The NHL season is well underway, and the league already has its over and underperforming teams to start the season. Teams like the Vancouver Canucks have surprised many with immediate success, while in the next province over, the Edmonton Oilers have struggled despite rostering two of the NHL’s best players in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. In addition, the Calgary Flames haven’t had the start they have wanted as they also have a losing record and are far out of playoff contention at the moment. However, they currently find themselves on a two-game winning streak and are looking to right the proverbial ship.
The team began the 2023-24 campaign by going 2-7-1 in their first ten games. Big-name veterans like Jonathan Huberdeau and Nazem Kadri, among others, have had a tough time getting going. Defensively, the team had let in 38 goals and scored just 22. Now, the team has outscored the opposition 10-5 in the last two games and looks like a markedly different squad. The glaring discrepancy is in roster changes: the Flames called up prospects Connor Zary, Martin Pospisil, and Nick DeSimone and inserted them into the lineup before the two wins. Coincidence? We think not. The injection of youth has ignited a fire, pun intended, under the Flames’ behinds. An analysis of their difference-making play is warranted.
Accelerated Flames Defensive Maturity
One remarkable thing is the defensive responsibility of the three Flames newcomers. Zary has been tasked with top-line centre duties in the American Hockey League with the Calgary Wranglers for most of last season and the beginning of the current one. While he has been playing exclusively on the wing with the Flames, he has maintained a consistent level of prowess in his own end of the ice. The same goes for Pospisil and DeSimone, a top-pairing defenseman when he suits up for the Wranglers. DeSimone, though, maybe not as youthful as the other men at age 29, got his first taste of the NHL last season, skating in four contests.
The three players have combined for three blocked shots, seven hits, three takeaways and just two giveaways in the NHL thus far. Furthermore, all three have matching plus-minus ratings of positive two, meaning they have all been on the ice for more Flames goals than goals against. Zary, Pospisil, and DeSimone have all looked comfortable without the puck and have seldom been caught out of position in the Flames’ zone, pressuring opposing attackers at appropriate times.
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Only Zary has taken any penalties, and his was just one minor for cross-checking in his first game against the Dallas Stars. New players tend to be a step slow, committing more infractions and coughing up the puck more often, so these three rookies have been a breath of fresh air.
Composed, Collected Offence
When it comes to the offensive side of the puck, the trio has even more impressive statistics. Zary scored his first career NHL goal within the first six minutes of his debut against the Stars. Pospisil accomplished the same feat against the Seattle Kraken a few nights later. Both did so by simply driving the net, an age-old hockey tactic that will never die. NHL goalies are too good to be frequently beaten by unscreened shots. Thus, the need for screens, tips, and capitalizing on bounces has risen immensely. DeSimone has yet to score, but he leads all Flames rookies with three assists through two games. Zary has added two assists as well, giving him three points in his first three big league games.
From a puck possession perspective, Zary, Pospisil, and DeSimone stand out amongst their peers even more. Corsi for is an analytic that tracks shot attempts for and against while a player is on the ice. The higher the percentage, the more offensive chances are in the favour of the player’s team when they are on the ice. Pospisil leads the way at 69.8 percent, followed closely by Zary at 69.4 percent, and DeSimone rounds out the pack with 64.7 percent.
No Flames player has a higher percentage than the three freshmen; the three have combined for 16 shots on goal and 23 total attempts. Zary has been heavily featured on the power play, where he has contributed an assist. Pospisil looked good in his limited time with the man advantage as well. The three have remarkably made the other players around them better despite their lack of NHL experience.
Related: Flames’ Zary Continues Success At NHL Level
In conclusion, the two-game winning streak following the call-ups of Zary, Pospisil, and DeSimone is not by happenstance. Their additions have created a more competitive environment, likely due to their intense desire to remain in the best hockey league on earth. Once one has tasted the “chel,” they do not want to be sent back down or sit in the press box and watch games. Hopefully, their success can be continued and inspire more well-established Flames to bite down and start leaning on their sticks more. Maybe the team mantra should be “play like you’re a rookie again.”
