For Egor Barabanov, adapting has become second nature.
The newest Flames prospect has spent much of his hockey career learning how to settle into unfamiliar places.
Leaving Russia as a teenager to chase his hockey dream in North America, changing teams through junior hockey, and now preparing for NCAA hockey at the University of Massachusetts have all demanded the same thing: the ability to embrace change.
That comfort has been on display throughout his first Flames Development Camp.
"It's my first development camp, so I'm having a lot of fun," Barabanov said.
The 20-year-old arrived in Calgary fresh off a strong season with the OHL's Saginaw Spirit, recording 91 points in 68 games. The offensive production has only reinforced the confidence he already carried into the summer.
"I think I had confidence before the year, but yeah, I had a good year, so I had confidence coming into development camp," he explained at the last day of camp.
Before he became one of the OHL's most productive forwards, Barabanov was learning how to navigate life far from home.
Barabanov left home to pursue hockey, making the move to North America at 16 to continue chasing the highest levels of the game.
While many prospects experience their first taste of independence at development camp, living away from home has become familiar territory.
"I've lived at different spots playing junior the last three years and youth hockey before that," Barabanov said. "It's come easy for me to acclimate to new spots."
But that doesn't mean home feels any farther away.
"I obviously miss my parents, I miss my family, and I call them almost every day," he shared.
"But I feel fine living on my own. I'm used to it now."
Those daily conversations rarely revolve around hockey.
"We just talk about how my day goes, how their day goes, just regular things."
Now, another chapter awaits.
This fall, Barabanov will head to UMass, where he'll reunite with fellow Flames prospects Max Curran and Tobias Trejbal after getting an early opportunity to build those relationships in Calgary.
"It's nice that I'm going to be with them after this as well," he said.
"It's nice to meet them before I actually come in there. I'm excited for the year with them."
His goals are straightforward looking ahead into the season with the Minutemen.
"My biggest goal is just to develop myself as a player and get better.
"I need to get bigger off the ice, get stronger in the gym, and then translate it onto the ice."
But perhaps Barabanov's biggest impact at development camp has come away from the scoresheet, when people aren’t looking.
For prospects arriving in North America for the first time, development extends far beyond skating and shooting. New systems, new teammates and, often, a new language all become part of the learning curve.
Barabanov understands those challenges because he lived them himself.
Now, he's helping another prospect navigate them.
Czechia-born forward Simon Katolicky, who is attending his own first development camp, admits understanding English has been one of the biggest adjustments.
"My biggest problem when I came here was understanding English," Katolicky explained.
"When the coaches were speaking, there were some words I didn't really understand, so I needed to ask one more time."
Barabanov has become an important resource.
"In this camp I'm talking with Egor Barabanov," Katolicky said. "He's from Russia. He played here for like seven years, so he speaks English fluently and he translates for me also."
The two were also roommates during camp, with Katolicky saying they've developed chemistry both on and off the ice.
"Probably him," Katolicky said when asked who he's connected with most.
When asked about his translation skills, Barabanov was modest.
"It's hard to translate," he said, chuckling.
"I try to translate a couple of things when I can, but we still speak different languages."
Having once stood in the same position himself, he knows how much the smallest gestures can matter.
"We come from different cultures, but we still talk about things we do at home in the summer and stuff like that. It's fun."
Asked if his own experience has helped him understand what Katolicky is going through, the answer came quickly.
"Yeah, for sure, I try to help him with what I can help him with."
