GAZDIC THRILLED TO BE BACK OUT WEST

Luke Gazdic knows how passionate Alberta hockey fans are.
During a three-year tenure with the Flames' rival up north, the Edmonton Oilers, the left winger experienced the devotion the province's fans had for their respective teams and relished playing in a market where hockey was second to no other sport.
So, when he had the chance to come back out West, he leapt at the opportunity.

"The idea of getting a chance to play in the Western Conference, in a Canadian city, really appealed to me," Gazdic told CalgaryFlames.com after inking a one-year, two-way deal with the organization. "I'm obviously very familiar with the province of Alberta and my relationship with Glen Gulutzan - we spent some time together in the minors (with the Texas Stars) - those are the things that attracted me to sign with the team.
"And Brad (Treliving) has done a tremendous job putting together a winning team and that culture that's in the locker room … it was a no-brainer for me.
"I'm looking forward to getting started."

From 2013-14 to 2015-16, Gazdic played in 136 games with the Oilers, scoring five goals and eight points. He amassed 194 PIM during that stretch, establishing himself as one of the NHL's heavyweights.
After his three years in Edmonton, Gazdic joined the New Jersey Devils organization in 2016-17, splitting time between the Garden State and the Albany Devils in the American Hockey League. In 37 games in Albany, the 27-year-old netted one goal and seven points while accruing 63 PIM. In New Jersey, he skated in 11 games.
While he is primarily known for providing a physical presence on the ice, the 6-foot-4, 225-pound Gazdic has worked hard at fleshing out all areas of his game.
"I do bring toughness," he said. "I pride myself in protecting my teammates at all costs and making sure that my teammates aren't getting pushed around. I'm a big guy that can skate as well, though, with a decent set of hands.
"I try to play the game the right way and I've been trying to round it out more here over the past couple of years and I'll continue to work hard on that."