It's been nearly two months since Elias Lindholm got the call that he had been traded to the Vancouver Canucks over the all-star break, but when the Calgary Flames visit Rogers Arena on Saturday night, it'll be the first time the forward suits up against his former club.
"Obviously, I had a lot of good years in Calgary and it'll always be a special place in my heart," Lindholm told reporters ahead of the Hockey Night in Canada tilt. "It'll be fun to play them."
The Swede did contend that it would be different when he makes his return to the Saddledome, but called tonight's battle a "mini step" in his post-Calgary chapter.
"It'll be fun to be out there battling and to see all their faces again."
Saturday will also mark the return of Andrei Kuzmenko to Rogers Arena, who was part of the package sent to the Flames in exchange for Lindholm.
"Good time, good city, good fans," Kuzmenko told reporters on Friday, when asked about his time in Vancouver. "Vancouver was [a] good moment for me, but now is my next page in Calgary. I like this team."
Former Canuck Jacob Markstrom will return to the lineup for the Flames after missing the past five games due to injury. Flames rookie Connor Zary also returns after having missed the past eight with an upper-body injury.
Watch Lindholm and the Canucks take on the Flames on Hockey Night in Canada with coverage starting at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+.
