Things are starting to look slightly more optimistic for the Calgary Flames, winners of two straight and six of their last 10 contests.
Flames general manager Brad Treliving was a guest on Prime Time Sports on Sportsnet 590 Tuesday, where he discussed his team’s recent reversal of fortunes and some of the organization’s plans for the rest of the season.
Part of the discussion focused on prospect Mark Jankowski. The 2012 first-rounder (21st overall) is in his senior year with the top-ranked NCAA men’s hockey team, Providence. The 6-foot-3, 175-pound centre could become a free agent next summer if the Flames fail to sign him to an entry-level deal by August 15, 2016.
That’s something Treliving knows is a risk, but he’s confident in his relationship with Jankowski and intimated that he has every intention of signing the 21-year-old.
“In the year and a bit that I’ve been here I’ve been able to get to know Mark quite well,” Treliving said. “At the end of the year last year, Providence had a great year…won the National Championship, we talked about that.
“One school of thought is you rush him out after his third year and protect yourself that you don’t lose the player because he’s got that option at the end of his fourth year. I believe you have to do what’s right for the player. Mark and I spent a lot of time, during the playoffs, talking about what was the right decision. We were just very honest.”
Jankowski is Providence’s second-leading scorer with seven goals and 15 points in 11 games. He is one of just three 2012 first-round draft picks who has yet to play in the National Hockey League. Treliving acknowledged that Jankowski is very much a part of the Flames’ core for the future.
“We feel we’ve got a real good relationship with this player. The plan is to have him signed at the end of the year. The organization knew when they drafted him that this was going to be a longer term project with him. He’s having a terrific season on the top-ranked team and we look forward for him to be part of our organization moving forward,” said Treliving.
Jankowski’s teammate on the 2014-15 Providence team that captured the National Championship, Jon Gillies, is the No. 1 goaltender on the Flames’ American Hockey League affiliate Stockton Heat this season. Depending on how Jankowski’s season goes with Providence this year, they could be reunited sooner than later.
