Good news for Calgary Flames fans. Not only does Patrick Sieloff admire Niklas Kronwall — bashing blueliner of the Detroit Red Wings — he plays like him, too.
“I grew up watching Niklas Kronwall,†said Sieloff, an Ann Arbor, Mich., native. “He’s the guy I liked to model my game after. He can change the momentum of a game with a hit or a play. He’s a guy I look up to.
“I’m an open-ice hitter. I look for that hit. I will contribute a little offensively, but that’s not really my game — it’s more playing against the top line and going after those guys.â€
Sieloff — secured in the second round, 42nd overall, by the Flames at the National Hockey League draft — is expected to bring that edge to the NHL, despite being only six feet tall.
One scout told The Hockey News: “He’s probably the best open-ice hitter in the draft. It’s like he has sacks of dynamite in his shoulder pads.â€
Added another bird-dog: “You have to wonder how often he can run into six-foot-four, 220-pound guys and keep getting the best of it. He’s not big for the way he plays.â€
After a season of belting the enemy in the USHL, Sieloff had lined up a scholarship to Miami (Ohio) University. Now, though, he’s bound for the nearby Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League. But Saturday morning, he was focused on savouring his draft moment.
“An awesome feeling,†said Sieloff, 18. “It’s a dream come true. My childhood dream. You want to get drafted and play in the NHL, but it starts here. This is just the starting point of it. But throwing on the jersey is awesome. I’m really excited about today. I couldn’t be any happier.
“I can’t get the smile off my face.â€
Other smiley faces on the Consol Energy Center premises belonged to goalie Jon Gillies (75th), defenceman Ryan Culkin (124th), centre Matthew Deblouw (186th). Only two of the Flames’ seven picks — defenceman Brett Kulak (105th), right-winger Coda Gordon (165th) — weren’t in the house.
Culkin’s crew created enough ruckus for everyone.
When the Flames made him their fifth-round pick, a roar erupted around the young man.
“I was nervous, excited, anxious — and my parents were probably worse,†said Culkin, a Montreal native who skates for the Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL. “But once you hear your name, the butterflies go away. You’re just so happy.
“I love the Calgary Flames and I can’t wait to get started.â€
Scouting reports have suggested that Culkin may be a diamond in the rough.
The boy himself agrees.
“I’m still going to develop, I’m still going to get bigger, I’m still going to get stronger, I’m still going to be better,†said Culkin. “So I know I’m probably an under-rated player in the Q. I have to prove myself to all of the other guys.â€
Asked to describe himself on the ice, Culkin didn’t hesitate.
“Great hockey sense. I make a great first pass out of the zone. I love to be the fourth forward on the ice, but I take pride in my D zone.â€
Having one of the longest waits was Deblouw, who did not get selected until the seventh round.
“It was a long day . . . but it finally happened,†said the Chesterfield, Mich., native “I’m thankful for everyone who’s been a part of this. It’s a good feeling — all the work paid off.
Deblouw, who’s headed to Michigan State University in the fall, is a two-way pivot after two seasons with the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the USHL.
“We feel that this guy has some real upside,†said John Weisbrod, theFlames’ assistant general manager. “Some substance, some gumption, in his game. Abrasiveness.â€
[email protected] Follow Scott Cruickshank on Twitter/CruickshankCH
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