FLAMES MAILBAG - 17.01.19

This is the first edition of our new segment Flames Mailbag, which will run bi-weekly throughout the season and be published right here on CalgaryFlames.com. If you'd like to ask a question for a player, coach, or Flames writer Ryan Dittrick, complete the form here or tweet @ryandittrick and include #FlamesMailbag.
Clair Cardwell: With the next installment of the Battle of Alberta coming up soon, what should we as fans be looking out to watch for, and what does the team find the most exciting about these games (obviously the rivalry is fun, but what else)?
The last time the Flames were in Edmonton (also on the second of back-to-back nights), I asked Matthew Tkachuk if these games were the ones he got up for the most and if he'd be itching to get to the rink all day. Standard stuff - nothing earth shattering about the question itself. His answer, though, gave some real insight into what this matchup means to the players.
"For us, we want to send a message …" he said.

Dating back to when they first met more than 30 years ago, there's ALWAYS a message. The Battle of Alberta is more than just two points in the standings and Tkachuk said it best - it's an opportunity to prove to yourself, to your team, the doubters and, most importantly, the opponent, that you have the upper hand.
The stage has a little something to do it with as well. These games are the ultimate in primetime bouts. Saturday's contest will be the late game on Hockey Night in Canada, and make no mistake, the players know. Family and friends are watching and they want to put on a good show.

What I'm most looking forward to on Saturday is what template this game follows early on: Will it bring the fireworks of their first meeting - when the pair combined for 37 penalty minutes in a physical first period - or have more of a controlled feel, like the one we saw Dec. 9 in a 1-0 Oilers win at Rogers Place?
That was kind of an unusual game and unlike any other the Flames have played this year, so I'd lean more toward the former - especially now that the road squad has their captain, Mark Giordano, back in the lineup after missing the last one.

Anthony Hollyheas: If you hadn't become a hockey player, what career (outside of sport) would you have pursued? (i.e. What subject(s) were you good at in school/college?)
With players from all different walks of life, there were bound to be some unique answers when I canvassed the dressing room Wednesday morning. Dalton Prout, for example, said he was fascinated with the idea of culinary school and one day becoming a chef, while others had eyes on various business ventures.
It was a fascinating look into the players' lives away from the rink. Here are some of the top responses, straight from the athletes:
Derek Ryan - Pharmacist: "That's easy. I was going into pharmacy school before my hockey career took off. I've always been interested in science and chemistry, even when I was a little kid. Medicine wasn't of interest to me. I didn't love the blood and guts, so being a doctor wasn't on the table. I took some pharmacology classes in university and really took a liking to it."
Ryan, by the way, has a Bachelor of Science in Human Physiology degree from the University of Alberta. In case you're wondering where the "Doc" moniker came from…
Mark Jankowski: "I would have tried to be a baseball player. I played pretty competitively until I got drafted, so that was always a passion of mine. Now, I would have tried, but if that wouldn't have worked out... I got a business degree from Providence, so something in that field would have been pretty cool. Hey, maybe someday!"
Noah Hanifin: "I kid you not, I've never thought about it. Hockey's been my focus for as long as I can remember. What I can tell you is that I'd never want to work in an office. Sitting around in a hot, stuffy room all day? Not for me. Give me something to do with the outdoors and I'd be happy."

Arnold Downey: This one's for Derek Ryan. Hey Derek, there are definitely some cool cucumbers on the team, but for some reason, I find that you seem are consistently calm and collected when things get frantic, which is reassuring and makes the situation seem under control. Is this something you strive for, or is it just part of your personality?
Cheers, Arnold
"Hi Arnold. Thanks for the question! It's definitely something I've worked at. Especially as you get older and you play more in different situations, you get more and more comfortable. I realized early on, especially playing in this league, that in order to be at your best in those situations, you have to be calm under pressure. I knew if I was going to have a chance at playing for the long term, I had to be good in those situations and not let the moment get the best of me. I wish I could say it's like a switch and you simply decide to be that way, but, honestly, it takes time. The more experience you get, the more comfortable you feel, and, hopefully, the more confidence the coaching staff has in you to put you in those critical situations in a game."
Wade Grondin: Do players wear electronic tracking devices? If not, how are statistics calculated?
Currently no, but a revolutionary player tracking system IS on the way after years of development. In fact, the NHL tested the new system twice last week when the Vegas Golden Knights hosted the New York Rangers and San Jose Sharks. Microchips were added to the players' shoulder pads, while others were fitted inside specially designed pucks. Antennas around the building tracked the players and pucks with radio frequencies and relayed that data through a computer system, where representatives from the NHL, NHLPA, tech firms and television rights-holders were looking on.
The great thing is, we won't have to wait long to see how this new system can add to the in-game experience. The NHL plans to use it during the upcoming All-Star Weekend, when both NBC and Sportsnet will not only have access to the data, but also the ability to incorporate it into the broadcast. If all goes well, electronic player tracking could officially begin as early as next season.
Now that we've addressed the future, let's take a look at the present.
The truth is, every stat is currently tracked the old-fashioned way - with eyes and ears on site recording each event as it happens, and plunking that data (manually) into a computer. At the Saddledome, there are six off-ice officials that work on game nights. Ice time, faceoffs won/lost, shots on goal, missed/blocked shots, hits, takeaways, giveaways, penalties, and stoppages are all tallied by them and inputted into the Hockey Information Tracking System (HITS) on their laptop. The five laptops are all connected to one another, and the HITS system takes the raw data that's been entered manually and calculates other stats, like plus/minus, faceoff percentage and situational ice time (powerplay, shorthanded, etc.).