Star Wears: Flames award bright red blazer to player of game

Welcome to Star Wears, where our Short Shifts squad will highlight each participating NHL team’s unique and creative way to honor their player of the game after each victory, handing them a token of appreciation that usually lasts at least one season, and sometimes takes on a life of its own.

Team: Calgary Flames

Item: Red blazer

Origin Story: Like a similarly boldy-colored blazer, this one was the ultimate prize at a golf tournament. Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson won the jacket at the Calgary Flames Celebrity Charity Golf Classic in September. We are certain he would not mind if we mentioned it was the second straight year Andersson won the tourney with the low gross score.

"Sure did. Two years in a row,” Andersson said. “(The jacket) was ugly enough that we brought it in. I’m never going to use it personally. (The guys) seem to like it so far. It’s a fun little thing to do after the game."

And not only did that charity event give the team their player of the game item, but it also raised $415,000 for the Flames Foundation, which aims to improve the lives of southern Albertans through the support of health and wellness, education and grassroots sports programming.

City/Team Connection (dubious or otherwise): With red being the most prominent color in the team’s uniforms – the fan base is known as The C of Red – its only fitting that the blazer is bright, bright red. Even if it does look like like that episode of “The Simpsons” where Marge goes to work for a real estate company.

"We didn’t have anything last year," Flames captain Mikael Backlund said. "(Andersson) said he had it and I thought it would be a pretty cool idea. It’s not a jacket you’d wear every day. He’s won it twice now, Ras, so he figured he’d donate one."

Fun Fact: The famous green jacket, the prize for winning the Masters at Augusta National every year, was first awarded in 1949, won by Sam Snead. The bold color choice was patterned after the idea that members of Augusta should wear one bright color in order to stand out to members of the public who might need assistance while visiting the course.

Quotable: “The guys love it,” said Flames coach Ryan Huska. “It's great after the game when we're able to give that out. That's totally a player thing. Someone has an idea and they run with it."

NHL.com independent correspondent Laurence Heinen contributed to this report