George Canyon and Michela Sheedy don’t need to worry about their job security.
Calgary Flames sparkplug Ryan Lomberg insists he is more of an amateur anthem singer than a guy warming up his pipes to move behind the microphone at the Saddledome after his playing days are done.
“It’s a good thing there is no audio on me. The visuals won’t match up to the vocals,” warned Lomberg, whose fan-favourite status has only been bolstered by the footage of his loud-and-proud renditions of both O Canada and The Star-Spangled Banner.
“At the start of the year, I didn’t really realize that I was doing it until the videos started to come out. But man, my son just loves it. The national anthems, both Canadian and American, are playing in our house probably six hours out of the day. So now it’s one of those things, when I hear it, I just gotta sing it.”
Ah, so it turns out that Roman Lomberg is the future anthem singer in the family.
Still a few months shy of his third birthday, he’s already gearing up for the gig.
“He knows all the words. He can even sing the French version of O Canada,” Ryan Lomberg beamed. “We got him a little microphone for Christmas. He likes to be announced, like they announce the guy at the start of the game. And then he starts belting ’em both out, and then he marches away at the end of it. He’s close to getting ready to perform, for sure. It’s awesome.”
‘Awesome’ is how a lot of Flames fans have been describing Roman’s dad, although star centre Nazem Kadri picked another term after Lomberg scrapped twice during a spirited New Year’s Eve showdown against the Vancouver Canucks, dropping his mitts with Erik Brannstrom and then the bigger and meaner Derek Forbort.
“What an animal,” Kadri said as the Flames celebrated a 3-1 victory over their Pacific Division rivals. “He would have been ready to go for another couple at least.”
Indeed, the 30-year-old Lomberg confirmed he was willing to make it a hat-trick of tussles to cap off his 2024. He and Dakota Joshua discussed a dance, but it didn’t materialize.
According to the NHL’s records, the last Flames player to be assessed three major penalties in one game was Ron Stern in an October 1992 slug-out with the Los Angeles Kings. It would have been a first for this 5-foot-9, 184-pound buzzsaw — he’s never had a trio of fights in one outing.
“I’m pretty sure you get kicked out,” Lomberg said prior to Thursday’s home matchup against Utah Hockey Club. “But I was kind of looking forward to it. I already had my walk-off celly planned out. But that’s alright. Maybe next time.”
While he will need to save that walk-off celly, the Saddledome faithful and the viewers at home have come to anticipate Lomberg’s nightly tune-up.
Nobody sings the national anthems with more gusto than this feisty fourth-liner from Richmond Hill, Ont. It’s especially noticeable because the majority of players are silent during the songs, their game faces on and full of fidgets as they wait for puck drop.
“I think it started in the States, when I was playing for Florida, I met a ton of veterans who fought for their country and fought for the people,” said Lomberg, a Stanley Cup champion with the Panthers this past June, of his approach to the anthems. “After getting to know them, I just felt like I was honouring them by singing it and being proud and just being very vocal about my support for them.
“And now coming back to Canada, it’s the coolest thing ever when you see the Canadian flag roll down and you look around the rink and you see other people singing it. It’s just something I’m incredibly proud of. Being back here now, obviously being a Canadian myself and seeing how much pride Calgarians have in just being from Calgary and how great the city is and how hard-working the people are, I think it just makes me feel kind of united and bonded with them.”
That bond continues to grow.
Every time that he sticks up for a teammate.
Every time that he pipes up for the anthem.
When Lomberg showed up for Wednesday’s championship game at the Circle K Classic, there to support the underdogs as Calgary International Hockey Academy tried to upset Shattuck-St. Mary’s in what turned out to be a nail-biting final, there was a long line of fans at Max Bell who wanted a photo or to share a message of support.
“I think everybody is just excited that the team is competitive,” Lomberg said. “Obviously, it’s a hard-working brand of hockey, and I think a lot of people in Calgary can relate to it … The feeling I get is that they are proud of us for where we are so far, and they just want us to keep it going.”