The Calgary Flames kicked off their regular season home opener on Saturday, leaving both fans and businesses excited for another NHL season.
On the Red Mile especially, bars like Whiskey Rose look to home games as a way to boost business.
“We do Flames game buses from all the home games,” explained Sienna Brown, marketing manager for Whiskey Rose. “We like to bring people down after, we’re out there doing promotions.”
Those efforts usually pay off. Typically, a successful Flames team means big dollars for bars and restaurants along 17th Avenue, and throughout the downtown core.
No matter where or how fans watch the games, many are looking forward to fresh faces on the roster.
“Honzek,” Derek Scovelle a local Flames fan exclaimed to Global News. “Sam Honzek, easy answer!”
Given the changes on the team’s lineups, Scovelle doesn’t think a cup run is in the cards for the Flames this season, but he does think there’s plenty of other opportunities to be excited about.
“I think it’s a good chance for a lot of kids to develop,” said Scovelle. “If [Craig] Conroy plays his cards right he can get more draft picks, more good players in, and be good when the new arena opens.”
Saturday’s game will also feature tributes to Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau.
