.
“He’s able to get us some zone time, he’s able to wear teams down and he’s a really effective player when he’s playing that way.”
Klapka has found a home, too, in helping wear opposing penalty-killers down. And while he’ll readily admit that recently, Calgary’s top unit has been humming, he’s still eager to show what he and the second unit can do when given the opportunity.
“It’s awesome,” he said of his man-advantage responsibilities. “It was my role with the Wranglers, and it took a little bit longer to get a chance on the powerplay here, but it's the NHL, so there's a lot of good guys on the on the team. So I get it.
“But now I'm really happy and thankful that I'm getting the chance. The first unit is doing a pretty good job, so whatever time we get, we go in there and try to do our best.”
His role is unique - not many fourth-line wingers get the opportunity to strut their stuff on the powerplay - but as he continues to develop, the 26-year-old is carving out an irreplaceable role in this Calgary lineup, skating in all but three of the Flames’ 95 games since the start of the 2025-26 season.
Consistency is a buzzword in many an NHL media scrum, but for Klapka, it’s how he earns his keep.
And keeps getting the call to play that bruising, checking role night in, night out.
“I think it's coming together right now,” he said of his start to this season. “I just started feeling the same comfort that I had last season, or the season before with the Wranglers.
“I’m happy that I'm seeing some progress, and I just want to continue to grow.”
