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CALGARY - Mason Raymond will have to adjust on the fly to his new team.Limited to a pair of pre-season games with the Calgary Flames because of a lower-body injury, Raymond says the first few games of the NHL season will be a lesson in adaptation.Would I have liked a few more pre-season games? Sure, Raymond said. Coming to a new team, theres new things to learn, theres new systems, new everything kind of walk of life. I try to pick that up as much as I can, but in saying that I think actually being on the ice and in those situations is the best way, quickest way to learn those.Part of being a professional is being able to adapt. Ive been a pro in this long enough. You have to learn, you have to adapt, thats just part of the way it is.The Flames signed Raymond to a three-year, $9.5-million deal when unrestricted free agency opened July 1. Mike Cammalleri, Calgarys leading scorer last season, departed for the New Jersey Devils the same day.Looking to fill the void on offence, the Flames came to terms with Raymond, who is from Cochrane, Alta., just northwest of Calgary. The six-foot, 185-pound left-winger had 19 goals and 26 assists and played all 82 games for the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2013-14.What was a bounce-back season with the Leafs made Raymond attractive to the Flames. Hed gone to Torontos training camp without a contract and earned a one-year deal.Raymond spent his first six NHL seasons with the Vancouver Canucks and posted a career-high 25 goals and 28 assists in 2009-10. He suffered a broken vertebra in Game 6 of the 2011 Stanley Cup final against the Boston Bruins.The long recovery from the injury hampered his output in subsequent seasons. The Canucks did not re-sign him in 2013. No other teams showed interest until the Leafs took a flyer on him and invited him to training camp.Truth be told, I couldnt get a contract, so I was there on a tryout, Raymond said. Im grateful for the opportunity that Toronto gave me and to be able to succeed.Its satisfying for me coming off a good season, playing well and proving you still deserve to play in this league. I think I proved it to myself, first and foremost, but proved to others I deserve to be here.Goal scoring is a question mark for the Flames to start this 2014-15 season and predicted to be by committee. Raymond, 29, is expected to be a significant producer on that committee.The reason why we went to get Mason is that we had two priorities . . . to get us bigger and to get us faster, Flames head coach Bob Hartley said during training camp. Mason fits in in the second category. Hes been through battles. When youre stuck in a corner and feel like none of the 30 teams want you anymore, youre facing adversity. He did this with flying colours. Last year he had a great season in Toronto and now hes with us.He wanted to be a Flame so its my job, its all our job and his job to make sure we come up with a plan that will make him feel good and make him feel hes going to be a big contributor for us.Raymond relishes the idea of increased responsibility on a re-building hockey team.The work ethic thats been going on here, its something very intriguing for any player to come into, he said.You want to contribute wherever you can for sure. Ultimately, you want to be a part of the solution. I love playing in the O-zone and producing. In saying that you have to be responsible at both ends of the ice.Its easy to romanticize a local hockey product playing for the hometown NHL team. Raymond did go to Flames games as a youngster and recalls once meeting Lanny McDonald, who was captain of the Flames in 1989 when they won the Stanley Cup.Raymond says its cool to play for the Flames and having immediate family close by was attractive for him, his wife and young son.But he hasnt spent his career plotting a return to southern Alberta. Raymonds interests and those of the Flames happened to align to bring it about. The hometown thing for me, its kind of there, but its not there, Raymond said. Family come visit you in every city. Because Im here, is there more? Not necessarily. They know that youre here, this is my job, this is my business and to be quite honest, I was gone from here for 10 years. Did I know I was going to be a Calgary Flame five days before free agency? No, not really. The process is interesting and how it works and theres that grace period where you can start to speak with teams and the Flames showed interest.Returning to an NHL market in western Canada was high on his wish list as a free agent. That was also a box the Flames were also able to check off.For me, Ive been fortunate enough to play in Canadian markets and to be honest, I really wouldnt want it any other way, Raymond said. Fans are passionate. They pay close attention to their teams. Air Max 95 Australia Sale . New York (16-9-8) took over first place in the Eastern Conference and has the best record in the league with one game remaining. Houstons five-game unbeaten streak was snapped, and the Dynamo (13-11-9) are sixth in the East with one game remaining. Cheap Air Max 95 For Sale . After the loss, White refused to make good on the bet, instead offering Hoyt tickets to a Bears game. http://www.wholesaleairmax95australia.com/. JOHNS, N. Air Max 95 Cheap Authentic . Jones took a beating, the worst one of his record reign, in a bout against Alexander Gustafsson that knocked the light heavyweight champion on the canvas for the first time in his career and put his belt in jeopardy. Cheap Air Max 95 Australia . He made that dream a reality Wednesday night. Olt, who grew up in Branford, Connecticut, attended UConn and made a nearly 2 1-2 hour trek to Boston a handful of times to watch the Red Sox, belted a two-run homer, one of four hit by Cubs in a 16-9 rout that completed a three-game interleague series sweep.Notable players: Ron Francis (1981-1991), Kevin Dineen (1984-1997), Ray Ferraro (1984-1991), Pat Verbeek (1989-1995), Geoff Sanderson (1990-1997), Ulf Samuelsson (1984-1991), Dave Babych (1985-1991), Jeff ONeill (1995-1997), Gordie Howe (1979-1980)Best jersey: 1979 home jersey.(Image via Sports Illustrated) Worst jersey: The Whalers didnt wear many different looks, and the ones they did were all solid, so I cant really hate on any of them. Did you know?(Image via WhalersHockeyCards.com) Hockey analyst Pierre McGuire was the coach of the Hartford Whalers in 1993. He was 32 and was the youngest head coach in the NHL. He coached the team to a losing record and was fired in 1994. Players praised his firing. I recommend checking out this article on the whole situation.Did they have a goal song?Not only did they play Brass Bonanza, a song composed by musician Jack Say after they scored, but it was the teams official theme song. General manager Brian Burke actually canceled the use of the song in 1992 because he was embarrassed by it. It was reintroduced after he left the team.Worst trade:Fans were absolutely devastated when the Whalers traded Ron Francis, Ulf Samuelsson and Grant Jennings to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Jeff Parker, Zarley Zalapski and John Cullen. The Penguins would go on to win multiple Stanley Cups with that group while the Whalers would be mediocre for the rest of their existence. Best moustache: That would go to Gary Howatt, who had a beauty moustache. (Image via Faceoff.com)Best fight: While Jim McKenzie doesnt have the penalty minutes record for the Whalers (that belongs to Torrie Robertson at 1368) he sure knew how to drop the gloves. Mascot: Pucky The Whale(Markwilland.com) Which celebrity currently reps their gear? Snoop Dogg recently wore a Whalers sweater during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live. Last game: April 13th, 1997. 2-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning.Last goal: Kevin Dineen assisted by Geoff Sanderson and Andrew Cassels. Captain: Kevin DineenWatch the final game in its entirety.Why the move?Owner Peter Karmanos moved the team after the Whalers were unable to sell enough tickets and he was unable to get a new arena. A new deal was almost reached, but it soon fell apart and the team was moved. Relocated: The team was moved to Carolina and they were renamed as the Hurricanes. What does a former player have to say?Jeff ONeill(Image via Shoebox Legends)What was it like to play in Hartford?For me it was awesome, I was drafted in Hartford by Hartford.ddddddddddddIn training camp I had the opportunity to live with Gordie Howes son Marty, and he kind of took me in. I was new to the National Hockey League and I was pretty much happy wherever I was. It was disappointing though because after my first-year there was already talk of leaving Hartford. It wasnt that tough for me because I couldnt build that relationship in town where I had connections or friends so it was good while it lasted but Raleigh was pretty fun place too. Was the transition tough?Like I said, a guy like Kevin Dineen who was Mr. Hartford Whaler, and the guys who had been there for a while, the trainers and people who were local, it was awfully difficult for them because they had roots put down and they had kids in school and they were part of a diehard Whalers nation that bled green and blue but everyone kind of picked up and went to Raleigh and made it work. Aside from the draft whats one of your fondest memories of Hartford?Unfortunately it was probably the last game. It was special to see all the fans and the way they supported the team and came out. Unfortunately the building wasnt packed like that enough and thats ultimately why the team left that city. Its a weird market because there is Rangers fans and Boston Bruins fans all around that area and there didnt seem to be enough of those diehard Whaler fans but Ill always remember that last game: Paying respect to Kevin Dineen and some of the longtime trainers, Chuck Kaiton, Skip Cunningham and guys like that whove been there a long time.Was it hard playing in front half-packed arenas?I did it for a lot of my career and it was a difficult thing to do. The common cliché that was tossed around the locker room was that we have to make our own excitement tonight because there is not people banging on the glass and being loud and obnoxious and creating momentum out there. I almost got used to it because when I came out to Carolina there was bare crowds for the first three or four years, so its a difficult thing to do, especially when you go to markets like Montreal or Toronto where the building is packed; its frustrating because you dont really get that sense that youre in the NHL. 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