After an off-season overhaul that included hiring both a new general manager and head coach, defenceman MacKenzie Weegar believes the Calgary Flames will have a more positive culture this season.
Calgary mutually parted ways with general manager Brad Treliving and fired head coach Darryl Sutter this summer, replacing them with in-house candidates in general manager Craig Conroy and head coach Ryan Huska.
Weegar, who joined the Flames last year as part of the team's return for Matthew Tkachuk, believes the new attitude will also breed more success.
"I don't really know how it's going to be," Weegar told NHL.com. "I know [Conroy and Huska] personally and they're great guys. We all know Darryl and Husk, they're both different guys and different personalities. I think just the focus point might be this year where it's a little more fun coming to the rink and I think that's going to be big for a lot of guys. You just want to come in and enjoy it.
"We're going to have our ups and downs … but just have fun with the guys. I think if we have fun, we'll be winning more."
Weegar, 29, had four goals and 31 points in 81 games last season, as the Flames missed the playoffs in their first year with him, Jonathan Huberdeau and Nazem Kadri in the fold after an active off-season.
Rumours have surrounded the Flames this summer with the futures of Elias Lindholm, Noah Hanifin and Mikael Backlund seemingly unclear. The Flames, however, only made one significant trade this off-season, sending winger Tyler Toffoli to the New Jersey Devils.
With the vast majority of the team returning, Weegar believes the Flames can rebound form missing the postseason and return to the team's previous form.
"We've got all the pieces," Weegar said. "It comes from the GM to the coach, to all the players. You look at our goaltending and then you look at all seven 'D'...we've got a great 'D'-core, and our top-six, even our top-12 [forwards]...we have so much talent and so many good players.
"It was disappointing not to be a part of the playoffs last year. It's almost inexcusable because of the players that we have. I think everybody just wants to get back and to prove to people that we're a Cup contender...not that we're just a non-playoff team...we're a Cup contender and we want to win."
Calgary has failed to advance past the second round of the playoffs since reaching the Stanley Cup Final in 2004.