VOORHEES, N.J. -- Johnny Gaudreau is looking forward to his first trip to China next month with the Calgary Flames for the 2018 O.R.G. NHL China Games.
The Flames will play two preseason games against the Boston Bruins, in Shenzen on Sept. 15 and in Beijing on Sept. 19. While each game will be a good way to get ready for the season, the trip will also provide an opportunity to get to know a number of new teammates and coaches.
Bill Peters was hired by Calgary to replace coach Glen Gulutzan on April 23, forward Elias Lindholm and defenseman Noah Hanifin were acquired in a trade with the Carolina Hurricanes on June 23, and forwards James Neal and Derek Ryan signed as free agents.
"For our team, with all the new faces and the new coaching staff, it'll be good for our group to come together as a team hopefully really quickly," Gaudreau said after playing in the Checking For Charity tournament at Flyers Skate Zone last weekend. "Hopefully we can build some chemistry as a team and bond together over there and get off to a good start."
After making the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2017, the Flames struggled down the stretch last season, going 2-9-0 in their final 11 regular-season games to finish 11 points behind the Colorado Avalanche for the second wild card from the Western Conference.
That prompted change for Calgary, which fired Gulutzan on April 17 and replaced him with Peters, who spent the past four seasons as coach of the Hurricanes.
Gaudreau, who played for the United States at the 2018 IIHF World Championship in Denmark, said he got to spend time there with Peters, who coached Canada.
"We're going to work hard this year," Gaudreau said. "We're going to be a competitive team that works hard. I think that's something we missed last season. I think that competitive drive is going to be important this year. If you're playing, you're going to be going, and if you're not, you're probably not playing. That's what we need on our team. I'm looking forward to getting under him coaching me. I think we're going to have a successful season this year."
There will be a learning curve, but helping with the adjustment will be Lindholm, Hanifin and Ryan, each of whom played under Peters during his tenure in Carolina.
"Those guys have worked hard for Bill and they were successful in Carolina, having some good seasons individually," Gaudreau said. "I'm pumped to get out there with those guys and get things going in Calgary."
He's also excited about the possibility of playing with Neal on his line.
Neal, who had 44 points (25 goals, 19 assists) in 71 games with the Vegas Golden Knights last season, has scored at least 21 goals in all 10 of his NHL seasons, including a career-high 40 with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2011-12. He usually plays left wing, but could move to the right side to play alongside Gaudreau and center Sean Monahan.
Gaudreau led the Flames with a career-high 84 points (24 goals, 60 points) last season, and Monahan led the Flames with 31 goals, tying his career high. Gaudreau believes having a player of Neal's ability could make their line even better.
"He can find the net obviously," Gaudreau said. "A right winger, someone me and [Monahan] have been looking for for quite some time. [We] had some success with [Michael] Ferland, but we're looking for that right winger who can put the puck in the net and he's a guy that's had success on that side."
However the lines shake out, Gaudreau is confident the changes can get the Flames back into the postseason.
"I think [general manager Brad Treliving] has done a great job with surrounding our team with the players we need," Gaudreau said. "The new coaching staff, it's nice to get new faces around. When you aren't being successful, that needs to happen sometimes. I think Bill is going to get our group to the next level. Really looking forward to that."
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