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Why Mark Giordano should be the next Flames captain

“We have chosen our captain,” teased coach Bob Hartley late afternoon, in his office listening to The Eagles warm-up for their evening concert at the Scotiabank Saddledome, “but we haven’t made the announcement yet.”

“He’s been here a long time,” praises Cammalleri. “He’s a guy that I have a tremendous amount of respect for and being an assistant captain to him would be an honour, also.”

Calgary Flames players vow to fight to remain out of NHL basement

“It kinda pisses me off when I hear people say all these negative things, ‘Oh yeah, have fun finishing last,’ stuff like that, even from people from Calgary,” Galiardi said Wednesday when the veterans gathered at the University of Calgary for fitness testing. “People like that should just not bother talking.

“I don’t really care what the media says about where we’re going to finish and stuff like that. I don’t want to go out there and lose games,” Galiardi added. “I didn’t come here to do that, and I’m going to personally do everything I can to make sure we don’t. And I know there are 20-plus guys that are going to do the same thing."

“Everyone needs to contribute,” said winger Lee Stempniak.

“You can’t just look to Jarome anymore. Everyone needs to step up and raise their game a bit, and that can be the best thing for a team. When everyone feels they’re a huge part of the success and someone different has to step up every night, that can make a huge difference."

Minus the face of the franchise, Flames prepare for season

“In Jarome, we lost a franchise player, we lost a captain and we lost a great individual,” Hartley said. “But at the same time, this is pro sport.

“The No. 1 thing is I don’t expect and I didn’t ask anyone to become Jarome Iginla No. 2. His absence only creates responsibilities for other players – on-ice responsibilities, leadership responsibilities, community responsibilities. That’s stuff we may have to share within our group. But at the same time, I think it’s a very positive challenge.

“The same thing goes with Kipper. Those two guys, they were basically the poster boys for the franchise. … Pro sport is like business or life in general. It goes in cycles. My approach to the players is: We’re starting a new chapter in Flames history – and we need to start it in the right way.”

Flames net has unfamiliar look at training camp

"Most years coming to camp, most teams have their clear-cut number one," MacDonald said. "Being in Detroit for so long, you always had an old guy there that you had to battle. This year, it's going to be exciting. The opportunity is there and it's going to be an exciting team."

"I really looked up to him when I was younger," Ramo said. "He was one of the biggest idols for me. It would be really nice to play with him, but there's not that chance anymore."

"For sure, it's a big difference, the ice in Europe and the ice here, but now I think I'm good to go," Berra said. "For a goalie it's nice because you probably get more shots.

"Everything is close to the net and maybe they try to shoot more than anything. I like to have a lot of shots."