He’s come to camp feeling good about his game.
And this season, Yegor Sharangovich has consistency top of mind.
The 27-year-old is set to embark on his third campaign in Calgary after being acquired from the New Jersey Devils, hoping to recapture the form that spurred him on to a 31-goal season in 2023-24.
Skating on a line with Joel Farabee and Morgan Frost at camp, Sharangovich looks every bit the threat he was two winters ago, when he set a Belarusian record for goals in an NHL season.
He figures the trio can build on the flashes of chemistry they showed late last spring, a stretch run that saw Sharangovich score four of his 17 goals over the final five games of the year.
“At the end of (last) season, I think we were playing pretty good together,” he said. “But it's only two days and you know, like we’re a little bit better, (we) communicate together on the ice, with the puck, you know.
“We have time, and we will see what happens.”
Time is of the essence, and it’s certainly reasonable to suggest the three will get looks together during an eight-game preseason campaign that begins Sunday.
It’s also reasonable to suggest that in Frost, Sharangovich might have exactly the setup man he’s been craving, while Farabee can provide a bit of a foil - and take away the attention of opposing blueliners - at the same time.
The 2024-25 campaign was difficult. Sharangovich suffered an injury in a preseason game versus Winnipeg that derailed his start, and he’s focused on allaying the types of ebbs and flows that he admits he’s had to navigate over his five seasons in the NHL.
But the consistency in linemates - teammates, even - can definitely help.
“It's comfortable, but still, the first year (was) good for me. The second year (was) hard,” he said. “I just want to find my game right away and (not) spend like half the season to find my game.
“I just want to be a stability guy and yeah, of course, you know, it helps when you spend a third year with the same teammates who know (me) and I know.”
When he’s on his game, he sniffs out offensive opportunities, like a shark seeking its prey.
And when he’s on, he shoots the puck, too.
Sharangovich averaged more than two shots on goal per game during that high-water, 31-goal season here, a number that fell to 1.73 shots per game last winter despite the fact he spent close to 43% of his ice-time in the offensive zone, according to NHL Edge.
The more he eats up the opposition, the better-off his Flames will be.
And for Sharangovich, that’s all that matters once the puck drops for real Oct. 8.
“The first goal, it's to make the playoffs, you know,” he said. “This will be a hard season, because it's always hard to make the playoffs.
“We'll play hard play together, and I think it will be good.”
