For the last season and change, Calgary Flames head coach has been openly complimentary of his club’s six core veteran players. So it probably shouldn’t be all that surprising that when the club announced their formal leadership group for the upcoming 2024-25 season, it features those six core veteran players.

Forward Mikael Backlund will continue to serve as captain. He’ll be joined in each game by two individuals from their pool of five alternate captains: blueliners Rasmus Andersson and MacKenzie Weegar, and forwards Jonathan Huberdeau, Blake Coleman and Nazem Kadri

The 35-year-old Backlund is back for his second campaign as captain. Prior to getting the C, he served as an alternate captain for five seasons. A first-round selection from the 2007 NHL Draft, Backlund’s one of the most effective two-way forwards in the National Hockey League and one of the most respected players in the Flames locker room. He’ll become the second player in franchise history to play 1,000 games in a Flames jersey in late October.

Another homegrown product, the 27-year-old Andersson is back for his third season as an alternate. A second-round pick from 2015, Andersson’s worked his way up from the minors and has emerged as one of the club’s more relied-upon players in all game situations.

A free agent signing from 2021, the 32-year-old Coleman is a two-time Stanley Cup champion who’s entering his first season as an alternate after being an occasional alternate last season. He’s formed a fantastic shutdown pairing with Backlund and become a fan favourite for his strong two-way play and clutch goal-scoring – and the fact that the Saddledome game ops team assigned him the Katy Perry hit “Roar” as his goal song, a nod to the nickname of “Texas Tiger” (from the 2023-24 father’s trip) is a fun touch.

Acquired in the 2022 summer mega-deal with the Florida Panthers, Huberdeau (31) and Weegar (30) both seem poised to be long-term Flames – they both signed eight-year extensions after arriving, so they’re under contract through the 2030-31 season. Since arriving, Huberdeau’s provided off-ice veteran leadership while trying to adjust to his new circumstances, while Weegar has really emerged as a big piece of the team on and off the ice. It’s the second season as alternates for each player, with Weegar joining the mix mid-season in 2023-24 after a few trades.

Finally, Kadri (33) joined the Flames during the 2022 off-season as a free agent after a Stanley Cup win with Colorado. With a few departures up front he’s emerged as the Flames’ top centre and is another player relied upon for big minutes and key goals. This is his first season as an alternate after serving as a fill-in/substitute A here and there last season.