There is no guarantee Matthew Coronato will make the Calgary Flames’ opening night roster or that he even plays 25 games this upcoming season. However, if given the right opportunity, he could have a big season for the Flames. It’s no secret that the Flames are looking for improvements from their roster overall this season, including both bounce-back seasons by established NHLers and good rookie seasons from the team’s top prospects. There is reason to believe that a season in the AHL could benefit Coronato. However, he could bring a quality to this roster that it otherwise lacks: a natural goal-scoring ability.
The Flames already traded their top goal scorer from last season (Tyler Toffoli) to the New Jersey Devils for Yegor Sharangovich and a draft pick. Sharangovich, in his own right, has shown goal-scoring ability at both the KHL and the NHL levels, but he is a natural left winger. Excluding Toffoli’s 34 goals and including Sharangovich, the Flames roster only had two 20-goal scorers last season. This was obviously a fall from grace as the previous season when Elias Lindholm hit 40 goals while playing on one of the league’s best lines, Jonathan Huberdeau hit 30 while playing on the league’s best offensive team, and Andrew Mangiapane hit 35 while shooting at an 18.9 percent rate. Even with these previous seasons in mind, Coronato could step into the lineup and be the team’s best natural goal scorer.
USHL and NCAA
Coronato was drafted 13th overall in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft after an impressive 48 goals and 85 points in 51 games playing for the Chicago Steel of the United States Hockey League (USHL). After getting drafted, he went and played two seasons in a division one conference in the NCAA for Harvard University and scored 48 goals and 72 points in 68 games across the two seasons.
In his draft year, as previously mentioned, Coronato scored 48 goals in only 51 games in the USHL. Unsurprisingly, he finished first in goals scoring in the USHL in 2020-21, but what is even more impressive is that the second-highest goal scorers that season were Erik Middendorf and Danil Gushchin, who both had 32 goals. His 48 goals currently stand as the second most goals ever scored in a single season in USHL History.
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In both of his NCAA seasons, Coronato came second in goals per game within his conference among players with more than one game played. In 2021-22, he finished with an average of 0.55 goals per game, following the leader Ben Berard, who finished with 0.56 goals per game. In 2022-23 he finished with 0.59 goals per game, just behind teammate Alex Laferriere, who averaged 0.62 goals per game. Coronato also finished as a Hobey Baker Finalist.
Right Wing Opening
There is a lack of natural right-wingers on the Flames’ current roster. In 2022-23, Huberdeau played a significant stint on the right wing, but he did not seem to be too comfortable on the right side. He will likely start and play this season on the left wing, where he has been very successful and the most comfortable.
Beyond Huberdeau, Sharangovich, Mangiapane and Blake Coleman can all be penciled in on the right wing. However, both Mangiapane and Sharangovich are natural left-wingers and have played the majority of their careers on the left wing up to this point. Coleman, of the three, is probably the one who is the most comfortable on the right side and has played it the most. Despite how good Coleman can be, ideally, he would not be the Flames’ most productive right winger in 2023-24.
This creates a possible opening for Coronato to step in and be the Flames’ most comfortable right-wingers. Additionally, the possibility of putting him in Calgary’s top nine creates a very nice depth situation for the Flames as it could include Huberdeau, Lindholm, Kadri, Mangiapane, Mikael Backlund, Sharangovich, Coleman, Coronato and Dillon Dube. Not to mention Jakob Pelletier, who is looking to break into the Flames’ lineup this season.
Possible Fit for Coronato
If the Flames opt to make Coronato “earn his stripes” on the fourth line, then I doubt he will have a productive season. However, there are a few potential lines for him that could be cause for excitement, such as a line consisting of Huberdeau, Lindholm and Coronato. This line would connect the Flames’ best playmaker and natural goal-scorer together, while Lindholm would provide a good anchor as the line’s two-way center that can help the two offensive wingers on the cycle.
Additionally, in order to get the most out of Huberdeau, especially coming off of a down year, he needs to be provided with linemates that are able to convert the scoring chances that he creates, and who better to try on his line than the best natural goal scorer on the roster?
Another potential line that could be cause for excitement would see Coronato play on a line with Mangiapane and Kadri. This line would play slightly differently than the previously mentioned line, as Mangiapane and Kadri play different styles than Huberdeau and Lindholm. But it could still work, as Mangiapane and Kadri can both create offence off the rush. Mangiapane would be the line’s best defensive forward on this line, though Kadri is capable in his own right. Due to this, even if Coronato is incapable defensively, this line would provide quality at both ends of the ice and could strike in transition.
Coronato might start the season in the AHL, but I think it would be a mistake to not give him a chance to play a significant role on the 2023-24 Flames. He’s not only a talented player, but he’s also a player who brings qualities to the Flames’ roster in areas that it is currently lacking. It could be a perfect fit for both the team and Coronato. Make him prove that he needs time in the AHL before assuming as much.
