'GONNA BE EXCITING'

Excited.
It was a word used early and often by both Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar Monday morning when they spoke to local media on a Zoom conference call and did 1-on-1s with Flames TV.

What has stood out so far to the pair since being acquired by the newest Flames, they said, was all the love they have received from the C of Red on social media.
"Calgary is going to be a different setup (than Florida) and I'm excited to see what it's like," said Huberdeau. "Like I said, playing in front of (Flames fans), it's going to passionate and it's going to be a fun time and I'm just excited to get there in September and get things going."
"They're excited to have us and I'm excited to be a Flame and to join the team here, a solid team, and to make a really good push for the Stanley Cup is gonna be exciting," echoed Weegar.

The duo were acquired Friday night from the Panthers - along with prospect Cole Schwindt and a first-round pick - for Matthew Tkachuk and a fourth-round pick.
Florida won the President's Trophy last year before being swept in the second round by the Tampa Bay Lightning. They now join a Flames team that finished second in the Western Conference but were also eliminated in the second round.
"I'm excited to join this Calgary Flames team, first and foremost they're a great team and they want to win, and they want to win now and that's really important to me," said Weegar. "I'm happy I'm joining a team that's right in the mix to win a Stanley Cup."
Huberdeau - one of the premier forwards in the game who tallied 115 points last season - had a similar take.
"I think they're obviously … a really good team," said Huberdeau. "I'm excited to join these guys and I think they want to win. I mean, this team's good.
"I think there's a really good squad already there and we're just gonna go there and help them."

Both players were born in Canada (Huberdeau in Quebec and Weegar in Ontario) and they relish the chance to play in a hockey-mad market north of the 49th.
"This is super cool for me playing in a Canadian market," explained Weegar. "I never really thought that I would probably play for a Canadian market but this is going to be super exciting for me and my family. Lots of history obviously with Calgary, and I got to watch them growing up. Obviously, I've been seeing them on TSN all that time. And you know, the fans here are so passionate and they're loud and I know when Johnny and I have come to Calgary and played against the Flames, it's been crazy. So watching you guys in the playoffs and seeing the C of Red and stuff like that and now to be part of it, it's a really cool feeling. It's very surreal for myself, you know, obviously Johnny and I being Canadian kids."
Neither have much familiarity with Calgary, but their new teammates all reached out Friday night, added them to the players' group chat and Weegar said they seemed 'like a great group of guys.'
Huberdeau did add he has been here for the Stampede before:"It's pretty cool. And (when) I went there I got dressed as a cowboy. So it was a cool experience."
Both players, who have one year left on their contracts, were also asked about re-upping here.
"I'm open to staying in Calgary for a long time," said Huberdeau, while Weegar responded: "I'm open to signing a long-term deal ... very open to it."