Avalanche Edmonton Journal: Matt Calvert thanks the heavens for FaceTime

EDMONTON, ALBERTA – Matt Calvert is 30, married to his wife, Courtney, and the father of two young boys – Kasey and Beau. Family is huge to the native of Brandon, Manitoba, so much so that he often takes the family on road trips. Obviously, he can’t do that in the great Bubble Hockey tournament of 2020, the Stanley Cup playoffs here in Edmonton.

Thank goodness for FaceTime, though Calvert said it’s not easy getting the boys to stay in conversation for long.

“My boys don’t really like to talk on FaceTime too much,” Calvert told Colorado Hockey Now. “They don’t have that attention span. We got our 4-year-old a new bike this morning, and you gotta do that over FaceTime. But, just to see the reaction on his face, it kind of keeps you going. It makes you want to win the Stanley Cup that much more.”

While Calvert said it’s been “tough” to be without family for so long, he’s had a blast hanging out so far with his “second family”, his teammates.

“The transition is that much smoother when you enjoy being around your teammates,” Calvert said. “We have a card game every second night, we’re hanging around the lounge, we’re going to dinner. I really enjoy being around these guys, so if there’s a way to soften that up, when you’re missing your family, this is (it).”

Calvert’s linemate, Matt Nieto, is widely acknowledged to be the team’s card shark, the guy who more often than not takes the pot in the middle of the table. But Calvert has been known to win a few hands, too.

The NHL safety protocol says that a limited number of family members will be able to join the bubble in Edmonton, starting with the conference finals. No doubt Courtney, Kasey and Beau will get invitations to come on up to E-Town and to the J.W. Marriott, where the team has been holed up since July 19. Of course, the Avs have to get that far first.

“I was with my boys for four months straight. It’s not like your typical season. We were together every day, and they get used to that,” Calvert said. “I try to be their best friend every day, and constantly play with them. So, it was definitely weird, (having) so much time on my hands in my hotel room, trying to find something to do.”

OFF-DAY NOTEBOOK

• Avs coach Jared Bednar said there aren’t any reported injuries out of Game 1 with Arizona. A few “bumps and bruises”, he said, but he expects a full roster for tomorrow’s Game 2, which starts on noon mountain.
• Bednar said he may still alternate goalies for Games 2 and 3, given that they are back-to-back games with early start times.
• Kroenke Sports today announced a new, long-term partnership with Ticketmaster. Here’s some of the press release:

Following the success of an initial one-year deal, KSE and Ticketmaster have extended their partnership long-term with an agreement that will introduce Ticketmaster Presence™, the next-generation digital ticketing and access control platform, to its venues. This addition will enable KSE venues to utilize SafeTix™, Ticketmaster’s latest security feature that virtually eliminates ticket fraud by utilizing an encrypted barcode that automatically refreshes every few seconds.

“Providing the best possible and most secure fan experience in the region is KSE’s top priority,” said KSE’s EVP/Chief Ticketing and Strategy Officer David Burke. “Ticketmaster’s innovative ticketing technology is an integral part of providing the most seamless live event experience for fans from increased personalization to safely buying, selling and sharing their tickets to entering our venues safely and conveniently.”

SafeTix also provides fans with the ability to enter venues using a simple “tap and go” through NFC technology and allows users to easily transfer tickets on their mobile device.

“We’re honored to continue our partnership with Kroenke Sports & Entertainment with the ability to provide their fans with a frictionless live event experience combined with a never-before-seen level of ticket security,” said Kurt Schwartzkopf, EVP and Co-Head of Sports for Ticketmaster, North America. “Our Ticketmaster Presence and SafeTix technologies streamline everything from the ticket purchase and management process to contactless venue entry to effectively eliminating ticket fraud, all while providing fans with the kind of personalization we all want as they enjoy the safest and best ticketing options possible.”