Draft Day 2 Notebook - 29.06.24

LAS VEGAS – Family. 

And fraternity. 

That’s what the NHL Draft is all about.

When Henry Mews heard his name called by the Flames in the third round, 74th overall, he couldn’t believe his ears. 

The very friends he was busy texting last night suddenly became ‘teammates’ at the world’s top level.

“Me and Zayne (Parekh) go way back,” he said of the Flames’ first-round selection, 9th overall, the night before. “We played spring hockey together, played against each other our whole lives. We're the same type of player; we would go at it when we were younger. He's a great player, obviously, he had an unbelievable year. 

“And Batesy (Jacob Battaglia, who was taken by the Flames in the second round), we played with the Junior Canadians in minor hockey.

“We’ve been buddies since we were little, too, playing in the Brick Tournament. Our families are really tight. It's great – it's an honour. 

“It's really exciting for me.”

Mews – a defenceman, who briefly dabbled at forward, before moving back to the blueline three years ago – is a talented puck-mover who tallied 61 points (15G, 46A) with his hometown Ottawa 67s last year. 

His vision is his calling card, both on the breakout in navigating forechecks and dishing a beautiful breakout pass, or up ice on the attack, where he loves to hop in the play and activate offensively.  

“There's a lot of potential in my game,” he said. “It was my third year playing D. So, defensively, learning how to play the pro style of game and the offensive skills are there and just learning how to be a complete defenceman to be able to play in the NHL one day.”

Mews is coached by former Flames assistant Dave Cameron, who he says has been crucial to his development.

“He knows what it takes to play in the NHL,” Mews said. “He's taught me a lot and I've got to continue to learn from him in the years moving forward before making the step to Calgary.

“They're rebuilding and getting their young guys opportunities to play and develop, and I'm really excited for the opportunity. It's going to be great for my development. I've got a lot of room to grow and it's a perfect situation for me. I'm really going to enjoy it. 

“I can't wait.”

Ontario Boys

The cascade of OHL talent continued for the Flames at Pick 150, as they selected 5-foot-10, 174-lb. pivot Luke Misa from the Mississauga Steelheads.

He, too, has formed quite the bond with Parekh over the past few years, with his older brother, Michael, teaming up with him in Saginaw.

“It's awesome,” Misa said before a throng of FlamesTV and (mostly) OHL reporters. “Being able to know Zayne so well, because he was able to play with my brother – and then seeing him at the Combine and Top Prospects Game, I know him pretty well. And then there were some other guys they drafted from Ontario who I know as well.

“I'm really excited.”

Misa said his “heart dropped” (in a very good way) when he heard his name called. As we got deeper into the fifth round, and with fewer and fewer people left in the building, the nervousness ramped up to 11.

“You're so in the moment, but it's so exciting to hear your name,” he said, beaming. “It was kind of like a dream to me.

“It's really an honour to get drafted by the Flames. Just being able to stay in Canada as well is pretty cool and I'm excited to get going.”

Misa deposited 26 goals for 81 points last year with the Steelheads, and attracted scouts with his quick feet, puck-handling ability, and is a pro-level poise with the puck – particularly in traffic.

Despite being on a touch on the smaller side, he’s a honey badger with how he forechecks, wins battles, and creates turnovers by relentlessly pursuing the puck-carrier.

“I'm someone who can really drive play using his speed,” he said. “I’m someone who's really competitive and really wants to win.”

In talking to those that have watched him up close over the past year, the consensus in Vegas is that this pick was an absolute steal at No. 150.

Misa entered the draft ranked No. 76 by NHL Central Scouting, 72 by Bob McKenzie, 67 by Flo Hockey, 58 Elite Prospects, 53 by Sportsnet, and 39 by Dobber Prospects, and many more.

Big, BIG Numbers

Trevor Hoskin enjoyed an MVP season with the Cobourg Cougars of the Ontario Junior Hockey League this past winter.

And that on-ice success translated into an unforgettable moment Saturday afternoon at his Belleville, Ont. Home.

“My dad was sitting on the couch, I was kind of just looking at my phone, texting with my sister," Hoskin recalled when reached by phone. "I look up and my dad’s screaming ‘You got picked! Your name came up!’

“All of a sudden I looked at the screen and my name was right beside Calgary’s logo, after that I just blacked out. It’s so surreal and so exciting.”

At Cobourg, Hoskin put up big numbers, leading the Junior ‘A’ loop with 100 points during the regular season before adding 28 more in the playoffs.

The centre earned league MVP honours, as well as a call-up to Canada to participate at the World Junior ‘A’ Challenge in Truro, N.S.

The 20-year-old figures his speed and passing ability helps make both himself and his teammates better. And that this run of success is a by-product of persistence, both by himself and those around him.

“I just worked really, really hard on and off the ice and things started falling into place for me,” he said of his last 12 months. "I can’t thank my teammates (in Cobourg) enough, great organization. It was probably my best year of hockey, funnest year of hockey.”

This fall, the newly-minted Flames prospect is headed south of the border, having secured an NCAA Division I commitment to Niagara University in New York State midway through this past season.

His new home is away from home, but not too far.

“It’s only about three hours down the highway,” he said. “They’ve been really good to me, they communicate a lot and they communicate well.

The college game is the next step, but after Saturday, Hoskin’s got plenty of reasons to smile, and think about that NHL dream.

A dream that’s one step closer to coming true.

“You work all your life for a moment like this, to have it happen makes me realize the work starts now,” he said.

“Just super-excited. Lost for words.”

Iggy's Influence

In Hunter Laing, the Flames add what Director of Amateur Scouting Tod Button calls a “big rig.”

The 6-foot-5, 205-lb. centre hails from Kelowna, where the greatest player in franchise history got a close-up look at what the towering prospect could become.

“Jarome was the finisher,” Button said. “He knows the family living in Kelowna and he said he's going to take him in the garage and wrestle with him and train him, and if he can handle that, he's going to be a player for us.

“He has some developing to do with the overall physical part. But really happy, especially when our Western scouts really liked him – and then with Jarome, it's validation not only for me, but for the rest of the scouts.”

Laing – a sixth-round pick – had 11 goals and 25 points in a checking role with the WHL’s Prince George Cougars this year.

Well Done, Conny

The last word goes to GM Craig Conroy, who puts a bow what the Flames were able to bring to the organization this weekend:

“The one thing we talked about, even before the draft, was adding more skill, bringing more skill in. I think we did that again today. Look at the guys we got. Thirty-goal scorers, 80 points... A lot more skill. And on the way up (to do media), I was thinking, 'Eight Canadians and two Russian players.' It's nice to get some Canadians in the fold, too.

“You look at the game, you watch how teams are winning, you need to put up points. You need to make those exciting, high-end plays. Especially, you see Edmonton, we watch them all the time, and they're a high offence (team). Obviously, they've got some of the best players in the world, but we had to add them to some of our group.