A sure sign a new National Hockey League season is just around the corner.
Veteran players have all returned to Calgary from summer holidays, and are skating all together at WinSport Arena in preparation for training camp, which begins Sept. 22.
And on Thursday the prospects got things started, with fitness testing and medicals before departing for Penticton, B.C., for the Young Stars Classic, an annual tournament for young stars from the Flames, Canucks, Oilers and Jets organizations.
READ MORE: Calgary Flames wrap up prospect camp; sign 1st round pick Matthew Tkachuk
It’s the first chance for many to impress Flames brass, including 2016 sixth overall draft pick Matthew Tkachuk, who enters camp with big expectations.
“Some guys when they come to camp their goal is just get a little bit out of camp and go back to your junior team and play well there,” the 18-year-old said. “My mindset is this (the Flames) is the team I want to be playing for.”
A Memorial Cup champion with the London Knights, Tkachuk says he came to Calgary early this week to skate with the veterans and get acclimated to Calgary.
“My worry coming in wasn’t ‘am I going to be able to play hockey’…it was all about just getting to know the guys and they’ve been unbelievable. They’ve been really, really good to me, making me feel at home and that was I guess my only worry coming in,” Tkachuk said.
It’s also a first training camp for Mark Jankowski, despite being apart of the organization for the last five years. The 6-foot-4 centreman was drafted in the first round in 2012, but spent the last four seasons with Providence in the NCAA.
READ MORE: Dave Cameron, Paul Jerrard join Calgary Flames coaching staff
After signing a two-year contract late last season, the 22-year-old is finally turning pro, and hopes to make an impression early in camp.
“I’m really looking forward to it and it’s going to be a really tough challenge obviously but I’m going to work my hardest to try and show the staff here that I belong here,” Jankowski said.
Flames rookies open on Friday night against the youngsters from the Winnings Jets.
Main camp opens September 22nd with fitness testing and medicals. The first preseason game is Sept. 26th, a split squad affair with the Edmonton Oilers.
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