Welcome to The Win Column’s Flames Fit Check, your monthly destination for Calgary Flames pregame fashion. Now, not by any means am I really qualified to give any opinions on fashion, but that’s the best part about the internet—I don’t have to be qualified. That being said, throughout the season you’ll be seeing my top five pregame fits and an unfashionable mention that turned some heads for the wrong reasons.
November has shown glimmers of positivity in Flames land with the emergence of Conor Zary, Martin Pospisil and most importantly, some wins. The young guns brought some clean pregame fits into the lineup along with their combined 14 points in the month of November.
Without further ado, let’s kick off this month’s edition of the Flames Fit Check.
5. Heritage Classic Carhartt Cowboys
Although the Heritage Classic was played on October 29th, it just missed our scheduled cut-off for the October edition of Fit-Check. The game saw the Flames struggle against the Oilers but showcased some incredible equipment and some show-stopping attire.
The Flames easily won the competition walking into the stadium sporting Carhartt overalls, cowboy hats and boots. The shirts got left at home for the Carhartt Cowboys while the Oilers sported coveralls and hard hats true to their name.
Outdoor games are great events for the players and the fans. Although comical, it was nice to see the Flames and Oilers represent their half of the province while keeping it light-hearted.
Plus, I don’t think you could find an outfit Jonathan Huberdeau would look more uncomfortable wearing. I must say, the Rolex and Starbucks really bring out the “Urban” in “Urban Cowboy.”
4. Martin Pospisil
Welcome to the show Martin Pospisil. Along with Connor Zary, the duo of rookies have boosted the whole lineup in the month of November. Pospisil showcased this casual fit on the road earlier this month.
Martin’s noticeable locks kick off the fit shoved under an OVO beanie. You can only assume Drake is blaring in the earbuds, helping him lock in for the game.
The 24-year-old kept it simple with a nice blue jacket and simple white shirt, rounding out the fit with some navy pants. The notable absence of a watch is undoubtedly due to Pospisil not having time for anyone’s nonsense on the ice.
All in all, cool as ice for the Pospicle.
3. Nikita Zadorov
It’s been quite a month for last season’s Fit-Check King. It all started on a bumpy east coast road trip when Zadorov’s agent suggested the defenceman asked for a trade out of Calgary.
Fast forward a couple of weeks and Zadorov’s play has fallen off, not helping his trade stock. Evidently, Nikita’s not afraid to voice his opinion much like a familiar supervillain, Gru.
After a “Despicable” showcase of professionalism and a “Me” mentality instead of a team mentality, Zadorov brought his cleanest suit in an attempt to steal the moon at Climate Pledge Arena.
The pinstripes, boots, turtleneck and sinister look were enough for Zadorov and Ryan Huska’s minions to pull off an overtime win in Seattle last week. But, will it be enough to keep Zadorov in Calgary before his contract expires?
2. Jacob Markstrom
Jacob sees a return to the top five (but spoilers: also a return to unfashionable mention down below) once again this month. The Swedish puck-stopper channelled his inner secret agent with this pregame fit.
The dark ensemble is highlighted by a long penny coat covering a turtleneck. The hat is by no means my taste but tie in the sunglasses and coat for the dark look.
Markstrom’s competitive demeanour shows through to wrap up this look. Fans can only hope the team’s future is so bright that they’ll all need shades too.
1. Blake Coleman
Our November Fit-Check champion and teammate of the month, Blake Coleman. Dill and the rest of the Pickles family were all over the Flames socials this week after hosting the team for American Thanksgiving at their Dallas home.
Coleman, a Dallas produce, showed out in his hometown on the ice and off. Blake looked sharp ahead of the game on Friday where he posted a goal and an assist.
His fit was highlighted by a new hat courtesy of Blake’s wife Jordan. What goes well with a new hat? A three-piece classic navy suit. Pulled off to perfection with a nice Texas-sized watch.
Unfashionable Mention – Jacob Markstrom
We have entered a corduroy epidemic. I don’t know where it started or how we got this far but I blame overpriced vintage clothing stores.
Where is the appeal of looking like a 50-year-old couch? Some things can be left in the past.
Let’s take a small detour for a second. Interestingly, corduroy reached peak popularity during the 1970s, commonly known as a symbol of anti-establishment worn in conjunction with protests towards the Vietnam War and drug policy at the time.
During the 80s the fabric took a turn, showcasing colourful “California Cool” shirts commonly worn by “Country Gentleman and their ladies”. Transitioning into the 90s the fabric took on a much more grungy tone, being paired with flannels in a punk rock era of fashion.
So, after that little fabric history lesson, did anyone picture a full corduroy suit being a thing in 2023? Probably not, but here we are.
I give Markstrom a lot of heat in this series but in all fairness, I commend him for his style. The guy lives on the edge and lets his personality show through.
All in all, not my favourite and looks incredibly heavy. One mustard stain and it’s over.
All photos courtesy of @NHLFlames. All corduroy facts courtesy of Wikipedia.com
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