“Twenty-seven years old, it’s a long time coming,” said Sloan, a seventh-year pro who was playing his third full season with Hershey. “Lots of hard work. Lots of tough times. Called up, sent down, playing in the [East] Coast [Hockey] League. To get this opportunity and to be in Calgary? It’s story book.”

Sloan originally signed with Hershey in May of 2006 after his Las Vegas team had been eliminated from the ECHL playoffs. The Bears, in the midst of a run to that year’s Calder Cup championship, needed an extra player because of postseason injuries.

Sloan was actually on the golf course in Las Vegas and just a few hours from flying home to Calgary to start the offseason when he received a call from Hershey general manager Doug Yingst. A spot was available if Sloan was willing to extend his season a little longer. After speaking with friend Jared Aulin, then a forward with the Bears, Sloan accepted.

He arrived for that first morning skate with no equipment, borrowing skates from teammate Colin Forbes. But he recorded one assist in the Calder Cup semifinals for Hershey and then spent the next two seasons slowly nudging his way into the Caps’ plans.

Sloan was even recalled by Washington last spring to fill a spot at practice just before the Stanley Cup playoffs. And while he was immediately returned to the AHL, it was still a promising sign. This time Sloan jumps right into the starting lineup, replacing veteran Tom Poti, who is on the trip, but still fighting an injured groin.

“I’m a big believer in call him up and let’s play him,” said Caps coach Bruce Boudreau, who also coached Sloan at Hershey in 2006 and 2007. “Rather than letting him get more nervous if you sit and wait, get the indoctrination over with and see what we have.”

A 6-foot-4, 203-pound speedster, Sloan lists his skating as a strength. His dad, Fred, has been a power skating instructor in Calgary for almost 30 years and recently drove 36 hours from Alberta to see his son play at Hershey. He could have saved the gas money. Fred Sloan was on hand when the NHL promotion – and a quick trip back home – came through.

“I knew I was right there. I had to have a great training camp [in September] and they told me that,” Tyler Sloan said. “I had to play well in order to make my way up the depth chart. I thought I did that. I played well in the exhibition games, stayed as long as I could. I didn’t think it was going to be this soon that I would get the call-up. But I’m ecstatic.”

Sloan will be paired with another Calgary boy on defense. Schultz may be just 22, but with 112 NHL games under his belt he’ll be the veteran tonight. It doesn’t hurt that every inch of the Saddledome is familiar territory to Schultz, who played four years of junior hockey at the arena with the Calgary Hitmen.

“I’m sure I will be [nervous],” said Schultz, who expects 15 to 20 family members and friends in the stands tonight. “But I’m just going to go and play like I’ve been playing the rest of the season. I’m not one of those guys that’s going to do spectacular moves out there. So just kind of keep it simple.”

Sloan spent part of Monday scrambling for last-minute tickets to at least get his mom, Gayle, and brother Trevor, into the game along with his dad. Schultz had a connection with a former Hitmen team official who now works in the ticket office for the Flames. But Green did his teammates one better, renting an entire Saddledome luxury suite for at least 25 family members and friends.

“We needed like 50 tickets, but it looks like Greener has already bought most of them up,” Sloan cracked. “Maybe I can split [the suite] with him.”

Green led all NHL defensemen in goals scored last season with 18. He’s already off to another strong start in 2008-09 with a league-best four goals among defensemen. Each has come on the power play.

“It’s actually hard to go back home and play. You’ve got to try to see everybody,” said Green, who at least had time for a family dinner last night.

“[Today] I’ll just do my regular thing and visit with them for like five minutes after the game and then I’m out of there. So it kind of [stinks]. It’s like I’m hosting a party I don’t get to go to.”

All three defensemen will have their hands full. Saddledome crowds can become rowdy for almost any game – even a weeknight tilt against an Eastern Conference opponent. The presence of Caps star left wing and reigning NHL Hart Trophy winner Alex Ovechkin, making just his second appearance in Calgary, will only add to the excitement. Schultz claims that even the Hitmen occasionally played in front of sell-out crowds at the Saddledome. He and Sloan will have some familiarity, at least, as they try to communicate amongst the din. The two were sometimes paired together during Schultz’s 44 games at Hershey in 2006-07.

“Hopefully we’re not putting too much pressure on [Sloan] by going right into his hometown and playing,” Boudreau said. “But if he can play there I guess he can play anywhere.”

Caps notes


» The Caps (3-1-1, 7 points) open a three-game road trip tonight against the Calgary Flames (1-3-1, 3 points), a playoff team the last four seasons that has struggled early. Free-agent signing Todd Bertuzzi leads the Flames with five goals. Goalie Miikka Kiprusoff has an unsightly 4.37 GAA and his team has allowed 22 goals, second most in the NHL. Star right wing Jarome Iginla has a goal and two assists. In the last meeting between the two teams, Alex Ovechkin scored twice for the Caps, including the game winner with 1 minute, 54 seconds left, in a 3-2 win over Calgary at Verizon Center on March 12.

» Defenseman Tom Poti (groin), forward Viktor Kozlov (left knee) and forward Donald Brashear (hand) are all on the three-game road trip to Calgary, Phoenix and Dallas.

» Caps coach Bruce Boudreau said Brashear will be a game-time decision tonight. His status will determine if center Boyd Gordon or forward Eric Fehr plays.

» Right wing Matt Bradley, a mainstay on the fourth line last season with Brashear and Dave Steckel, is moving on up. Boudreau had Bradley on the third line at practice Monday alongside center Michael Nylander and left wing Tomas Fleischmann.

“Let’s see if [Bradley] can snipe a couple,” Boudreau said. “He’s a great forechecker. And he’s a physical player, where I wouldn’t say [Fleischmann] or [Nylander] are. And he’ll be able to get into corners and muck it up. It gives Brads a reward for playing so hard all the time.”

 

» Where hasn’t Sergei Fedorov played this season. The 38-year-old veteran began the year at second-line center. But he’s also started on defense and filled in there when injuries warranted during the Caps’ first five games. Now Boudreau has Fedorov back on the top line for tonight’s game against Calgary with forwards Alex Ovechkin and Chris Clark.

Nicklas Backstrom drops to the second line with Alex Semin and Brooks Laich. Boudreau made this exact move during the Stanley Cup quarterfinal series against Philadelphia last spring when Backstrom was struggling. The 20-year-old has just one assist so far.

“[Both of those groups] had pretty good success in the playoffs,” Boudreau said. “Just trying to jump start Nicky a bit with Semin and [Ovechkin] with Fedorov and that was the main thought process behind it all. I don’t think [Ovechkin] is frustrated. But the puck isn’t bouncing the way he’d like it to bounce right at this point.”

» In goalie news, the Caps signed 2008 fourth-round draft pick Braden Holtby to a three-year entry level contract on Monday. Holtby, 19, was at the organization’s rookie camp last month before returning to the Saskatoon Blades, his junior hockey club. He entered Monday night with a 6-3 record and a .922 save percentage.

Also, 2006 second-round draft pick Michal Neuvirth, 20, is back at AHL Hershey. With Daren Machesney, 21, and 2006 first-round draft pick Simeon Varlamov, 20, sharing time with the Bears, the Caps are still hoping to loan Neuvirth to another AHL team. He started for ECHL affiliate South Carolina on Saturday and allowed three goals on 20 shots in a 5-3 victory.