With his new Heat teammates away in San Antonio for an American Hockey League set tonight and Friday, defenceman Keegan Kanzig and four other reserves had the expanse of the Abbotsford Entertainment and Sports Centre ice sheet all to themselves for a skate Wednesday.

Kanzig, a junior with the Victoria Royals of the WHL, has been assigned to the Heat for the remainder of the AHL regular season and Calder Cup playoffs. The six-foot-five Kanzig is a 2013 third-round NHL draft pick of the Calgary Flames, whose AHL farm team is Abbotsford. He is signed by the Flames but will return to junior hockey and the Royals next season.

article continues below

“I got in two days ago and have been practicing [with the left-at-home Abby reserves] … it’s not for sure I’ll get in a game … I’m just going to work hard,” said Kanzig, from Abbotsford.

“It’s a great opportunity to show my stuff and to get pro experience. It’s a big learning opportunity to see what it takes in the pro ranks.”

A decision on whether the 19-year-old Kanzig gets AHL game time would be made by the Flames, who would relay it to former ECHL Victoria Salmon Kings coach Troy Ward, now head coach of Abbotsford (40-25-8).

“I’ve not had a full practice with Abbotsford yet,” said Kanzig, whose WHL season ended last week when the Royals were defeated by the Portland Winterhawks in the Western Conference semifinals.

“I’m very excited. Hopefully, I’ll be part of Abbotsford’s playoffs.”

If he is, Kanzig will become part of history. His AHL development career with the Flames will take place elsewhere. This is the club’s final season in Abbotsford after being pretty much ignored by fans in the Fraser Valley and bleeding Abbotsford taxpayers $12.7-million over five poorly attended seasons — mostly because nobody there is a Flames fan. Calgary will relocate its AHL franchise next season, likely to the eastern U.S. in New York state.

Abbotsford’s regular season concludes Saturday against the Texas Stars in Cedar Park. The Calder Cup playoffs begin next week.

cdheensaw@timescolonist.com