CALGARY, Alberta – Returning to the Scotiabank Saddledome conjures a lot of memories for Buffalo Sabres forward Peyton Krebs.

The Calgary-area native frequented Flames games as a kid, taking full advantage of a friend’s season tickets. On Monday, he played one of his last games in the 42-year-old arena, which is scheduled for demolition in 2027.

“The Saddle is pretty iconic,” Krebs told Sabres.com that morning. “It’s gonna be tough to see it go. … It’s unreal. I came here a lot in the playoffs.

“I had that song stuck in my head – I don’t know if people remember it – it’s that Jarome Iginla song. It’s like, [sings] ‘Chilling in the dome, hanging with the Flames.’ That’s just stuck in my head today.”

‘In da Dome,’ a play on 50 Cent’s ‘In da Club,’ was a hype song during the Flames’ run to the 2004 Stanley Cup Final. Krebs was three years old at the time.

The sixth-year NHLer has come a long way from his days as a young spectator, and Buffalo’s annual stop at the Saddledome serves as a good reminder.

“As a kid, I would sit by the bench and hope someone would look at me for a hockey stick or a puck,” recalled Krebs, who once took home a puck from current Flames captain Mikael Backlund. “So, I make sure I pay it back when I’m here and give out a puck or two.”

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The Sabres’ longest road trip since 2011 has spanned two weeks, four time zones and six cities.

Once-a-season visits to each Western Conference city take the team a long way from Western New York. For some Sabres, however, this trip has offered a chance to visit their hometowns (or provinces), relive childhood memories and catch up on family time – a rare thing during the jam-packed hockey schedule.

The team spent three full days in Calgary. After their Sunday practice, Krebs stuck around with his dad to watch the WHL’s Calgary Hitmen play; his older brother, Dakota, is an assistant coach for the Hitmen. He also enjoyed a home-cooked meal. And he played the Sabres-Flames game in front of his parents, as well as his grandmother, who has club seats at the Saddledome.

“I kind of felt like I was home for Christmas – it was really nice,” Krebs said.

Krebs had seen his parents as recently as November; as a birthday gift to his mom, he paid for their travel to watch the Sabres play in Utah and Colorado. Considering what went into raising an NHL player, he recognizes, it’s only right.

“They traveled all over, paying on their dime to get me here.” he said. “Trying to pay it back. Trying to just allow them to enjoy the perks of what they did, grinding away for me. It’s awesome.”

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It’s not exactly a homecoming for Tyson Kozak when the Sabres play the Jets, but it’s close enough. The second-year forward hails from Souris, Manitoba, a town roughly three hours from Winnipeg, population just a few thousand.

In March, Kozak had plenty of support in the Canada Life Centre crowd as he scored his second NHL goal, a key third-period tally that contributed to a 5-3 win over the eventual Presidents’ Trophy winners.