NEW FLAME MARKSTROM AIMING TO DO NO. 25 PROUD
Team's newest goalie gets Nieuwendyk's approval to wear former great's number
The Calgary Flames' prized free-agent signing set up shop Monday in the home crease, No. 25 on the back of his black practice jersey.
Just over Jacob Markstrom's left shoulder, No. 25 was hanging from the rafters, too.
The new guy certainly knows the history. And while those digits were never considered off-limits at the Saddledome, Markstrom wasn't going to don this sweater without a thumbs up from Joe Nieuwendyk, a standout centre who had a banner raised through the Forever A Flame program.
“I asked permission from the team and also I asked for his number and called and asked him if it was OK to wear it, just to show him that respect,” Markstrom revealed Monday after his first training camp skate with his new squad. “He said that he was totally fine with it and he appreciates the call.
“It's a number that has grown special to me, and I've had it for a long time. So it was nice for me to be able to wear it here.”
It was nice of him to ask.
Since Nieuwendyk's departure, No. 25 has been donned by the notso-starry likes of Igor Kravchuk, Darren Mccarty, Brandon Bollig, Freddie Hamilton and others (David Moss was relatively successful in that sweater, but he was hardly an all-timer).
It tells you a lot about the justsigned puck-stopper — Markstrom inked a six-year contract with an annual salary-cap hit of US$6 million — that he insisted on approval from one of the franchise greats. Nieuwendyk was a key piece of Calgary's championship crew in 1989, still ranks fourth on the club scoring charts and was ultimately traded away for some kid named Jarome Iginla.
“I did some research and Calgary sent me the tribute video of him, too, so that was nice to see,” Markstrom said of Nieuwendyk, who also helped the Dallas Stars and New Jersey Devils to Stanley Cup hoistings and is now enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
“Coming from Sweden, you didn't really know that much about him. But the things he's been doing and the numbers he put up, he obviously had a huge impact on the Calgary Flames team. So it was an honour talking to him. He just said, `Go ahead.'”
The expectation is that the new No. 25 will also have a huge impact in the Flaming C.
The 30-year-old Markstrom, who finished fourth in Vezina Trophy voting last season while workhorsing for the Vancouver Canucks, certainly looked sharp in his first practice at the Saddledome.
Among his best stops, he flashed his right pad to stop Sam Bennett on a three-on-nothing rush. Equally as noticeable was that he was clearly ticked when a puck slipped past him.
Since arriving in Calgary a few weeks back, Markstrom has been staying with fellow Swede and longtime friend Elias Lindholm, but he's moving into his own place soon.
“The first thing that you notice is how big he is,” said Flames captain Mark Giordano of Markstrom, who stands 6-foot-6 and is listed at 206 pounds. “There's not much net to see when he's in there. And the way he is athletically is unbelievable, too. He gets side-to-side really quick. He's been looking really good out there.
“And off the ice? He's a lot like all our other Swedes — just a great guy, easy to get along with, easy to talk to. So I'm really looking forward to having him on our side this year.”
READY IN RED
Chris Tanev, a shutdown defenceman who followed Markstrom from Vancouver to Calgary in free agency, is starting to get comfortable in his new colours.
The 31-year-old had spent his entire career — 547 big-league appearances to date — with the Canucks.
“Looking at the red for the first week or so, it definitely felt a little bit different,” Tanev said. “But I'm used to it now. I love it.”
It raised some eyebrows when Tanev was partnered with Giordano during Monday's early session, but head coach Geoff Ward explained that was more about special teams tune-up. Those two will be fixtures on the Flames' top penalty-kill unit. Rasmus Andersson, who skated with the afternoon crew, is still expected to work alongside Giordano on the lead pairing. Tanev should be slotted on the next duo with either Noah Hanifin or Juuso Valimaki.
OFF THE GLASS
After months of speculation about whether the Flames should split these BFF forwards, Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan were skating on the same line during the opening camp session.
Josh Leivo might not have been on many peoples' lists as a potential top-six forward for the Calgary Flames this season.
He is coming off a knee injury suffered last season and the one-year, US$875,000 contract he signed with the Flames in the off-season may have flown a little under the radar a little bit.
When the Flames took the ice for their afternoon practice session on Day 1 of training camp on Monday, though, there Leivo was, skating at right wing alongside Elias Lindholm, at centre, and left winger Matthew Tkachuk.
It was pretty much exactly where Leivo expected to be.
“Yeah, (Flames head coach Geoff Ward and GM Brad Treliving) talked to me when we were about to sign and everything about their plans they didn't say who I was playing with but they wanted me in an offensive role,” said Leivo, who had 19 points in 36 games last year.
“Those are two guys who definitely know how to play that style, so that's exciting to see and exciting to be part of that.
“We've played a couple (scrimmages) and started camp together, so it's been going good so far and should be an exciting time.”
Flames management has emphasized that they'll be using training camp to test out different line combinations, so it's probably best not to read too much into who played with who on Monday, but Leivo getting a shot with two consistent point producers like Lindholm and Tkachuk certainly suggests the team is interested in his own offensive upside.