Preseason Preview - Flames vs. Jets

One final tune-up.

The Flames' marathon, eight-game preseason draws to a close this evening as they welcome the Jets to the Scotiabank Saddledome. CLICK FOR TICKETS

Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. MT. For those unable to attend, the game will be streamed on CalgaryFlames.com and the Flames App, though due to broadcast restrictions, the feed will only be available for viewers within the Flames broadcast region (Alberta, Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories and Nunavut).

On the day Flames head coach Ryan Huska put pen to paper on a two-year contract extension, his team got back to basics at practice.

Lots of skating, lots of battling, and a commitment to work ahead of a Friday night preseason tilt with the Jets that serves as one last chance to get up to speed before the regular season begins next Wednesday in Edmonton.

For Huska, the message was simple. Wednesday's loss to the Canucks did not cut the mustard.

But the focus has to be on moving forward, and sticking to a standard that netted the club 41 wins a season ago.

"The players have to know that what we put on the ice (Wednesday) night isn’t the way we expect your team to play," he said Thursday. "So we make that clear of them, and we practice that way. I believe in a standard that things have to be done a certain way, our team has done a really good job of creating a standard that they believe in, and is powerful for us and it allows us to win games. And that has to be adhered to.

"You're fully in or you're not in at all. You that's what we expect as coaching staff, and our players do as well."

But in extending his stay here, Huska also gets to keep working with a group that he's helped mould both over his past two seasons as head coach, but also in his previous stints as an assistant, and in the AHL.

"I really enjoy the group of people that I get to work with on a daily basis, from our coaching staff to our players, he said. "So honestly, I am quite honoured that I have an opportunity to have some more time here.

"I think that's important for us because I truly believe that we are going in the right direction as a team."

One of the key figures responsible for setting that direction, goaltender Dustin Wolf, who will get the start in goal Friday.

And Wolf, who hails from Gilroy, Calif., will have a Golden State running mate to start the season, too, after Los Gatos' Devin Cooley won the opening-night backup role over Ivan Prosvetov.

Jonathan Huberdeau, meanwhile, missed practice after a scary collision Wednesday night with Vancouver goaltender Kevin Lankinen, but according to Huska, the veteran winger is day-to-day.

The Other Side

The Jets are expected to ice a pretty NHL-like roster Friday, in a matchup that stands as their preseason finale, too.

Reigning Hart and Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck will start in goal, though he told WinnipegJets.com's Jamie Thomas this week that he experienced a bit of a scare at practice earlier this week.

"I had a rib out of place. All I need to do is get a good back crack, and no one could do it here, so I had to get off the ice,” he said.

“It was skeletal so I couldn't really move; I went to tell the chiro, and he put me back in place in like five minutes, and I was back here just as practice was ending.”

He went on to make 16 stops Tuesday against the Wild in his first action of the exhibition campaign.

One veteran who might be held out of the lineup - newcomer Jonathan Toews, who missed practice Thursday after picking up a knock in Tuesday's 3-2 loss at Minnesota.

Vladislav Namestnikov took his spot on the Jets' second line at practice Thursday, centring a line between Gustav Nyquist and Cole Perfetti.

Player To Watch

If it seems like we keep going back to Matvei Gridin, it's true.

The 19-year-old is one of 14 forwards still with the big club and Wednesday night against the Canucks, he was arguably Calgary's most dangerous forward, as he continues his bid to start the season on the NHL roster.

Gridin led the team with 10 shot attempts, while his four high-danger chances across all situations were tied for the team lead (with Jonathan Huberdeau).

"He was one of our better players (Wednesday)," said Huska. "I put him in the top four, I mentioned a few names (after the game) and I didn't put him in there, but the skill set he does have, the size and the pace of the game that he can play at is important for us and our team."