Training Camp Notebook - 03.10.25

The Flames and Jets close out the preseason Friday at the Scotiabank Saddledome, with Dustin Wolf expected to get the start in goal for the home side. GET TICKETS

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Dialogue (Part I)

Forwards Jonathan Huberdeau and Martin Pospisil will both miss out on Friday's exhibition closer; both left Wednesday's loss to the Canucks.

Huberdeau, who was involved in a scary collision with Vancouver netminder Kevin Lankinen, missed practice Thursday and is day-to-day, according to head coach Ryan Huska.

That means Matvei Gridin will be elevated into Huberdeau's spot on a line with Morgan Frost and Matt Coronato, offering the 19-year-old one more chance to strut his stuff before Monday's roster deadline.

The Flames' full projected lineup for Friday's contest will be revealed following pre-game warmup.

Dialogue (Part II)

To a man, the Flames will be seeking out a stronger effort than the one we saw against Vancouver two nights ago.

It's their final mulligan - so to speak - a final preseason test to get up to speed ahead of a busy opening week that will see Calgary play three games, in three different cities, over a three-and-a-half day span.

"It’s just your last chance to get your game where you want it to be," forward Blake Coleman explained Friday morning. "A couple new system tweaks that you want to get more familiar with and things like that, but yeah, just obviously put together a much better performance here and feel good going into the year."

"I think collectively we have to play a much smarter, tighter, harder game than we saw the other night," head coach Ryan Huska agreed. "And then the big thing is we've talked a fair bit about is the pace that we have to play the game."

But setting the pace from within is something Coleman and his fellow veterans are used to doing.

And they'll be looked upon tonight to provide that extra bit of polish, too.

"We’ve got to show some fire tonight," Coleman said. "Just in all the aspects of the game, you know, making crisp plays and being hard on pucks, finishing checks, things like that.

"It's almost that time of year where it's gonna start to matter, so you've got to build your game and feel good about it."

Feelin' Stronger Every Day

Friday's contest will provide another test for Zayne Parekh, who will suit up to face the Jets for the second time this preseason.

With each passing day, the former No.-9 pick is growing in confidence and familiarity, as he continues his bid to start the 2025-26 campaign with the big club.

"I think I’ve gotten better every game, I think last game was kind of a one-off for our group and me in general," he said after a quick twirl Friday morning. "Up to that point, I thought I was progressing well.

"I'm happy with how things have gone and looking for a big one tonight."

The offensive skill jumps off the page for Parekh, who scored on the powerplay in Winnipeg last weekend.

But the 19-year-old acknowledges he's still fine-tuning his defensive game as the preseason rolls on.

"Just gapping, getting a little tighter on the gaps, (setting) them early," he said of his focus areas. "I think my passing's been good, neutral zone breakouts, that stuff's been good."

Parekh and Gridin will surely both be under the spotlight - or microscope - against a veteran Jets squad again this evening.

But the young defender is confident in his abilities - if not a realist - as he continues to try to make the jump from junior hockey to the NHL.

"I've got a little bit more in me," he smiled. But, you know, I think I'm getting there and every game, it'll be a new test for me, just continue to get better every time.

"At the end of the day, like I'm not going to be perfect. I'm going to have some tough stretches, but you know, that's all a part of kind of learning and growing."