A sledge hockey team made up of talented Tier 1 players will be wearing Calgary Flames jerseys when they hit the ice at the upcoming 2019 USA Hockey Sled Classic which will be presented by the NHL in St. Louis next month. Since 2010, participating NHL teams have been sending an affiliated sledge hockey team to compete in the round-robin tournament. The USA Hockey Sled Classic is one of the most prestigious adaptive hockey tournaments in the world second only to the Paralympic games. It’s the first time the Flames have sponsored a team at the event. Flames assistant general manager Craig Conroy says the decision was a no-brainer and the team is thrilled to help grow the sport. Former Humboldt Bronco Ryan Straschnitzki was named a member of the team but won’t be attending because he’s undergoing spinal surgery in Thailand next month.