The Calgary Flames, over these next two games, will be powered by positivity.
Win or lose, but hopefully win, they’ll have the love and support of some of their biggest fans as they play a pair of division rivals in southern California.
This isn’t just another roadie. It’s their Mom’s Trip.
“Mine, she’s the type of mom that when I get scored on, it’s never my fault,” grinned goaltender Dan Vladar, who should be between the pipes for Tuesday’s date against the Ducks in Anaheim. “So she’s going to pump my tires a little, for sure.”
Flames leading scorer Jonathan Huberdeau knows he can always count on Josée for the same. While her son has been skating in the NHL for 13 seasons, this is her first Mom’s Trip.
“Me and my mom, we have a great bond. She’s the best,” Huberdeau told Postmedia before this special sojourn. “She’s always positive. She texts me every game day during the afternoon, wishing me luck. And after the game, it’s great because she always thinks I play well, even when I have bad games.”
The moms likely did their best to sugarcoat Saturday’s 4-1 home loss to the Nashville Predators — almost all of them arrived in time to watch the action from a suite at the Saddledome — but their boys will be aiming to provide much more to cheer about as they clash with the Ducks in Anaheim and then wrap a back-to-back set Wednesday against the Kings in Los Angeles.
They don’t want to disappoint these wonderful women. Plus, there’s some pressure to duplicate their performance from a year ago, when they delighted their dads with a two-game sweep through Arizona and Las Vegas.
Twenty-three players — including a couple who are currently on injured reserve — have their mothers keeping them company this week, while 10 staff members also invited along a special supporter. On that list are seven moms, one sister and two daughters.
In addition to two important opportunities for a squad that must improve its road record, the itinerary is highlighted by a group dinner and a whale-watching tour.
“I hope she feels a lot of gratitude on this trip, I really do. This trip is for them to have a blast and I hope we get the four points while were there, too.”
“It’s a special thing for players,” echoed head coach Ryan Huska, who was planning to include the entire party in the pre-scout meetings prior to Monday’s practice in Anaheim. “Oftentimes, dads get a lot of the credit. But in reality, it’s the moms that do all the work. So it’s nice to be able to have them around for a while and show them some appreciation for helping their sons get to this level.”
Indeed, every dude in the locker room will credit their momma with countless career assists, whether it was providing a ride to those early-morning practices, supporting a move away from home to chase their dreams in a top junior league or knowing exactly what to say after a tough loss or a training camp cut.
“My mom, she’s passionate,” said Flames forward Blake Coleman. “She doesn’t miss a beat. She’s still on me about shooting my 100 pucks and all the things that she was on me about as a kid. I don’t think they ever stop being a mother that way.
“She always preached hard work and effort over everything else, and that’s definitely a part of why I’m successful now.”
These trips tend to serve up plenty of feel-good moments, not only for the travellers but for a fanbase that considers their kids to be like part of their own extended family.
If Huberdeau and Nazem Kadri can connect for a highlight-reel goal in Anaheim or L.A., Josée and Sue will be able to share the celebration.
If Weegar delivers a bone-crunching hit or crucial shot-block, there will be a round of hugs and high-fives for Louise.
After Matt Coronato dropped his gloves Saturday for his first NHL fight, he should probably be on his best behaviour in California or he might wind up grounded. Samantha Coronato would undoubtedly prefer he leave the scrapping to Lori Lomberg’s boy, who has much more experience in throwing (and dodging) punches.
When it became clear that a young Dustin Wolf was hellbent on becoming a big-league goalie, his family moved from Gilroy, Calif., to Los Angeles so he’d have every opportunity to be around high-calibre coaching and competition. With that in mind, wouldn’t it be cool for Michelle — she showed up with friendship bracelets for the entire crew of moms — to see her son earn a victory Wednesday in the same city where he honed his skills in the Jr. Kings program?
“She’s pretty excited,” the Flames’ rookie netminder told Postmedia prior to the Mom’s Trip. “I think anyone is excited to see what the private jet is like and the food and the hotels. Those are the luxuries you get for playing in this league and getting to share them with your parents is pretty neat, considering how much they put in to get you to this point.”
The mood on the return flight will hinge, in part, on whether the Flames can pick up a pair of wins with some of their biggest fans in tow.
Either way, the moms will likely be positive.
“I think they’re going to give a nice boost to the team,” Huberdeau said.