Flames training camp preview

With training camps set to begin on July 13 as part of Phase 3 of the NHL Return to Play Plan, NHL.com is taking a closer look at each of the 24 teams in the Stanley Cup Qualifiers.

Today, the Calgary Flames.

The Calgary Flames were 36-27-7 (.564 points percentage) in the regular season and will enter the Stanley Cup Qualifiers as the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference. They will play the No. 9 seed, the Winnipeg Jets (37-28-6, .563), in one of eight best-of-5 series, and the winner will advance to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Calgary brings a different look to this qualifier than it brought to the playoffs as the No. 1 seed in Western Conference last season. After finishing with 107 points in the regular season, the Flames were eliminated by the Colorado Avalanche in five games in the Western Conference First Round.

The Flames scored fewer goals this season (2.91 per game, 20th in the NHL) compared to 3.52 per game last season (tied for third), and allowed 3.06 goals per game this season (tied for 16th), up from from 2.72 last season (ninth). But they found their way after a 10-12-3 start through Nov. 21 and rallied under coach Geoff Ward, who replaced Bill Peters on Nov. 27; Calgary went 24-15-3 the rest of the way.

A talented, deep and healthy group of defensemen figures to be the Flames' strong suit, led by Mark Giordano, the Norris Trophy winner as the top defenseman in the NHL last season. It includes veterans TJ Brodie and Noah Hanifin (who's 23 years old but has played five NHL seasons), and Rasmus Andersson, also 23 and whose role has increased dramatically.

Giordano said freshness could be even more important than experience when play resumes.

"That never happens, being fresh for the playoffs," he said. "When you play 82 games, there's wear and tear on your body and it's a big factor. This is kind of like the first game of the regular season. That first week of the season, first game, there's that incredible intensity and I think guys will come out with that same jump and intensity and there will be even more emotion because you're in a playoff situation right away."

Player to watch

Matthew Tkachuk led Calgary in scoring with 61 points (23 goals, 38 assists) in 69 games this season. His impact is usually multi-faceted, with skill, hockey sense and grit, things that are in greatest demand beyond the regular season. The 22-year-old can easily move around among the Flames' top six forwards, but before the season was paused March 12 due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus, he had settled in well at right wing on a line with center Mikael Backlund and left wing Andrew Mangiapane.

Biggest question

Who is the starting goalie? Ward has two good options in David Rittich and Cam Talbot. Rittich played more this season (24-17-6, 2.97 goals-against average, .907 save percentage in 48 games) but Talbot (12-10-1, 2.63 GAA, .919 save percentage in 26 games) has produced better results since Dec. 15; he was 9-5-1 with a 2.42 GAA and .926 save percentage after that date and Rittich was 9-9-2 with a 3.30 GAA and .897 save percentage. Talbot won his last three starts before the pause, stopping 90 of 94 shots (.957) in wins against the Florida Panthers, Columbus Blue Jackets and Arizona Coyotes.

Injury updates

Noah Hanifin, D -- Healthy for training camp after leaving Calgary's last game before the pause, March 8, with an upper-body injury.

Travis Hamonic, D -- Missed 14 games before the pause because of an upper-body injury; opted out due to family health concerns.

Juuso Valimaki, D -- Has resumed skating; has not played this season after surgery to repair a torn ACL in August 2019.

Fresh face

Forward Dillon Dube has found a home on Calgary's third line with veterans Derek Ryan and Milan Lucic. He was recalled from Stockton of the American Hockey League on Nov. 17 and scored 16 points (six goals, 10 assists) in 45 games, averaging 12:41 in time on ice per game. The 21-year-old can provide more depth scoring, as evidenced by the 52 points (19 goals, 33 assists) he scored in 50 AHL games this season and last.

Telling stat

Sean Monahan scored 48 points (22 goals, 26 assists) in 70 games and was one of three 20-goal scorers this season for Calgary, behind center Elias Lindholm (29 goals) and Tkachuk (23). It was Monahan's seventh consecutive 20-goal season to begin his NHL career, a Flames record. He's the fourth player in Calgary/Atlanta Flames history to have at least seven consecutive 20-goal seasons at any point, after Jarome Iginla (13), Theo Fleury (10) and Joe Nieuwendyk (eight).

They said it

"I don't care if you played in Stockton or if you played 10 games here or if you played 70 games here. The question is, 'Can you help us beat Winnipeg?' If the answer is 'yes,' then you're in. This isn't a development camp. This is a get-ready-for playoffs camp." -- general manager Brad Treliving

Projected lineup

Johnny Gaudreau -- Sean Monahan -- Elias Lindholm

Andrew Mangiapane -- Mikael Backlund -- Matthew Tkachuk

Milan Lucic -- Derek Ryan -- Dillon Dube

Sam Bennett -- Mark Jankowski -- Tobias Rieder

Mark Giordano -- TJ Brodie

Noah Hanifin -- Erik Gustafsson

Oliver Kylington -- Rasmus Andersson

David Rittich

Cam Talbot