From across the pond, William Stromgren sees the changes taking place on the Flames roster.
And in those changes, the Swedish forward sees opportunity.
The 23-year-old is preparing for a big year after signing a one-year pact with the Flames earlier this week. And after getting his first three career NHL games under his belt last January, Stromgren is eager to make the Flames his full-time gig after three full campaigns with the AHL’s Wranglers.
“Just having a taste of it is definitely lighting a fire in me,” Stromgren said over the phone this week. “You get a sense of the NHL life, the hockey and the level that it is.
“It kinda just puts a little flame up your butt - as they say - to want to make the team and have that as a day-to-day life.”
With all the change in Calgary over the past seven days, it’s safe to say the roster that took the ice for the 2025-26 season finale in April will look a bit different than the one that opens the new season this coming fall.
But those camp battles, players pushing each other for spots on the NHL roster, is exactly what General Manager Craig Conroy wants to see.
“Time to fight. Take the spot, you know?” Conroy told media of the opportunity ahead for those young Flames like Stromgren. “There's gonna be a camp. There's gonna be a competition. Those are a lot of minutes, a lot of different situations.
“And I think for everybody that's still here, it's an opportunity, and they should grab a hold of it.”
“A lot of change has been happening, I do feel like it is a new direction for the team with a younger set of players,” Stromgren added. “There’s always going to be competition, there’s always going to be someone that’s fighting for the same spot.
“I’m just going to come ready and fight for a spot.”
Last season with the Wranglers, Stromgren put up a career-best 36 assists, and he’ll head into the new campaign with more than 200 North American pro games under his belt since being selected in the second round of the 2021 NHL Draft.
Back home, he lists Tampa Bay defenceman Victor Hedman and former Flame Victor Olofsson among those he trains with, adding he takes part in the odd early skate or skill session with his hometown pro team, MoDo.
But this spring, Stromgren also played tour guide, welcoming Flames defenceman Hunter Brzustewicz overseas for a post-season unwind.
“It was great, I think he had a good time,” Stromgren said of Brzustewicz’s Swedish excursion. “He’s always wanted to come to Sweden. It was awesome to see those guys (Brzustewicz and ex-Wrangler Parker Bell) to come over and get some Swedish time, get some meatballs and see some famous things in Sweden.
“I had fun with those guys.”
In signing a deal less than a week after his qualifying offer was announced, Stromgren goes into the summer with some peace of mind, too.
A done deal, and six or so more weeks of training at home before he returns to Calgary, ready to fight for that full-time spot.
“I didn’t want to stretch it out, you just want to get it as soon as possible when you get that qualifying offer,” he explained. “I’m just happy that we got it done so soon, now I can look forward to the rest of the summer.
“Just prepare myself to come back to Calgary strong, and ready to go.”
