For the majority of the players set to don Calgary Flames sweaters next season, the addition of veteran defenceman Travis Hamonic was fantastic news. For depth defender Brett Kulak, it’s a slightly different situation.
With the former New York Islander in tow, the Albertan club now boasts one of the strongest blue lines in the league, led by a top four featuring Mark Giordano, Dougie Hamilton, and T.J. Brodie along with Hamonic. Late-season addition Michael Stone re-upped with Calgary to check in on the third pairing as well, leaving just one back-end spot available for the taking in 2017-18.
After skating in 21 games with the big club last season, Kulak’s name is surely in the mix for that sixth spot. But the 23-year-old Edmonton native said he’s confident he can rise to the challenge next season, provided he remembers to stay in his lane.
“I expect a lot from myself this year. I think the opportunity’s there for me,” Kulak said to CalgaryFlames.com’s George Johnson on Tuesday. “Coming into the league, I’m going to be a 5-6 guy, right? So I need to know my identity as a player.”
That means more than just maximizing his skill set and aiming to be the best player he can be, however. According to Kulak, a climb up the depth chart starts with understanding how much of that skill set he should show right away.
“In the minors, I can be a little bit more offensive, ride on that aspect,” Kulak said. “At the NHL level, especially starting out and establishing myself, I need to be more of a shutdown guy while still using my strengths – my skating and my passing.
“You’ve got to prove yourself all season long. Having a good stretch of, say, 10 games isn’t good enough. It takes years before you establish yourself as an NHL regular. That’s what I’m working toward right now.”
Kulak figures to face some fairly stiff competition for the coveted roster spot, however. Veteran Matt Bartkowski suited up for just a few more games than Kulak last season, but has over 200 career NHL appearances in his rear-view. Oliver Kylington and Rasmus Andersson – two of the Flames’ most promising prospects – are knocking on the door as well.
But Kulak doesn’t appear to be sweating the pressure. Instead, the young rearguard said he’ll look to bank on his 2016-17 experience and see where it takes him.
“There’s no substitute for experience,” Kulak said. “You just absorb as much as you can. Being around the guys that much, I feel part of the team now. Not like a bit of an outsider, trying to figure out where and how I fit in.
“When it’s all kind of new to you, you’re always wondering: ‘Should I do this?’ Or: ‘Should I be doing that?’ You don’t want to put a foot wrong. Now I feel a part of it all.”
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