On Friday night, when the Calgary Flames selected forward Matthew Coronato at 13th overall, he wasn’t in Long Island (where he grew up) or suburban Chicago (where he played junior). Instead, he was in Michigan, where he’s attending USA Hockey’s summer camp.
After spending two seasons playing for the powerhouse Chicago Steel and winning a championship, he’s trying to get a foothold on another powerhouse: the United States national team that captured gold at last winter’s World Juniors. For a player who seems driven to improve and excel, the timing seems pretty appropriate.
The Steel have become a breeding ground for strong NHL talent in recent years.