‘Where players are made’: Calgary Wranglers excited for first playoff game

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Whatever happens in the last six or seven months, it means nothing once the playoffs begin.

And that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

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“For me, it’s a new season,” said Calgary Flames forward prospect Jakob Pelletier, a guy who didn’t necessarily expect to return to the minors this spring but is nonetheless eager to challenge for the Calder Cup with the Wranglers of the AHL. “I think this is where players are made. You know, you can see what kind of player you are in the playoffs. It’s a new season. So whatever happened two days ago, two weeks ago, or a month ago, it doesn’t really matter. Wednesday is a big first game and I think we have to focus on that.

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“I’m very excited about the challenge ahead here.”

Pelletier, along with Matt Coronato, Dustin Wolf and the rest of the Flames’ clubbers, open their playoff quest this week with a best-of-three series against the Tucson Roadrunners, the Coyotes’ top Utah-bound affiliate.

The Calgary Wranglers are underdogs in the series against the Arizona Roadrunners

After settling for seventh place in the AHL Pacific Division standings, the Wranglers are the underdogs in this first-round matchup. The second-place Roadrunners have the advantage of playing all three games, scheduled for Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, in front of their home fans, although their guests would have the last change in the final.

“I think if we play hockey, we can beat any team in the league,” said winger William Stromgren, who emerged as a major offensive contributor for the Wranglers in the second half of his rookie season. “I mean, we’ve shown most of that. If we can make it all work, I think we’re a pretty complete team. We can play hard hockey. We can play expert hockey. We can be a very good team in every way.

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“It was a bit of a difficult period for us before the playoffs. But when you get to the playoffs, the goal is clean. “You’re starting over and I think the guys are ready to go.”

Despite entering the postseason on a five-game losing streak, the Wranglers are indeed a terrifying foe.

The main reason for this is the type between the pipes. Wolf just returned from an extended stint with the Flames. When he finished the NHL season, he was on a four-game winning streak. And…oh yeah…turns out he’s the reigning MVP of the AHL.

The rising star goaltender will have to be crafty to stop the likes of Dylan Guenther and Josh Doan. (They both beat him during a Flames-Coyotes matchup earlier this month, although Wolf, 23, still got the ‘W.’)

‘As long as you don’t back down’

He’ll also need Coronato, Pelletier, Adam Klapka and others to provide some offensive firepower at the other end of the court.

“These can happen quickly: these best-of-threes. We have to make sure we do our best,” Wranglers bench boss Trent Cull said during his weekly appearance on Flames Talk on Sportsnet 960 The Fan. “My experience has been that you have to work better than the other team, your best players have to play better than their best players and you have to make sure you are constantly moving forward.

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“Sometimes you might be even, as long as you don’t back down. But keep going, keep gaining a little bit of momentum, a little bit of ice here and there. That’s all”.

Pelletier, who recently turned 23 and remains an important part of the Flames’ long-term plans, is also looking to build some momentum for next season and beyond.

While most thought this bright winger was ready to be a full-time NHL player this winter, not much has gone as planned for Pelletier in 2023-24. He suffered a shoulder injury in exhibition action, missed the next four months while recovering from surgery (and another brief stint shortly afterward) and struggled to find his place in the major league lineup when he He was finally healthy.

He has been back with the Wranglers since mid-March. While he has only scored three goals and six assists in 14 games since then, Cull revealed that his offensive analysis has been the best on the team lately. As the boss said during his radio interview: “he has been providing what we need him to give us. Now, selfishly, I just need him to provide me with more.”

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Challenge accepted.

Because whatever has happened so far means nothing. In Pelletier’s case, it’s not bad at all.

“If we all play like we know we can, good things can happen for us,” Pelletier said as the Wranglers traveled earlier this week to Tucson. “Playoff hockey is a little different than the regular season, right? I think we have a lot of guys who can advance in the playoffs. I first.”

ICE CHIPS: Are you hoping to see some playoff action at the Saddledome? If the Wranglers can defeat the Roadrunners, they will be guaranteed home dates in the next round, which would be a best-of-five… In the meantime, you can listen live on Sportsnet 960 The Fan, with the ace play-by-play. Sandra Prusina on stage in Tucson. Wednesday’s Game 1 begins at 8 pm MT… The Wranglers and Roadrunners split their four-game regular season series… Highly touted trade acquisition Hunter Brzustewicz has joined the farm team on a tryout deal . The 19-year-old blueline prospect racked up 92 points, including a league-leading 79 assists, with the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers in what will likely be his final junior campaign.

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