The Calgary Flames spent some time during training camp on Thursday practicing something many consider to be inseparable from the sport of hockey: face-punching.

Players paired off and exchanged phantom punches under the guidance of an instructor with the purpose of learning how and what to do in a hockey fight, as well as when to engage an opponent.

"As we did in the past years, we're just trying to teach the kids to defend themselves," Flames coach Bob Hartley explained to TSN after practice. "That's what we're trying to teach our young players."

Calgary's focus on physicality should come as no surprise to people familiar with Flames president Brian Burke, who preaches truculence as necessary to success.

The team already employed a pair of enforcers - Brian McGrattan and Brandon Bollig - before defenseman Deryk Engelland signed in the offseason. Fight-training the rest of the roster might seem redundant with those three intimidating individuals under contract, but Hartley insists the drills are safety-focused.

"If you’re going to drop your gloves you have to know the dangers," he said.