‘Very clever participant’: May Sam Morton earn a job with Flames?

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Sam Morton is, as he places it, “nonetheless choosing away” at his grasp’s diploma.

So throughout breaks within the motion at his first NHL coaching camp, the Calgary Flames ahead hopeful can be making an attempt to knock off a few credit by finishing one class throughout the fall semester.

The subject material? The course is ‘Writing within the Office.’

Morton, who signed final spring as a university free agent, has apparently not been hampered by the homework. The truth is, the left-handed centre has made such a optimistic impression that some are questioning if Flames bench boss Ryan Huska might be writing his identify on the opening-night lineup.

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The 25-year-old Morton stays a darkish horse to start out this season in ‘The Present,’ however he appears to be pushing his strategy to the highest of Calgary’s skinny listing of pivot prospects. From there, the following step is making an attempt to swipe Kevin Rooney’s spot as fourth-line faceoff man. (Rooney, it ought to be famous, can be an necessary piece on the penalty kill.)

“I’ve been very impressed, in quite a lot of alternative ways,” Huska mentioned Wednesday when requested about Morton, who’s listed at 6-foot and 185 lb. “I believed he was in all probability our greatest participant in Penticton, within the video games that I noticed, and he’s carried that by means of his practices with us and he’s carried it by means of the video games that he’s performed.

“Probably not figuring out loads about him, the Wranglers coaches had talked about how impressed they had been with him, along with his hockey sense and his potential. And I’ve fairly preferred him as a result of I feel he’s a really clever participant, he’s gritty and he additionally has a ability set that permits him to play with actually good gamers. While you watch him on the power-play, like he’s been on for the final little bit, he makes performs underneath sticks. He sees the areas the place he can move pucks to. So that you see the sense or the ability aspect of him, however he’s additionally a competitor who’s positionally sound so it permits him to kill penalties too.

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“There’s loads there that we’ve preferred thus far, and he has carried out a very good job of getting a very good day every single day. He hasn’t had a foul day but.”

The Flames’ roster for Wednesday’s pre-season roadie to Abbotsford, B.C., was headlined by all of their most up-to-date first-round picks — Jakob Pelletier (2019), Connor Zary (2020), Matt Coronato (2021), Sam Honzek (2023) and each Zayne Parekh and Matvei Gridin (2024).

Morton was additionally within the lineup towards the Canucks, his third exhibition audition thus far. Whereas he doesn’t have that very same draft pedigree, whereas he isn’t being billed as a cornerstone piece, he has generated a little bit of a buzz of his personal this fall — each among the many fan base and, judging by Huska’s excessive reward, within the coaches’ workplace.

A self-described “late bloomer,” Morton performed elements of six seasons within the NCAA, together with 4 with the Minnesota State Mavericks.

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A 12 months in the past, he wasn’t a lot fascinated by the NHL as he was questioning how he’d reply after the lengthy restoration from surgical procedure on a torn ACL. Since he scored 24 objectives in his last collegiate marketing campaign, the reply is fairly good.

Some will level to Morton’s age — he turned 25 in late July — as a knock towards him, suggesting you can’t be thought of a prospect for those who’re already in your mid-20s. Others would argue his maturity will help set him aside, in a great way, from the opposite up-and-comers.

“I feel that’s in all probability why he hasn’t are available in eyes extensive open,” Huska mentioned. “He has are available in to make individuals discover him, and to earn a spot on the crew.”

He’s off to a very good begin, though he careworn previous to Wednesday’s flight to Abbotsford that “there’s all the time room for enchancment.” He added: “I’d prefer to develop into a bit extra confidence and begin making some extra performs on the market, however I feel that simply begins with work ethic, compete and getting the puck within the first place.”

Requested if his dream of sometime skating within the NHL is beginning to really feel extra sensible, Morton’s reply tells you a large number about his even-keel method.

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“Perhaps no more sensible, but it surely makes you hungrier for it,” he replied. “It simply makes you are feeling nearer. It makes you are feeling prefer it’s only one extra step away, what I imply? I’m positively hungry for it. That’s why I simply wish to do my finest every day.”

Along with chipping away at his Writing within the Office assignments, Morton is decided to stay in pupil mode each time he’s across the rink. He’s treating each observe, each exhibition outing, as a studying alternative.

“It’s enjoyable to get pushed by guys with expertise and guys who’ve quite a lot of NHL video games underneath their belt and see how they function on the market,” mentioned Morton, who logged 19 appearances with the AHL’s Wranglers on the tail-end of final season. “You attempt to watch what guys are doing effectively. When guys look good, what are they doing that I feel seems good? It might be simply successful little battles, shifting their ft on first contact, how rapidly they launch it …

“It’s simply these little particulars that I can possibly attempt to add to my sport, possibly write in my pocket book and take dwelling.”

If he retains this up, he would possibly write his identify into the Flames’ lineup, too.

wgilbertson@postmedia.com

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