The first race of the Formula 1 season starts in a matter of hours in Australia.
But at WinSport Saturday, onlookers were treated to a photo finish.
A sprint between the two biggest Flames - 6’8” Adam Klapka and 6’6” Kevin Bahl - that saw Klapka come away victorious by the slimmest of margins.
It was a brief moment of levity during a tense, high-pressure stretch run.
It’s also an indication of how much work Klapka has put in to become more fleet of foot.
Head Coach Ryan Huska drew comparisons to Washington sniper Aliaksei Protas earlier in the week (read more HERE), and Klapka himself admitted his goal is to enjoy the type of breakout season the 58-point man is experiencing in D.C.
“I would like to be like him, I think it (took) him a while to get on this level,” Klapka said Saturday. “I just want to work hard. For me, I have more physicality in my game than he has.
“Just work hard every day, believe in myself, and one day, it’s going to be good.”
And the big man is going to get more looks down the stretch - likely again Monday in Toronto - with forwards Mikael Backlund and Connor Zary sidelined due to injury and suspension, respectively.
He’s 20 games into his NHL career - finding his stride after going unclaimed through the Draft, and signing a free-agent deal with the Flames in 2022 - and he’s making good use of his work boots while he’s at it.
Trying to become quicker and stronger to keep up with an NHL pace that seems to get faster each and every winter.
“I do a lot during the summer, working with Danielle (Fujita), the skating coach a lot, like (the) last couple of years,” he said. “I try to watch videos by myself, on the Internet.
“I try to learn every time, and try to bring it on the ice. I think it’s working.”
Huska feels the same way - that there’s untapped potential in Klapka’s frame.
The 24-year-old is starting to find his fit at this level, and Huska credits confidence and strength for the improvements he’s starting to show with his foot-speed.
“Even though he’s a really big man, he’s gone the other way as well, where he’s gotten much stronger with his legs and his core, and all that stuff that comes into play when you talk about skating,” the Flames bench boss explained Saturday. “He’s powerful, he’s a big man. So I think that’s helped him a lot, and the one thing he has done over the last couple years is work on it.
“If you want to become a better player, you have to put the time in to make sure that you’re addressing some of the areas that might have been concerns before, and he’s done a really good job of that.”
And aside from a quick, two-game stint with the AHL’s Wranglers last weekend in Winnipeg, Klapka has been part of the big club since the team got back to work following the 4 Nations break.
He’s mindful of his surroundings, too. For instance, he rolled down his car window and offered rides to the Flames web team Friday, as the group trudged toward their cars an hour or so after that 4-2 setback to Colorado.
Totally unnecessary, but a testament to Klapka’s character and commitment to being a pro - on and off the ice.
Even though he is coming to realize the real work is only getting started.
“I feel grateful to be here, it’s awesome. But for me, it’s time,” he said. “It’s an everyday thing now.
“I’m still learning some stuff, I’m working on it - realizing it - I’m trying to do my best every day.”
