SPRING 2021
EXCLUSIVE
INTERVIEWS WITH: TH: HOCKEY LEGEND
JAROME IGINLA FLAMES FORWARD
ANDREW MANGIAPANE SPORTSNET HOST
RYAN LESLIE
LISA
LONGBALL
8-time Canadian Long Drive Champion and First Female Board Member with the Hockey Alberta Foundation
CALGARY HOCKEY MAGAZINE | SPRING 2021
TABLE OF
CONTENTS 5 A PILOT PROJECT
WHAT NOT TO YELL:
6 JAROME IGINLA
Q & A WITH HOCKEY LEGEND
11
RISING STARS
calgary hockey magazine featured players show their talent
15 18
21
LISA “LONGBALL” VLOOSWYK
FIRST WOMAN ON HOCKEY ALBERTA foundation BOARD ANDREW MANGIAPANE
NOT TOO SMALL TO PLAY IN THE BIGS SPORTSNET HOST RYAN LESLIE
LIVING THE DREAM
MESSAGE FROM THE
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President and Publisher: Rob Suggitt Graphic Designer: Katelyn Suggitt Contributing Writers Jeremy Freeborn, Julie Booke, Makayla Skrlac Copy Editing: Shari Narine Photography Credits: Gerry Thomas - Calgary Flames Hockey Club Scott Audette / NHL via Getty Images Michael Martin - Colorado Avalanche Lucas Chudleigh - Apollo Multimedia Sales Associate: Jeremy Freeborn Administration: Amber-Lea Grmek
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PUBLISHER
Welcome to our final edition of the Calgary Hockey Magazine for the 2020-2021 season. This year has been a challenging year for everyone, including those in the hockey community. Most years, we are able to cover minor hockey, but there was not a lot to cover this past season. For this issue, we are pleased to include an exclusive feature interview with former Calgary Flames player Jarome Iginla. We also have an interview with current Flames player Andrew Mangiapane, who is becoming a solid NHL player. At the time of publication, Mangiapane was on pace for 25 goals, based on an 82-game season. Rounding out this issue, we have a nice feature on Rogers Sportsnet host Ryan Leslie and a very entertaining interview/feature with Lisa Longball, the 8-time Canadian long drive champion. Longball (her actual last name is Vlooswyk) recently became the first female board member with the Hockey Alberta Foundation.
Wrapping things up, I have to thank all the wonderful people from the business community. Without their support, this magazine would not be possible. Wishing everyone a great summer! Stay safe, stay optimistic, and see you next Fall!
ROB SUGGITT Publisher | Calgary Hockey Magazine
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The first round of student observations showed a difference in spectator behaviour between the various divisions. The main behaviour demonstrated by spectators during one of the games was positive and encouraging with lots of clapping towards players. However, some negative and critical behaviours were also observed. The nature of the positive parent verbal comments were reinforcing, “Let’s go girls!” and motivating, “Go, go, go, you’ve got this!” These comments were directed at individual players by their parent/guardian as well as more inclusive of the entire team. A significant majority of the comments were made while the puck was in play. The identified negative parent verbal comments included corrections, “Shoot!” directed at individual players during play as well as scolding, “What? It was all puck” directed to other parents in the stands during the ref’s call. Other games saw that spectator behaviour was a balance of positive and negative parent verbal comments. Positive comments were reinforcing, “Nice play/save!” and directed at an individual athlete, not the entire team, during play. Negative comments were to correct or scold, “What are you doing? Look for the pass” an individual athlete’s effort, again, while the puck was in play. Students noted that while parents were social among each other in the stands, these comments were difficult to hear or record, they were less vocal about the game. The coaches were very vocal and engaged with the players throughout the game although the coach's comments were not recorded.
A PILOT PROJECT By Makayla Skrlac and Julie Booke
Hockey Calgary is continuing efforts to ensure that the culture they foster is respectful of all those involved in the game, including players, parents, referees, spectators, etc. Their mission of promoting the game through: a) healthy and safe competition, b) positive life skills, c) fair opportunity, d) optimal skill development, e) access to the game and f) RESPECT is being materialized through a new initiative - What Not To Yell (WNTY) app for smartphones. Hockey Calgary is a leader in piloting WNTY’s educational program, encouraging parents/guardians to be cognizant of their social behaviours before, during, and after their child(ren)’s game(s). Once a league initiates the program with WNTY, the app is easily downloaded from the App Store and will enable parents/guardians to create an account and register their team(s). WNTY sends a notification one hour before every game prompting account holders to login and complete a short learning activity. The learning activities are designed to improve spectator intelligence through emotional self control and maintaining a positive mindset, and reminds parents/guardians of the league’s Code of Conduct. At the end of the game, another notification prompts parents/ guardians to login and rate the ‘sportsmanship’ of the overall game experience and opposing team’s spectators. The purpose of the WNTY program is to provide educational opportunities and also to provide league officials with data on the spectator culture. The WNTY app enhances the league’s accountability, management and reinforcement of parent behaviours in alignment with Hockey Calgary’s mandate and champions a culture where everyone is “Loud & Proud of Their Own Behaviours.” Together Hockey Calgary and the founders of WNTY worked with Mount Royal University students to conduct field observations to begin to assess the WNTY pilot project. The students were trained in participant observation techniques using the Parent Observation Instrument for Sporting Events (POISE) (Kidman, & McKenzie, 1996). Pairs of students attended five games near the start of the season and four additional games closer to the end of season. During each game the students observed spectator behaviour and recorded the nature of what was said (i.e. cheering and yelling), to whom the comments were directed, and the event during which the comments were made (i.e. puck in play, penalty, etc).
The students then combined their observations and found the following themes:
Other behaviours were described as more intense and focused on sideline coaching. Positive parent verbal comments were reinforcing, “Go skate, that’s it!” and were only directed to individual athletes on their team most often during play. Most of the negative comments were correcting and scolding, “That’s hooking” towards the opposite team’s players as well as the referee during play and acts of violence. In addition, comments were made in between periods and breaks in play. During the second round of field observations similar games were included, but student observers noted that, for most games, conversations were less focused on the game or players. Observers commented that they felt spectators were less interested in what was happening on the ice and parents socialized amongst themselves or on their cellphones. For example, “We need to get his skates sharpened” said one parent to another. Little to no sideline coaching occurred, parents were overall positive and directed their comments to their child and/or specific athletes as well as at their child’s team as a whole. Minimal negative and inappropriate behaviours were observed. Conducting these observations provided some insight into what occurs in the stands during minor hockey games. Limitations to this field observation model include 1) not being able to observe the same parent in round one and round two observations, 2) games being played against different teams in each round, 3) not being able to determine if the parents observed had downloaded and completed the learning activities on the WNTY app, and 4) the small number of observations conducted. However, a key takeaway was the contrast in spectator behaviour between more inclusive team-focused comments to that of more individualistic player-focused comments. These observations also generated questions about spectator behaviour. For example, observers were asking questions on a variety of elements that may have impacted the observations, for example: does the time of the year games are played or where the teams are in the standings impact spectator behaviour? Other questions included does the difference in sound in arenas impact the athletes and spectators? A final question focused on how spectators see their comments - do they believe they are encouraging their athletes by coaching from the sideline? While definitive findings cannot be stated with regards to the impact the WNTY program has on spectator behaviour, the program nevertheless offers parents/ guardians an opportunity to expand their knowledge and understanding of spectator intelligence and how they can have a positive influence at the arena. If you are interested in learning more about the What Not To Yell program or corporate program offered to support shifting culture please contact Kevin Murray at: kevin@whatnottoyell.com OR 403-870-4568. Thank you to the student observers for their interest, focus, and involvement in the WNTY pilot project: Sarah Bouvier, Adriane Cairns, Sierra Hope-Lloyd, Evan Jones, Tyson Kapty, Kyla Lafferty, Carol Tran, and Michael Yau.
References Kidman, L., and McKenzie, A. (1996). Parents’ verbal comments at sport events. In Investing in children, primary prevention strategies: Proceedings of the Children’s Issues Centre inaugural Child and Family Policy Conference. Dunedin, New Zealand (pp. 344-353).
CALGARY HOCKEY MAGAZINE | 5
& QA
WITH FLAMES
LEGEND
JAROME IGINLA by jeremy freeborn
photos by gerry thomas | courtesy calgary flames hockey club On Dec. 2, Hockey Magazine Calgary was able to get an exclusive interview with the best Calgary Flame in franchise history, Jarome Iginla. Thank you to the Flames media relations department for setting up the interview and Iginla himself for taking the time from his busy schedule to answer our questions. CHM: CONGRATULATIONS ON MAKING THE HOCKEY HALL OF FAME. WHO INITIALLY CALLED YOU AND WHAT WAS YOUR INITIAL REACTION? JI: I got the call from Lanny McDonald, which was a huge honour. I was told by the selection committee that I would be contacted at a certain time. I was excited about the possibility. I was not sure when it was going to be. To be honest, I got the call from Peter Hanlon, who told me to be ready around 1 o’clock. I was trying to be busy during the day. At 11 am, I was out, and was renting a vehicle, so we could go mountain biking as a family later. Then I got a call in the line-up, and
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it was a Toronto number. I had to ignore it because I had to deal with a walk around (at the rental). The phone rang again. I thought, No, that is not the time. Peter told me 1 o’clock. I ignored it again. Then, a third time, Lanny McDonald sent a text asking me to call him. I said ‘Oh my God!’ I felt so bad! I jumped into the rental truck, connected with him, and apologized. I was very embarrassed that I might have had him waiting. I was so thrilled. I will never forget it. It was very special. I have always looked up to him. It was a huge honour and it was very surreal to get into the Hall of Fame. CHM: YOU ARE GOING INTO THE HALL OF FAME WITH KEVIN LOWE. I KNOW YOU WERE AN OILERS FAN GROWING UP IN ST. ALBERT. HOW EXCITING IS IT TO BE IN THE SAME CLASS AS ONE OF YOUR IDOLS? JI: Yeah, yeah, I did watch Kevin Lowe a lot with the Oilers. I was a huge Oilers fan against whoever they played. They played the Flames a lot in the Smythe Division, as well as the Canucks, Jets,
CHM: YOU ARE NOW THE FOURTH BLACK PERSON TO BE INDUCTED INTO THE HOCKEY HALL OF FAME FOLLOWING WILLIE O’REE, GRANT FUHR AND ANGELA JAMES. AS A PERSON OF COLOUR, HOW MEANINGFUL IS IT FOR YOU TO BE PART OF THIS RICH GROUP OF ELITE HOCKEY STARS? JI: It is very special. I am very blessed. I knew growing up I was a minority hockey player. I was the only black player on my team, and there were not many minorities who I played with. Growing up kids would say, ‘I want to play in the NHL. What do you want to be when you grow up?’ I would say, ‘I want to be an NHL player, too.’ They would then say, ‘Oh, jeez. It’s already hard to be one. What are the odds? There aren’t any black players in the NHL.’ Then I would say, ‘Look at Grant Fuhr. Look at him. He is on the Oilers and is an all-star.’ That gave me a lot of strength and confidence in those conversations. I also followed many other black players in the NHL—Claude Vilgrain and Tony McKegney. Kids were not trying to be mean. They just did not know. It was important to rattle off the names of a few guys who were having success in the NHL. It gave me a lot of confidence to see that other players already made it, but also to have a comeback for other kids. It meant a lot to me. One of the highlights of my career was getting a chance to play with Grant Fuhr at the end of his career in Calgary (1999-2000). I got to meet him in person. I got to see him as a teammate. I looked up to him for so long. One of the pictures I have still up in my house is a Sports Illustrated photo of three black players all on the same team. That season the Flames also had Fred Brathwaite. It meant a lot to me. As I went through my career, there were other minorities and black players who looked up to me, as I looked up to those guys. It is possible. Hockey is a great game for everybody. It is a ton of fun. CHM: HOW DO YOU FEEL WHEN PEOPLE SAY YOU ARE THE BEST FLAME IN FRANCHISE HISTORY? JI: It is really nice of them. It is an honour to be in that conversation. Calgary has had some great players. Lanny McDonald was a great player. Other greats were Theoren Fleury, Mike Vernon, Al MacInnis, and Joe Nieuwendyk. There have been a lot of great players to have played there, and it is an honour to be in that conversation. I never imagined five years in, that I would be in the Hockey Hall of Fame. To be on the list as among the best Flames is very cool. I am very blessed in my life. Hockey has been very good to me. Growing up, my goal was just to make the NHL. I loved playing hockey. In minor hockey, it was just a dream. I just enjoyed playing it. I tried to get as much of it as I could. I loved many sports. At age 16, I had a chance to play for Kamloops and move away from home. At that time, when I was in Grade 11, I knew I was going to go for it and make the NHL. I was a little more experienced and got in a great situation there in Kamloops with a really good organization, with a lot of wonderful, upcoming players that showed me a lot of things. My point being is that in my first three years in the NHL, the best league in the world, you are just trying to work in a hard league and establish yourself, stay in it, and get more playing time. It has brought me experiences and friendships. It has been great to be a part of. I have always been asked in terms of wins, losses, playoffs, goals, and points. These are part of sports. But at the same time, we are also growing up. Hockey is part of our life and it has been fun.
“
I never imagined five years in, that I would be in the Hockey Hall of Fame. To be on the list as among the best Flames is very cool. I am very blessed in my life.
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and Kings. I also got to know Kevin through the Olympic teams (2002, 2006, and 2010). He was a fierce competitor, had a ton of success (six Stanley Cups), was very humble, and was a really good family guy. It was neat to get to know him over the years. I did not get to play against him long, but it was really cool. It was another one of those surreal moments. When I watched him at 10 years old, I never expected to go in the Hall of Fame with him.
Hockey has been very good to me.
There are different things beside the things on the ice. I got to buy my first house in Calgary. I got to travel to different cities and see Broadway in New York. There are great experiences that go with the hockey. It has been an amazing journey. These experiences are bigger than the goals and points. CHM: TELL ME ABOUT YOUR FIRST GAME WITH THE FLAMES AND WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO BE PUT IN A PLAYOFF ATMOSPHERE IMMEDIATELY? JI: My first game with the Flames was one of the most exciting games I ever played (a 7-5 Flames loss to the Chicago Blackhawks in game three of the Western Conference quarterfinals on April 26, 1996). It was my favourite. I was in Kamloops the night before. We lost out in game six of the Western Hockey League Western Conference final (to the Spokane Chiefs). We were disappointed. I remember talking to my agent, Donny Meehan. He said he was going to talk to Flames General Manager Al Coates. I was excited about going to watch the Flames during their first-round playoff series against the Blackhawks the next afternoon. I was going to be around the team. I remember heading to the game. I remember agreeing with the Flames that when I was done with the WHL playoffs, I would sign a deal with Calgary. When I got off the plane, they said, ‘Oh, you’re playing.’ I got to the rink and I signed the deal that we agreed upon. Then it was time to go to the dressing room. I rushed down. I did not eat very much. Once I got to the dressing room with my equipment, guys were half-dressed. I got to centre a line with Theoren Fleury and German Titov. That was the top line. At the time in my mind, any line Theo was on was the top line. All of a sudden I am going into the corner against Jeremy Roenick and Chris Chelios. It was so surreal. It all happened in 12 hours. I did not expect it. It was really good that they did not tell me. If I would have known, I do not think I would sleep at all. I did not sleep a lot because there was an early morning flight, and I was up late. I did not have time to be nervous. I just went out and played. The previous night I was watching the highlights from the NHL playoffs, and the next day, I was in the playoffs! It was awesome. It was one of my favourite moments. No matter what happened from then on, I had made the NHL, and made my dream from seven or eight years old!
CALGARY HOCKEY MAGAZINE | 7
CHM: WHAT AMAZED YOU THE MOST BY THE HIGH LEVEL OF EXCITEMENT CALGARIANS HAD ABOUT THE 2004 FLAMES TEAM?
JI: Yeah, yeah. There was so much about it. I was so fortunate to be part of that run. Even though we did not win, there were so many great memories. Having a team come together like that was so memorable! We were literally one goal away from winning it (the Stanley Cup). We lost in game six in double overtime and then in game seven by a goal. One goal could have sealed it. We were that close in the journey. CHM: WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES OF BEING A CAPTAIN FOR AN NHL TEAM IN A CANADIAN MARKET? JI: There’s challenges. It is an honour for sure. For any player on any Canadian team, it is a fun place to play when you are winning. If you are not winning, it is not as fun to play. It is still fun because it is the NHL and it is hockey. It is always enjoyable, but it can wear on you when you are not winning because there is a lot of scrutiny. If you are the captain, you have to do a lot of interviews. You pretty much have to answer questions daily. You may not always have an answer. There are times when there may not be something to say. Sometimes we were on a roll and sometimes we were not as good. You were always trying to be hopeful. It was great to play in front of crowds who are enthusiastic and passionate. When you are not winning, it is the opposite. It is what goes with the territory. (Being a captain for the Flames from 2003 to 2013), was a great experience and an honour. I am thankful I got to do it.” CHM: WHAT PLAYER DID YOU FACE THAT WAS THE MOST CHALLENGING TO GET BY IN THE NEUTRAL ZONE? JI: There were a lot. I did not face him a lot, but Zdeno Chara, at 6’9”, (250 pounds), was one of the most challenging players on the ice for sure. I am glad I did not have to face him too much. Other tough players were Nicklas Lidstrom and Scott Niedermayer. Lidstrom was not out of place very often. I think I got by him twice and once I scored a goal. This one time I got by him and did not score, but it stood out to me because I never beat him. With Niedermayer, he skated so well, that every time you think you had him, he would catch up with no problem. It would get a little frustrating. Derian Hatcher was pretty physical, pretty chippy, and he got away with a lot. CHM: DURING YOUR CAREER, YOU WERE CREDITED FOR MAKING EVERYONE AROUND YOU BETTER. WAS THERE A PARTICULAR PLAYER YOU ENJOYED PLAYING WITH THE MOST AND SAW HIM IMPROVE WHILE WITH THE FLAMES? JI: I would say Craig Conroy. When he first got traded to Calgary (in 2001), I thought he was more of a defensive specialist, and at the time we were looking for more offense in our group. But the GM (Craig Button) obviously had a great vision and saw a lot in him. Our coach (Greg Gilbert) really liked him. He had him in the minors (with the Worcester IceCats of the American Hockey League), so he saw that too. I did not know he would be as offensive as he was. He was an amazing player to play with because he was so good defensively as a centreman, that he did not play in his zone a lot. Conroy was also a great playmaker. He would look for me. If I got open, you knew he would find you. He had great vision. He always knew where his teammates were all over the ice, and was so responsible defensively that you could almost take a few more chances when you are playing with a guy like that. One of my other favourites was Alex Tanguay. He could just pass and have eyes at the back of his head. Just when you think he was about to shoot, he would dish the puck right over to you, and give you a wideopen net. Those were two of my favourites. Others to mention were Valeri Bure, Kristian Huselius and Michael Cammalleri. Michael was a shooter and a passer. He was kind of fun, because you did not know if he was shooting or passing. He had a great one-timer. There were a lot of great guys who I played with on a regular basis. I really enjoyed it.”
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CHM: YOU DID NOT WIN A STANLEY CUP, BUT DID SET UP ONE OF THE BIGGEST GOALS IN CANADIAN HOCKEY HISTORY. HAVE YOU HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE GOLD MEDAL GAME OF THE 2010 OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES IN VANCOUVER AND WHAT WAS IT LIKE FOR YOU TO BE IN VANCOUVER ON THAT FEBRUARY DAY A DECADE AGO? JI: I have watched it just a little bit. I saw it not too long ago, looking for drills to teach my son in hockey practice. I watched 15 minutes of the game in a condensed version. It was cool! It was fast hockey! There was so much on the line. It was fun to watch Crosby, Niedermayer and Patrick Kane. It was back and forth. To be on the ice of overtime was special. Being four-on-four, Coach Babcock had to shorten the bench in overtime, so there were only two forwards and two defensemen on the ice at the same time. He also only played eight forwards in overtime and I got to play with Crosby. I had a great opportunity and it was really neat to see Crosby put it away and get that quick shot off. Afterwards, it was being like a little kid and throwing our gloves around. (The Olympic gold medal game in men’s hockey) is what you play for in sports. To be able to play for Canada in Canada (was so special). There was incredible energy and enthusiasm. There was so much pride among the people of Vancouver. All of the Canadian fans were so into all of the sports. It was a neat way to end the Olympics and I felt like a little kid! It was also nerve-wracking. If we lost that one, we would never hear the end of it and it would have been another Miracle on Ice, as the Americans had tied the game late in regulation. CHM: DISCUSS THE EXPERIENCES YOU HAD VOLUNTEERING IN THE CALGARY REGION. JI: I had great experiences and learned a lot. There is great leadership from Flames ownership. Players are encouraged to be involved. Jim Peplinski, Colin Patterson, Ron Stern were all part of the community when I first started with the Flames. They set really good examples and knew they could help by being a celebrity of a hockey player. As soon as you became part of the organization, I like how the Flames talk to each player and try to align you with things that might mean something to you on a personal level more than other things. Kidsport is one organization I had a big involvement with. To me, sports were a huge part of my life. I loved playing sports. I love sports for all of the different lessons that are learned. My best friends are people I played with when I was younger. I also had people help me. My grandparents helped my mom and me with financial costs and taking me to practice when my mom couldn’t. I was very fortunate and blessed. Kidsport meant a lot to me. I really enjoyed my involvement there and hopefully was able to make some positive things happen, help kids keep growing and having a positive impact on kids.
CHM: TELL ME ABOUT THE SUMMER HOCKEY SCHOOL YOU HELPED CREATE WITH CASSIE CAMPBELL.
CHM: IF THERE IS ONE MESSAGE YOU WOULD LIKE TO GIVE CALGARY HOCKEY FANS, WHAT IS IT?
JI: Ron Stern had the hockey school before. I was approached by Flames employee Shauna Gooliaff. It was really cool. Hockey schools were something I frequently went to growing up. I was asked to be part of it. We were raising money for different causes each year, but at the same time, you want to create good experiences for the kids. We wanted everyone to enjoy the game of hockey and enjoy being a kid. We wanted everyone to be around the sport of hockey and create great memories. It was really cool when Cassie Campbell came on board in 2008. She was extremely accomplished and has done a lot for girls’ hockey. It was also a huge honour that Willie O’Ree helped me out for a couple of years. The camp really grew and was a great experience to be a part of. There was a lot of effort that went on behind the scenes. We had really good instructors, but it was more about having fun and for kids to fall in love with the game of hockey. Hopefully, kids came and did that.
JI: Thank you. I had my first game with the Flames at age 18. I played there until I was 35. It was more than just goals, assists and points. I had a great, great time living in Calgary and being part of the community. We lived in Elboya and Hillcrest. The restaurants were great. People treated my family and I really well. The organization treated us really well. We have many friends and teammates that are still with the organization. We are going to move back out west soon. We miss it. It was a great place to live. Fans and the community were great to us and myself. Thank you. It was amazing on and off the ice. Not just on the ice.
CHM: WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN UP TO SINCE RETIRING? JI: We live out in Boston. This is our fourth year. I have been coaching my two boys hockey. We have a 16-year-old daughter. She just moved away from home this year to go to school. Our boys are 14 and 12. They are right into hockey, so it is great. It is fun for me to get to go to all of their games as much as I can. It is great to be around them and to coach them. It has gone so fast. That period of our lives will end soon as they grow older. It has been great to be home and spend that time. I do get asked, ‘Do I miss hockey?’ I miss it. It was a ton of fun. I miss the competing and the travel and everything that went with it. But now, I would rather not be doing it. I would rather be home and spending time with my family, my wife, and enjoying retirement. too.
YOU SAID YOU ARE PLANNING TO MOVE BACK OUT WEST. ARE YOU CONSIDERING CALGARY, ST. ALBERT, OR THE EDMONTON REGION? JI: We have a place in the Okanagan. I think the boys are going to an academy. There are some great academies out there. Our boys are enjoying hockey a lot. We have not completely finalized things. Our daughter is in boarding school. She is in grade 11 and we are waiting until she is done high school. I really enjoy Boston. It has been nice just to focus on the kids. It has been great and fun. The families for my wife and I are out west. It would be nice to get back out west and spend time with family and friends!
Update: On Feb. 5, prior to this interview with Iginla, it was reported that Iginla would be the coach of the U15 Prep team and the assistant coach of the U18 Prep team at the RINK Hockey Academy in Kelowna for the 2021-22 season.
CALGARY HOCKEY MAGAZINE | 9
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S R A T S G N I RRIISSING STARS CALGARY HOCKEY MAGAZINE PAST FEATURED PLAYERS SHOW THEIR TALENT By Jeremy Freeborn Over the last decade, I have had the unbelievable privilege and honour of working for the Calgary Hockey Magazine. One of the perks of the position is the opportunity to interview rising stars from Calgary at the junior hockey level. We try to feature the players before they make the big time.
Cale Makar
In the summer of 2017, I caught up with Cale Makar, the offensiveminded phenom defenseman who was practicing with Team Canada for the World Junior Summer Showcase tournament in Plymouth, Michigan. Makar had just been drafted in the first round, fourth overall, by the Avalanche, and his name was just becoming known. The mild obscurity was because of the path Makar chose to success. He bypassed the Western Hockey League and instead played with the Brooks Bandits in the Alberta Junior Hockey League.
photo by Michael Martin colorado avalanche
After two years at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Makar made his NHL debut with the Colorado Avalanche in the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs.His first NHL game came against the Calgary Flames on April 15, 2019, in game three of the first round. Makar was an instant difference maker. With the Avalanche leading 2-0 in the game, Makar scored the game winning goal from Nathan MacKinnon and Alexander Kerfoot at 16:02 of the first period. The Avalanche smoked the Flames 6-2 and won the series four games to one. In 2019-20, Makar played his first full season for Colorado. In a year with talented rookies, Makar beat out Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes and Chicago Blackhawks forward Dominik Kuablik to win the Calder Trophy. In a neat moment, it was Wayne Gretzky, who controversially never won the Calder Trophy in his prestigious NHL career, who announced virtually that Makar was the 2020 Calder Trophy recipient. In 57 games in 2019-20, Makar had 12 goals and 38 assists for 50 points. He was also a +12 with 12 penalty minutes, 19 power play points, four game winning goals, 121 shots on goal, 47 blocked shots, 45 hits, 34 takeaways and 40 giveaways. Furthermore, Makar finished ninth in Norris Trophy voting. So far in 2020-21, Makar, like Point, is averaging close to a point per game. He has one goal and 13 assists for 14 points.
CALGARY HOCKEY MAGAZINE | 11
Brayden Point
On Nov. 17, 2013, I attended a game in the Western Hockey League between the Calgary Hitmen and Moose Jaw Warriors. The reason was simple. It was to have the chance to interview Warriors centre Brayden Point of Calgary. Despite being a star in the Alberta Major Bantam Hockey League, no other local media had an interest in interviewing him that night. I was the only one. Was I missing something? As Point was 5’9”, 160 pounds at the time, I suspect most teams did not expect him to develop into anything special. Despite 91 points in 72 games in 2013-14 with the Warriors, he was only drafted in the third round, 79th overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. After a 92-point season in 2018-19 (which was 12th in the NHL), Point had 64 points in an abbreviated 66-game 2019-20 regular season. It was in the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs where Point was able to shine. In 23 games, he had 14 goals and 19 assists for 33 points, in the Toronto and Edmonton bubbles. It was Point who scored the magical game winning goal for Tampa Bay in quintuple overtime in their historic 3-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets in game one of their first round series. He then notched a second overtime marker against Columbus to help Tampa Bay close out the series in five games. However, the Lightning had great success in acquiring another small player for the 2000-01 season when they picked up former Flames forward Martin St. Louis. At 5’8”, 175 pounds, all St. Louis was able to accomplish was win the 2004 Stanley Cup, the 2004 Hart Trophy, three Lady Byng trophies, and two Art Ross trophies in a Hockey Hall of Fame career. We cannot at this time put Point and St. Louis in the same sentence. However, we can make the claim that Point has turned out to be an NHL star in his own right. Point’s 14 goals led all players in the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs and his 33 points were second to his teammate Nikita Kucherov’s 34 points. More importantly, Point was able to accomplish something that St. Louis did in 2004: win the Stanley Cup. So far this season Point has continued to average his pointper-game pace. He has 27 points in his first 28 games. Point is putting up respectable numbers this season without playing alongside Kucherov, who is out this season with hip surgery.
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Ozzy Wiesblatt At the 2020 National Hockey League Entry Draft, Ozzy Wiesblatt was selected in the first round, 31st overall, by the San Jose Sharks. We had featured Ozzy, along with his siblings Orca, Ocean and Oasiz, in the 2020 spring issue of Hockey Magazine Calgary. What made Ozzy’s draft selection announcement so memorable was that Doug Wilson Jr., the Sharks Director of Amateur Scouting, used sign language. This was done so Ozzy’s mother Kim, who is deaf, could understand. The story of Kim as a single mother and the financial challenges faced by the Wiesblatt family over the years has been widely told. Now with Ozzy having signed a three-year contract worth $2.775 million that should help the family significantly. In 2019-20, Wiesblatt, who plays right wing, had 25 goals and 45 assists for 70 points in 64 games with the Prince Albert Raiders. He made significant progress after only recording 39 points in 64 games in 2018-19. The 31-point increase in the same number of Western Hockey League games exemplified Wiesblatt’s overall improvement.
photo by lucas chudleigh Apollo multimedia
There is no doubt that the careers of 24 year-old Brayden Point, 21-year-old Cale Makar and 18-yearold Ozzy Wiesblatt are just getting started. Over the next decade all three will continue to be regular household hockey names with a common link — THE TRIO CAME FROM CALGARY.
CALGARY HOCKEY MAGAZINE | 13
LISA
“LONGBALL”
Vlooswyk
Makes History as first woman on the Hockey Alberta Foundation Board By Jeremy Freeborn photos courtesy of lisa vlooswyk
Most of the sports world knows Lisa “Longball” Vlooswyk as Canada’s top female long drive golfer. An eight-time national champion, Vlooswyk, of Calgary, was the first woman golfer to hit a golf ball further than 350 yards in long drive competition (350 yards, two feet, two inches). As Vlooswyk reminded me, that is equivalent to three and a half National Football League fields. However, the two-time silver medalist at the World Long Drive Golf Championship is not only about making golf history. This past year, Vlooswyk made hockey history as a builder when she became the first female board member on the Hockey Alberta Foundation. “When I was approached by the board to submit an application, I was a bit nervous,” she said in a March interview with Calgary Hockey Magazine. “They had never had a female board member. For me, it was really important. Women have a strong voice. We have a lot we can share and contribute. For me personally, I have had so many experiences through sport and what I really like about the Hockey Alberta Foundation is that they have asked, ‘Are we diverse enough?’ What I am the most proud of is that I believe I was just not a checkmark in a box to say, ‘Great, we have a woman on the board.’ I came to the table with a lot (to give). I bring a long sports background. I competed at the national level in trampoline and tumbling and was on the University of Calgary track and field team as a heptathlete. Being involved in multiple sports, I think I can bring some of that knowledge.” Vlooswyk currently loves being a hockey mom. Her son Luke is a defenseman for the Calgary AAA Bisons at the bantam level. Until this year, Lisa’s husband Anton has been coaching their son ever since Luke was a Timbit. “Hockey has provided our family with such joy,” she said. “All the weekends and all of the tournaments.” It is the collection of positive familial experiences that led Vlooswyk to be part of the Hockey Alberta Foundation. The primary focus of the foundation is simple: to make the game of hockey accessible to everyone who wants to play. It does away with such barriers as gender, race or economic position and allows participants to reap the benefits the game has brought to Vlooswyk and her family. The mandate is “every kid, every community.”
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“Every part of Alberta is represented on the board. We have so many people in the community volunteering their time, it is extraordinary. My ideas are valued. In working with so many talented people, it has been an amazing experience. We want all communities to see and build the joy of hockey,” she said. Vlooswyk has the exceptional quality of being able to promote sport and fundraise. In order for hockey to be accessible to everyone, it costs money. Vlooswyk brings her valuable experience of raising funds over the last two decades through numerous charity golf tournaments. She has experience in figuring out the best ways to raise revenue and how to mix things up to find supporters and donors. Vlooswyk admits she has never been a great hockey player and has problems skating backwards. However, she knows the benefit of sport and is passionate about trying to make a difference. “We all have skills and talents, and I feel so fortunate to have had so many incredible opportunities in sport. I also have been a Special Olympics volunteer since university. My son and I do online workouts for Special Olympians. We have done that throughout the pandemic. If you have not had an opportunity to meet a Special Olympian, you need to take the time. They are literally, the most heart-centred, amazing individuals. I love seeing the joy on their faces during a game of floor hockey. That is my why.” Looking back at her golf career, Vlooswyk is proud to have not only represented Calgary, but Canada. In recent years, she has used her background as a significant educational tool in teaching golf to women. Vlooswyk has also been the Canadian lead for Women’s Golf Day, helping to instruct women on the game of golf and its rules and etiquette when they are invited to charity events. “The beauty of golf is that it is a game we can play for our whole lives,” she said. “It is outdoors and a low impact on joints.”
Many great hockey players over the years have also been great golfers. Vlooswyk mentions former Flames legend Jarome Iginla, current Flames star Johnny Gaudreau, former Oilers and Flames goaltender Grant Fuhr, and the legendary Wayne Gretzky. One year at the Flames Charity Golf Tournament, Vlooswyk and Gaudreau won the title with a combined score of -19. Vlooswyk was impressed with Gaudreau’s hand-eye coordination. He was able to bounce the ball off his wedge club with unbelievable precision. Vlooswyk states many people are of the opinion that the best long driver golfers have strong upper-body arm muscles. However, she says, it is the leg strength where she generates most of her power and the reason why she hits the golf ball as far as she does. Leg strength, she says, is why many professional hockey players have success. The power in the legs and core helps them generate speed and deliver a sizzling slapshot. This is one reason why power skating has become an integral part of hockey in recent years. Vlooswyk also sees comparisons between golfers and hockey players when it comes to the thinking side of the game. “Like golf, hockey is also a very mental game,” she said. “You are going to have setbacks. You are going to have difficult times, but you are going to have to move forward and push through that to find success.” Over the years, Vlooswyk has become great friends with Fuhr. The Hall of Fame goaltender travelled to Prince Edward Island to assist her in a charity event, where the proceeds went to the Boys and Girls Club. Vlooswyk is aware that Fuhr has faced racism over the years. While with the Buffalo Sabres, for example, he was denied membership to the Transit Valley Country Club in Buffalo in 1993 because he is black. “It makes me so sad that Grant has ever had to deal with that,” she said. “To me it makes no sense that a person cannot join a club because of the colour of their skin. I don’t understand it and it needs to stop. I do believe we have come leaps and bounds in that arena, but we can always go further. Grant Fuhr is truly one of the most exceptional golfers and human beings. I could not say enough kind and wonderful things about him. I admire him so much and am proud at how resilient he is.”
Lisa “Longball” Vlooswyk, along with her son Luke. Photo taken in 2017, when the Stanley Cup came to Calgary as part of the 100 year celebration of the NHL. Luke Vlooswyk, who is now 14 years old, and just finished his first season of U15. Luke played quadrant hockey for the Calgary Buffaloes association, and made the AAA Bisons team as a firstyear defenseman. Luke was selected to be on one of the two teams representing Calgary at the Alberta Winter Games last year. Their team received the silver medal at the games. In addition to being an excellent hockey player, Luke also plays baseball and made the senior boys volleyball team last year as a Grade 7 student. He has volunteered (along with his mom) to teach junior golf clinics and conduct workouts for Special Olympics athletes over the pandemic. He maintains a scholastic average in the 90s.
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Vlooswyk also gives high praise to another former Oiler, Mark Messier. In February, Messier donated $100,000 to the Professional Women’s Hockey Players’ Association to help them in their quest to develop a successful women’s hockey league. “It speaks volumes,” she said. “When you have NHL players who are the best of the best, legends of the game, and Hall-of-Famers stepping up and saying, ‘Hey, women’s hockey is important and these athletes need to be supported,’ I think that will hopefully get the ball rolling to get more donations from athletes and corporations. With women’s hockey, we only focus on it every four years with the Olympic Winter Games. We need to support them every year, all year.” The Flames Foundation is another organization Vlooswyk supports. The organization not only has close connections to the Hockey Alberta Foundation, but to Canadian PGA player Graeme DeLaet, who has promoted the Flames Foundation on his golf shirts. “He makes a huge difference in our community,” she said. This past summer, Vlooswyk, who loves the water, made global headlines for her entertaining wakesurfing videos that featured both hockey and golf. A video where she dressed as a Flames goaltender stopping foam pucks went viral and was picked up by Pepsi in their summer hockey commercial. It was also featured on Hockey Night in Canada, People Magazine, and Good Morning America. Vlooswyk can also be seen in a bath robe drinking a cup of coffee and reading Golf Digest while wakesurfing.
Lisa Longball alongside CALGARY FLAMEs FORWARD Johnny Gaudreau Lisa golfed with Johnny Gaudreau at a Flames charity event, and had only good things to say about the talented Flames forward. “What a wonderful, polite and fantastic young man. He did not sit on his phone at all. Very engaged!” Their team won the tournament (a Texas Scramble) with a score of -19. As for Johnny Gaudreau’s golf game, Lisa had this to say. “We mostly used my drives, but every few shots, he could pound it out there. Considering he does not play a lot of golf, he has a lot of natural talent. I was lucky to get some good drives in there over 3 bills. He has SPECTACULAR hands. If we gave him the line he could drain the putt! It was fun watching him bounce a ball for 2-3 minutes straight on the face of his wedge."
Vlooswyk did the videos to bring happiness to people’s lives during a time when the overall morale was low due to the coronavirus pandemic. Among those who love Vlooswyk’s wakesurfing videos happens to be women’s golf legend Annika Sorenstam. This past winter, Vlooswyk showed the world that she was working on her golf game in frigid conditions with Mount Rundle as a backdrop. The video conveyed the beautiful scenery of Alberta even during a time of the coronavirus pandemic. Vlooswyk is hopeful that through her role as a volunteer for the Hockey Alberta Foundation that she is making a difference in Alberta communities. She is also hopeful that participation in all sports will skyrocket in 2022 once we have all been vaccinated.
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CALGARY HOCKEY MAGAZINE | 17
MANGIAPANE
proves he’s not “too small” to play in the bigs By Jeremy Freeborn photos by gerry thomas | courtesy calgary flames hockey club Andrew Mangiapane is now in his fourth season with the Calgary Flames. He was drafted in the sixth round of the 2015 National Hockey League Entry Draft. At 5’10”, 185 pounds, things have not always come easy for him and as one of the team’s smaller players, the Toronto native knows he has had to work extra hard in order to be counted on as a regular contributor in the Flames lineup. Mangiapane’s work ethic has been recognized by Flames fans and earned him a nickname. He has become “Bread” because in Italian, “mangia pane” means “eat bread.” When Mangiapane first heard of the nickname, he thought it was hilarious, but actually expected it. “I was laughing,” he said in an interview with Hockey Magazine Calgary. “I figured it would come eventually by having a name like that. It was definitely quite funny when I first heard it.” Mangiapane first started skating and playing hockey at two years old. His father Peter built a rink in the backyard and taught his son how to play. “I loved the game,” said Mangiapane. “I went to the rink every day and fell in love with the sport. Obviously I was pretty good growing up, so I guess that helped a bit.” Mangiapane idolized Martin St. Louis. Interestingly, before joining and starring with the Tampa Bay Lightning, St. Louis played two seasons with the Calgary Flames in 1998-99 and 1999-2000. He then was the Hart Trophy winner, Lester B. Pearson Award winner and Art Ross Trophy winner in 2004 when the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Flames in seven games to win the 2004 Stanley Cup. In addition to playing hockey, Mangiapane followed his Italian roots and played soccer in Ontario. He also played baseball, volleyball, and basketball.
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As an amateur hockey player in Ontario, Mangiapane played with the Caledon Hawks, Brampton Battalion, Markham Majors, the Mississauga Senators, the Toronto U15 AAA Titans, and the Toronto Junior Canadiens. As a teenager, Mangiapane was encouraged by many scouts to pursue hockey by getting a scholarship at the NCAA level. His future in hockey continued to look a little dim when he was not selected in the Ontario Hockey League Draft. However, the Barrie Colts took a chance and offered Mangiapane an opportunity after being impressed by his skills during a camp. At the time, the Colts head coach and director of hockey operations was former Winnipeg Jets legend and Hockey Hall of Famer Dale Hawerchuk. “Dale is a big factor of me playing in the NHL and even the OHL,” said Mangiapane. “He believed in me when no one else was. I watched him and he was my mentor. I owe him a lot and I don’t know where I would be without him.” Hawerchuk passed away in 2020 at the age of 57. It is at the junior hockey level where Mangiapane’s overall offensive skill set took over. After a respectable 51 points in 68 games during his 2013-14 OHL rookie season, he had back-to-back seasons of 100 points with the Colts. Mangiapane had 43 goals and 61 assists for 104 points in 2014-15 and 51 goals and 55 assists for 106 points in 2014-15. In 2014-15 Mangiapane finished tied for seventh in OHL scoring. He was sixth in OHL scoring in 2015-16. In his last season in the OHL, Mangiapane was also tied for second in the OHL in goals (one behind Christian Dvorak), and was named an alternate captain for the Colts by Hawerchuk.
During his junior career, Mangiapane attended two NHL drafts. Prior to the 2014 NHL Entry Draft in Philadelphia, he was told that he would be drafted. However, his name was never called. Then a year later in Sunrise, Florida, he had to wait until the sixth round before the Flames named him with the 166th overall selection. “I could say I was a little surprised,” said Mangiapane. “Obviously I am very thankful that Calgary drafted me when they did. I went to the draft in 2014. I was told I was going to be selected, and it was a little bit of a disappointment and shock from that aspect. I didn’t let it stop me. I used it as fuel for the fire.” After Mangiapane’s junior career, he did not make the step to the NHL right away. He spent the 2016-17 season with the Stockton Heat of the American Hockey League. Over the next two seasons he bounced between the Heat and Flames.
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I was a younger, smaller guy. It was just about gaining confidence down there, and knowing that I could play against those older, bigger guys. Once I figured that out, then that is when I felt I really took off.”
Mangiapane would wait until the next season before scoring his first NHL goal. That came in a 4-3 Flames shootout loss in Vancouver on Feb. 9, 2019. Mangiapane scored at 13:19 of the second period from Noah Hanifin and put the Flames up 3-2 at the time. “Those were special occasions for me,” he said. “I felt I had come a long way. My whole life, people were saying I was ‘too small’ or ‘you are never going to make it.’” Mangiapane takes pride in being a team player. Many times and especially earlier on in his Flames career, he took on more of a defensive responsibility. “Whatever the coach wants me to do, I am willing to do,” he said. “I take pride in playing against the top players on the other team. I think it is a big accomplishment if you shut their top guys down. It was different for me from junior when I first started.” In 2019-20, Mangiapane played more of an offensive role with Calgary, like he did with Barrie five years ago. He moved up to the Flames number two line, where he played alongside Matthew Tkachuk and Mikael Backlund, which was arguably the Flames most consistent line all season long. Mangiapane had great things to say about playing alongside Tkachuk, who led the Flames last year with 61 points in 69 games.
“I learned about being a pro,” said Mangiapane about his time in the minors. “It is a big step on ice and off ice, going from junior to being a pro. When you are a pro, you are cooking for yourself and cleaning for yourself. It is a lot of workload. The off-ice part was a big shock for me. You have to find your own place to live. It is tough that way, right? On the ice, I was playing against bigger and older players. I had to adapt to that as well. I was a younger, smaller guy. It was just about gaining confidence down there, and knowing that I could play against those older, bigger guys. Once I figured that out, then that is when I felt I really took off.” Mangiapane had 20 goals and 21 assists for 41 points in 69 games with the Heat in 2016-17. He then shared his time with the Heat and Flames in 2017-18. He played 10 games with Calgary without registering a point. However, he had strong offensive numbers in his second AHL season. In 39 games, he had 21 goals and 25 assists for 46 points. Mangiapane went from averaging 0.59 points per game in the AHL in 2016-17 to 1.18 points per game in the AHL in 2017-18. Due to the AHL improvement, he played 44 games with the Flames in 2018-19 (eight goals and five assists for 13 points). In 2019-20, his first full season with the Flames, he had 17 goals and 15 assists for 32 points in 68 games. On Feb. 17, 2020, Mangiapane recorded his first NHL career hat trick in a 6-4 Flames win over the Anaheim Ducks. So far in 2020-21, he has nine goals and seven assists for 16 points in 29 games. On Feb. 27, Mangiapane registered his first NHL career shorthanded goal in a 6-3 Flames win over the Ottawa Senators. The goal came from Mikael Backlund at 9:36 of the second period, which put the Flames up 5-1 at the time. Like many NHL players, Mangiapane has games that stand out over all of the rest. He has fond memories of playing his first NHL game as well as scoring his first NHL goal. Mangiapane’s first NHL regular season game came on New Year’s Eve 2017 in a 4-3 Flames win over the Chicago Blackhawks at the Scotiabank Saddledome. He had two shots on goal, one blocked shot, and one face-off win in seven minutes and 26 seconds of ice time.
“He is a really smart player,” said Mangiapane. “He is a good guy on and off the ice. He is very easy to play with. He is always in the right spot, at the right time, and he is great around the net. He is an ultimate team player. That is what you want to see from everyone on your team. You want players to block a shot, stand up for a guy, take a hit, make a play. That is the type of guy he is.” In 2020-21, Mangiapane continues to play with Backlund, but is back on the third line with Darryl Sutter returning as the Flames head coach. Here Mangiapane and Backlund are playing with veteran winger Milan Lucic. The line has been effective because the players have contrasting styles. Lucic has size (6’3”, 230 pounds), Backlund is known for his defensive accountability, while Mangiapane is known for his speed. For players who have dreams of playing in the NHL someday, Mangiapane has the following message. “Work hard and never give up on your dream. People may not believe in you, but if you believe in yourself, and you put in the work, then good things will happen for you.” Mangiapane may have had his skeptics at one time. However, he does not seem to have skeptics anymore. In the process, he has developed into a fan favourite in Calgary. Let us hope it will be sooner rather than later, when Mangiapane and the rest of the Flames hear 19, 289 Flames fans at the Scotiabank Saddledome holler the word, “Bread.”
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ROGERS SPORTSNET HOST
RYAN LESLIE
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M A E R D E H T G N I LIV By Jeremy Freeborn
photos courtesy of ryan leslie
On June 11, 2018, veteran Calgary Flames broadcaster Roger Millions announced his retirement from broadcasting. In the wake of his retirement as television host for Flames games, Sportsnet hired Ryan Leslie from Flames TV to take over. In his first three years of the position full-time, Leslie loves it and is “living the dream” when it comes to hockey broadcasting. Leslie grew up in Owen Sound and Port Dover, Ont. Unlike many people in southern Ontario, he was not a Toronto Maple Leafs fan. His favourite team was the Montreal Canadiens and Leslie idolized the magical skill set of Guy Lafleur. During this time it was difficult and expensive to go to NHL games, especially games at the old Maple Leaf Gardens, in Toronto. Leslie remembers his first NHL game live as a spectator. He was in attendance on Jan. 5, 1991, between the Maple Leafs and the Los Angeles Kings. With the Kings leading 3-2 late in the second period, Maple Leafs defenseman and former Flames Rob Ramage shot a stick that was lying on the ice towards Wayne Gretzky. Instantly Gretzky was granted a penalty shot. Leslie was right behind the Maple Leafs net and believes Gretzky winked at him before going one-on-one with Toronto goaltender Peter Ing. It would be Ing that got the best of Gretzky in this moment with a pad save. However, the Kings went on to win the game 4-2. “I have been in every rink since,” said Leslie in an interview with the Calgary Hockey Magazine. “That one (and that game) will always resonate.” Leslie had dreams of being the next Bob Cole. While growing up, he constantly muted the television so he could call games. At a young age, he knew he wanted to be a hockey television broadcaster. In 1993, Leslie started the broadcasting program at Mohawk College in Hamilton. He graduated in 1995. Around this time, he did an internship at Eastern Michigan University where he covered college basketball’s premier event—March Madness. He moved to Calgary in 1996. Initially he worked with Shaw Television, the director of entertainment with the Calgary Hitmen, and doing the University of Calgary’s public address announcing for the men’s and women’s volleyball and basketball teams. When Joe Sports became ill with cancer, a sports broadcasting position opened up at Global Television. Leslie was hired by Global TV Sports Director Grant Pollock. He remained with Global for five years.
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After that, Leslie joined Rogers Sportsnet and covered hockey, baseball and soccer. He briefly moved to Toronto during the 2012-13 NHL lockout. Once a settlement was reached between the players and owners, he returned to Calgary and worked one season on radio for the FAN 960. Then a position became available for Flames TV and Leslie worked there for the next five years. Over this time, he also worked part-time for Rogers Sportsnet, as he started traveling with the Flames on the road. Then he had a regular role as Flames host for most regular season Flames games on television when Roger Millions retired in 2018. Leslie thanks Millions for his encouragement, calling him “gracious” and “supportive.” Millions had been ready to change fields for some time and in 2018 moved into a career in politics. Over the last three seasons, Leslie is grateful to have worked with outstanding teammates, among them play-by-play announcer Rick Ball, colour commentator Kelly Hrudey, and a number of producers and technicians. (Interestingly, it was Hrudey who was the Kings’ goalie the night Leslie saw his first NHL game live.) Leslie is thankful to the Flames themselves, as he thoroughly enjoyed his time connecting the players with many of the fans on Flames TV.
That is when Johnny Gaudreau took control and registered a natural hat trick to force overtime. Then in the extra period, Mark Giordano scored with 53 seconds left to give the Flames a 4-3 win. This would be the start of a key four-game winning streak and a major reason why the Flames made the 2015 Stanley Cup playoffs. “I will never forget that. It was near Christmas and that was one of the more enjoyable plane rides home,” said Leslie. Then on Halloween night 2019, the Flames were in a high scoring affair in Nashville. In a game that saw five third period goals, Matt Tkachuk scored the game-tying goal with 39 seconds left in regulation and then the overtime winner with two seconds left in the extra period in a 6-5 win over the Predators. However, it was Tkachuk’s overtime winner, which will go down in history as one of the most remarkable goals scored, given the circumstances. Late in the game, an Elias Lindholm shot was blocked by the Predators. The puck came back to Tkachuk, who put his stick in between his legs and shot the puck top shelf past Pekka Rinne. “That was just one where you had to look at everyone around you and go, ‘Did he just do that?’“ said Leslie. This past spring, Leslie was part of the Sportsnet broadcast team during the Stanley Cup playoffs in Edmonton. Unlike many of the players and officials, he was not part of the bubble and was able to come and go. Leslie was impressed with how well the NHL put everything together. “It was a unique situation,” he said. “Some days for the first time in my career, I was doing three games. That meant coming in early and that meant leaving really late. It was really, really well done. I don’t want to see that sort of thing happen again. Given everything and where it was, you really got to tip your hat the way they pulled it off. The players deserve a lot of credit. They were able to buy-in. I was impressed by the initial plans and the execution was brilliant.” When asked how we would describe the Flames fan base, Leslie used one term: “patient.” He believes other hockey markets have been less patient, but the Flames “have stayed the course.” He also feels that Flames General Manager Brad Treliving understands the desire among Flames fans for a winner and wants to deliver. During his time covering the Flames, there are two games that stand out. The first came on Dec. 22, 2014. Calgary had lost eight straight games and was heading toward a ninth straight defeat three days before Christmas. On this night in southern California, the Flames trailed the Kings 3-0 late in the second period.
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Leslie was also grateful for the Flames road trip to China in 2018, where the Flames played two exhibition games against the Boston Bruins. He got to meet many of the players at a higher level. Looking back at the Flames 2019-20 season, the expectations were uncertain heading into the restart. Initially many believed the Flames had a tough matchup against the Winnipeg Jets. However, due to numerous injuries on the Jets squad, Calgary won the Stanley Cup qualifier in four games. Then in the first round of the Western Conference playoff series against the Dallas Stars, many believed the Stars would be a good matchup for Calgary. It started out well with Calgary taking a twogames-to-one series lead, but then Dallas won the next three games to win the series four games to two. Heading into the stretch run of the 2020-21 season, Leslie believes the expectations for the Flames are higher than last season. “Now, you think that one and done is not good enough anymore,” he said. “I think Treliving feels the same and I think the pressure is on everybody to step up.” At this time, Leslie is thrilled to be on television. He still has the rush of hockey broadcasting and is living his childhood dream. He also states he has done studio work, but loves being at the rink and being around the players. He also knows the business of sports broadcasting is changing, but now is grateful for doing the job he thinks he was supposed to do all along.
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