As I read through many articles relating to the Calgary Flames and their recent draft selections, something stood out to me – We don’t have a lot of information about the Flames’ 28th overall selection, Morgan Klimchuk!
While there have been several articles posted with the same five or six points about the 18 year old winger, I felt that the fans should be provided with a little more in-depth information about one of their potential future players. With that being said, I have done some further research on the Regina native to discuss since my last article from the 2013 NHL draft, in addition to a Q&A session with Morgan which he was kind enough to provide.
Despite being born in my hometown of Regina Saskatchewan, Klimchuk grew up playing hockey in Calgary Alberta where he would eventually be selected fifth overall by the Regina Pats in 2010. In his first full year with the Pats, head coach Pat Conacher noted that although he was one of the younger and quieter players on the roster, his play and confidence level on and off the ice quickly matured as the season progressed. His game improved so much, in fact, that after posting 36pts in 67 games during his first year, he broke out the very next year with 76 points in 72 games played.
Conacher was very impressed with the development of this young player and was particularly pleased with his off-ice commitments. Given his raw abilities and young age, most players of Klimhuck’s ilk are not typically found working on their game during their free time as Morgan applies. It’s a trait not found in a lot of players these days as higher drafted players seemingly feel deserving at such a young age. This strong work ethic from a young man is not really something you can teach. Some players aspire to better themselves every passing year, which is something the Flames management can expect from their 28th overall draft selection.
Moreover, Morgan falls into another category which the Calgary Flames brass has placed a high significance towards when it comes to the acquisition or drafting of players. With his vision on the ice and defensively minded play, Klimchuk exhibits a high level of Hockey IQ which in addition to his work ethic, cannot be taught. He displays a level of professionalism that is not always present among young draftees, and demonstrates an understanding that it will take a lot of hard work and commitment to reach the NHL with the Calgary Flames someday – something he’s been dreaming about since he was quite young.
As many of you have likely read up by now, Klimchuk is known to be a strong skating forward with quick hands and plays a high energy game. He has been used effectively by the Regina Pats on the power play, often on the point with his ability to control the puck and play. With a strong and fast release, Klimchuk has been able to find the back of the net on several occasions and from all areas of the ice, including crashing the net.
Although he currently stands at 5’11 and 180 pounds, he has displayed a strong defensive game by playing the body and battling in the corners. At 18 years of age, his physical and mental development is far from over and he will need to continue to strengthen both in order to take the next step.
Below is a list of stats which highlights Morgan’s career as a Regina Pat. Our Q&A session will then follow.
- 36 goals scored in the 2012-13 season, good for second amongst all Regina Pats skaters.
- 76 Points amassed through 72 regular season games, second amongst Regina Pats skaters.
- Klimchuk saw a 50-point increase in his regular season totals between 2011-12 and 2012-13
- 20 multi-point games in the 2012-13 campaign. In 2 games this past year, he recorded 5 points - his single-game season high.
- Klimchuk scored 14 of his 36 goals while the Pats were on the power play.
- Five multi-goal games in 2012-13 - all were 2-goal affairs.
As mentioned, Morgan was kind enough to provide me with a few moments of his time and answer a few questions I felt fans would be interested to hear about. Here’s what he had to say!
Dambrauskas: Morgan, what are your plans for the offseason/summer? Klimchuk: I train with crash conditioning here in town for the summer as well as doing skill development and power skating with the Flames. My weekly routine consists of five workouts and one day of recovery i.e. Yoga or stretching etc., three skates and two track sessions to work on sprint and movement patterns.
Dambrauskas: What are your goals for next season? Klimchuk: My goals for next season are to go into Flames main camp and rookie camp and make an impact and force them to make a real tough decision in regards to where they send me for the year. If I end up back in Regina I want to make the playoffs first and foremost and also have some success in the post season as well. I would like to play a big leadership role with that team and be a go to guy all year. Individually I would like to match and surpass my point totals from last year while improving upon my plus minus.
Dambrauskas: Which part of your game would you like to improve? Klimchuk: I would like to improve my overall strength and explosiveness through my core and legs, in result improving my skating and puck protection and first three explosive strides.
Dambrauskas: Lastly, which player in the NHL would you like to mirror? Klimchuk: Jordan Eberle – we both play our strong side wall and use our hockey sense and hands to create more strength and speed.
Once again I would like to thank Morgan for his time while answering a few questions for me and more importantly, the fans! Hopefully you all enjoyed today’s piece on Morgan, and in case you wanted a little more I have attached some video footage for your viewing pleasure.
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