[Otto-matic]

"I'm just extremely happy. Super-excited. I was kind hoping I'd wind up in Calgary when I got traded from Vancouver two years ago.

"I've heard so many good things about the organization. The goalie coach you've got there, Siggy (Jordan Sigalet). I've heard endless good stuff about him.

"Obviously I know Gully (Glen Gulutzan) from my time in Vancouver, as well. It seems like a great fit."

"The hockey interest there, the fans, it's something I thrive in,'' says Lack cheerily. "I really like the tension of playing in a Canadian city, the fans pumping you up when you're down. That's what I'm used to. That kind of atmosphere really helps.

"The fans they have in Carolina are great and they're loud. But there aren't as many of them as there are in Calgary. Or there are for any other team in Canada, for that matter.

"That's definitely something I've missed."

The Smith-Lack tandem, by the way, isn't quite starting from scratch.

"I've known him for four or five years,'' Lack says. "We spent a little time in the summer together, in Vancouver. We've been texting a little bit back and forth now, too.

"Feels like we're both happy about this opportunity."

This is my favorite part of the article. Show's the mentality of the team is they want to finally start making some real noise in the West.

That degree of organizational and supporter ambition, says Lack, is fine - no, welcomed - by him.

"I talked to Brad about that. It was like: 'We want to win. And we want to win now.' Obviously that's something I want to be a part of. I played against most of those guys a lot. It seems like a great group of guys. First and foremost there's a lot of good hockey players there.

https://www.nhl.com/flames/news/lack...ry/c-290237924