Pre-tournament play wraps as Flames prepare for IIHF World Championship

The pre-tournament games for this year’s IIHF World Championship have officially wrapped up, with Canada shutting out Hungary 6–0 in Budapest on Tuesday. National teams will now head to either Stockholm, Sweden, or Herning, Denmark, for the main tournament, which begins Friday.

The Calgary Flames have several representatives across various men’s national teams, each looking to make a mark on the international stage—whether they’re auditioning for future roles and contracts, or simply playing for national pride. As a quick refresher, here’s a breakdown of which Flames players are showcasing their talents at this year’s Worlds:

Canada

• MacKenzie Weegar

• Zayne Parekh (pre-tournament games only)

• Ryan Huska (coaching staff)

Sweden

• Rasmus Andersson

• Mikael Backlund

Czechia

• Dan Vladar

• Adam Klapka

Slovakia

• Sam Honzek

Matt Coronato was originally slated to play for Team USA but was pulled from the tournament following the results of an MRI last week.

Each country played two or three pre-tournament games, with most Flames players seeing at least some ice time. With limited stats available, here’s a rundown of how each Flames representative has fared so far:

The defending champions, Czechia, are aiming to retain their gold medal and have added both Adam Klapka and Dan Vladar to their roster for this year’s tournament.

Klapka appeared in two of Czechia’s three pre-tournament games, scoring a goal in the opener. The 6-foot-7 forward skated on what might be the most physically imposing line in this year’s tournament, alongside 6-foot-7 Jachym Kondelik and 6-foot-2 Daniel Vozenilek.

Vladar played in one game, taking the loss against Sweden. This tournament could serve as an early audition for a new NHL contract, but it’s unclear how much playing time he’ll see, with Karel Vejmelka expected to be Czechia’s starting goaltender.

Sam Honzek suited up for one pre-tournament game with Slovakia, skating on a line with Dalibor Dvorsky and Martin Chromiak in an 8–1 rout of France. Honzek didn’t register any points.

For Team Sweden, captain Rasmus Andersson played in two of the team’s three pre-tournament games. He scored once—against fellow Flame Dan Vladar—in Sweden’s 4–2 win over Czechia. No Rasmus stare-down followed the goal.

Flames captain Mikael Backlund didn’t appear in any of Sweden’s pre-tournament games, but he is expected to be in the lineup for the main tournament.

If you managed to catch either of Canada’s pre-tournament games, you probably benefited from understanding German or Hungarian. Still, language wasn’t necessary to appreciate Flames prospect Zayne Parekh in action.

Parekh suited up with Team Canada for the pre-tournament match-ups only, but he made the most of his opportunity. In front of Flames head coach Ryan Huska, Parekh notched two assists in two games and looked sharp throughout. While he won’t play in the main tournament, just being around a roster that includes Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon and MacKenzie Weegar is an invaluable experience for a young player like Parekh.

Speaking of Weegar, this tournament may feel personal after his omission from Canada’s 4 Nations Face-Off roster. He played in just one pre-tournament game but registered an assist on Travis Konecny’s goal during the 6–0 win over Hungary. Weegar is expected to be a key piece of Canada’s blue line during the tournament.

The IIHF World Championship officially gets underway Friday, May 9. Check back here to follow how each Flames player fares throughout the tournament.