Jonathan Huberdeau had a disappointing first season in Calgary, but new Flames head coach Ryan Huska is confident he'll get more out of the forward in 2023-24.

"He is an excellent hockey player. You don't get to the level of play that he's achieved by accident," Huska told TSN's Salim Valji shortly after his introductory presser Monday. "He's going to come back this year, and I think he's going to be really reenergized. We're gonna see - I don't necessarily want to see a different version of Jonathan, but one that I feel is going to be a lot more comfortable.

"When you take all the moving out of the equation - new teammates, new style of playing, new city - that's hard on a guy. But now all those distractions are out of the way, and that's one of the reasons why we'll see a different Jonathan Huberdeau this year."

The Flames acquired Huberdeau as part of last summer's blockbuster trade that sent Matthew Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers.

Expectations were high with Huberdeau coming off a 115-point season, and he signed an eight-year, $84-million extension with his new team before the 2022-23 campaign began.

But the Flames didn't get the same Huberdeau who finished second in the Art Ross Trophy race just one season prior.

Huberdeau struggled to adjust to his new surroundings and revealed in early May that he and former Flames bench boss Darryl Sutter "really didn't click."

"There were a lot of factors. There was a big difference in points between my last two years," he said at the time. "And the style of play he wanted to play, it didn't fit my style."

Huberdeau added that a new coach would help him rediscover his game and confidence.

The Flames fired Sutter this spring after finishing two points out of a playoff spot. Sutter won the 2022 Jack Adams Award as the league's best head coach after leading Calgary to a first-place finish in the Pacific Division.

Huska spent the last five seasons as an assistant on the Flames' coaching staff before earning a promotion.

After announcing his hiring, general manager Craig Conroy hailed Huska as "a clear communicator who builds trust with his players."

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Mark Stone's season, and perhaps even his career, could've been in significant jeopardy when he underwent a second back surgery in less than nine months this February.

Now one win away from hoisting the Stanley Cup, the Vegas Golden Knights captain discussed his unlikely recovery, saying he was determined to return.

"I was going to do whatever it took to get back for the playoffs," Stone said, per ESPN's Greg Wyshynski. "I wasn't sure if it was going to be in Game 1 or Game 5 or Game 10. I was going to do whatever it took to get back."

Stone added, "You talk to a lot of guys, they don't usually just get one back surgery. They usually get two, because as much as you think you know the problem, sometimes you don't.

"And unfortunately, (surgery) didn't work the first time, but (I) saw a different surgeon … (and had) minor things done. And I feel great."

Stone was limited to 37 games in the 2021-22 campaign due to back issues. He underwent his first procedure in May 2022. He returned to the lineup to start the current campaign but was sidelined on Jan. 12 after re-injuring himself.

The Golden Knights shut him down indefinitely with no firm timeline for a return but were still able to secure the top spot in the Western Conference.

"We were in first place when I got hurt," Stone said. "I knew we had a good team, and I wanted to be part of it. Especially when the team kept winning. I wanted to be back there with the guys. Long, hard days. But you just put your head down, and you get going."

Stone returned for Vegas' playoff opener against the Winnipeg Jets and has 21 points in 21 contests this spring. He's been a force in the Stanley Cup Final, registering six points in four games against the Florida Panthers.

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The Vegas Golden Knights are doing their best to keep cool leading up to Tuesday night's Game 5 but know it'll be easier said than done with an opportunity to win the Stanley Cup on home ice looming.

"Everybody knows what's going to be there," forward Chandler Stephenson said, per The Athletic's Jesse Granger.

"It's different. It's a different game than the other ones. There's a lot more emotion, a lot more everything."

Vegas took a 3-1 series lead over the Florida Panthers with a narrow victory Saturday. With two full days between games, the Golden Knights are embracing the opportunity to win the organization's first championship instead of letting nerves distract them.

"You can't not (think about it)," Adin Hill said. "It's the ultimate goal in hockey, so there's no way you can shut that off in your mind. You're thinking about that. At the same time, it's about staying in the moment, focusing on the next play or the next shift."

Added head coach Bruce Cassidy: "They understand what's at stake.

"They understand (Sunday) is a day off to clear your mind. If that means discussing certain things with family members, about the Stanley Cup, or whatever you want to talk about, then that's OK. That's what we're playing for. I don't think there's any taboos with that. You just can't bring that to the rink on Monday at practice or Tuesday when it's time to play."

Only one team in NHL history has erased a 3-1 series deficit in the Stanley Cup Final: the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs. However, the Panthers can rely on recent experience to pull off a miraculous comeback after digging themselves out of the same hole in Round 1 against the league-leading Boston Bruins.

The Golden Knights capitalized on both series-clinching opportunities in Rounds 1 and 2 but took three tries to eliminate the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference Final after jumping out to a 3-0 lead.

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