This Calgary Flames rookie could be a difference maker right away

The Calgary Flames were one of the most disappointing teams in the NHL last season. After making a couple of big moves during the off-season, they failed to make the playoffs which did not sit well with the organizations.

They made some more changes this year and that includes a coaching change. Now, they are hoping for a bounce-back year as they look to get back into the playoffs and be a super exciting team once again.

The days of Johnny Gaudreau or Matthew Tkachuk in Calgary are over but they have some good players that can make an impact. In fact, there is one rookie that they are hoping can make a difference for them right away in 2023-24.

Matt Coronato is that guy. He was their first-round pick, 13th overall, in the 2021 NHL Draft. He is a 21-year-old American-born player looking to do great things with the Flames this year. He has the ceiling of an NHL star so we’ll see if he cracks the top-six out of camp.

The Calgary Flames are going to enjoy having Matt Coronato on their team.

Before coming to the NHL, he played for the Chicago Steel of the USHL. He was so good there and that is why he was drafted so high in the NHL.

He went to college for two years at Harvard and was a great player there. In his last season there, he had 20 goals and 16 assists for 36 points in 34 games.

He also played for Team USA at the World Juniors in 2021-22 and had four goals and three assists for 7 points in five games. This year, he made his NHL debut with the Flames after his season with Harvard ended but only played in one game.

After that, he played in 10 games for Team USA at the World Championships where he had three goals and five assists for eight points which is great for a player of his age in that tournament. Now, his focus is on the NHL.

Coronato played very well in Calgary’s preseason game on Monday night. He needs to have showings like this as a kid trying to make it. He scored one goal and had two assists for three points in a 5-4 win over the Winnipeg Jets.

Of course, it is just preseason but he is playing very well. This is the type of game that could get someone noticed and it has with Coronato. If he goes on to have one of those great rookie seasons, the Flames will be a much better team.