NHL teams travelling to China for the preseason is a relatively new thing. The Flames (and Bruins) aren’t making the inaugural trip, though – the Canucks and Kings made their way overseas last September.
One player who didn’t go, however, was the Canucks’ Brock Boeser. He responded by scoring 55 points in 62 games as the Canucks’ leading scorer throughout the 2017-18 regular season and finishing second in Calder Trophy voting as one of the NHL’s top rookies. His story is well known; Brad Treliving referenced it as a point for Flames players who won’t be making the trip that they shouldn’t get discouraged about it.