For even for the most talented teens, that first trip to an NHL training camp is an eye-opening and sometimes overwhelming experience.
But as Calgary Flames forward prospect Jacob Battaglia was returned for another season with the Ontario Hockey League’s Kingston Frontenacs, this on-the-rise winger left the Saddledome with an important takeaway.
“Just seeing how much faster and bigger and stronger guys are at the next level, I think I realized I can be that type of player in junior, especially being a third-year guy now,” Battaglia said.
So far, so good.
Battaglia, a second-round selection is the 2024 NHL draft, is off to a sizzling start with the Frontenacs.
The 18-year-old currently is sitting sixth in the OHL’s scoring race with seven goals and nine assists in his 10 outings. After his eight-game point streak was snapped last weekend, he’ll be looking to start a new spree in Thursday’s date with the Peterborough Petes.
“A lot of credit goes to my teammates,” Battaglia said. “You don’t get points by yourself. I think they’re doing a lot for me, making the game pretty easy.
“As well, I think being in Calgary at camp and then coming back, you realize you have a little bit more time than over there and you can slow the game down a little bit and make more effective plays. At camp, every drill and every game is full speed. Even in practice, no matter what kind of drill you’re doing, it’s going to be full speed. You’re not taking a stride off.
“So when you come back to junior but you’ve kind of gotten accustomed to that speed you played with at camp, I think you realize you have more time and you can catch a lot of guys off with how fast you’re playing. I think that is a huge help, as well.”
Scan the Flames’ organizational depth chart and it’s clear that there will be fierce competition for future work on the wings.
A hat-trick of recent first-round picks — Connor Zary (2020), Matt Coronato (2021) and Sam Honzek (2023) — already are on the big-league roster at the Saddledome, having each played a part in a 5-0-1 start. Zary, the oldest dude on that list, just turned 23.
Jakob Pelletier, another former first-rounder, is determined to prove his worth with the AHL’s Wranglers and it’s an encouraging sign that he has racked up eight assists in six minor-league spins since going unclaimed on waivers and being demoted to the farm club.
Aydar Suniev, a third-round swing in 2023, has started his sophomore season at UMass with five goals in the same number of games.
And before the Flames selected Battaglia at No. 62 overall this summer, they already had welcomed a pair of wingers in Matvei Gridin and Andrew Basha.
While those other chaps have received more attention, Battaglia is busy serving notice that he, too, is trending toward a bright future.
There will be some patience required — he’s another guy who should benefit from the tutelage of Flames skating coach Danielle Fujita — but you’ve likely watched a couple of his highlight-reel plays on the Frontenacs’ social-media channels and it only piques your interest to learn one of Calgary’s veteran scouts described him in a pre-draft report as “a junkyard dog.”
According to Frontenacs head coach Troy Mann, Battaglia has “quick hands,” “an elite shot” and “is so good down low at this level.”
At 6-foot-1 and 202 pounds, he already has a pro-sized frame.
“I do think it was a little bit eye-opening for him, as a guy that has never been to an NHL camp or a rookie tournament,” said Mann, whose resume includes nearly a decade as a bench boss in the AHL. “I think, in talking to him, he was certainly humbled to some degree, just in terms of the learning curve and how tough it really is. But in saying that, he clearly came back with a tremendous amount of confidence.”
Battaglia’s first fall fling with the Flames included a trip to the Young Stars Classic in Penticton, B.C. He stuck around for several days of main camp before being assigned to Kingston, where he notched an assist 43 seconds into the season. Nice way to start.
Battaglia left Calgary with a few stories for family and friends. Raised a Maple Leafs fan, he admits it was pretty cool to see Nazem Kadri strolling around the locker room area.
He left with positive feedback from his future bosses — “They were pretty happy with me, as I hoped they would be with where they picked me, and I know they believe in me” — and a better understanding of how he needs to grow his game for next time.
And as he returned to continue his development in the OHL, he left with a determination to be a dominant force for the Frontenacs.
“I just realized I could be in that role of being the guy who’s faster, stronger and just smarter overall,” said Battaglia, who put up 31 goals and 65 points last season. “I kind of struggled a little bit in the rookie tournament (in Penticton). I was pretty nervous, especially in the first game, and I was just kind of throwing pucks away.
“And when I came back here, I think I realized I’m the best me when I play with confidence and I’m comfortable having the puck on my stick.
“So that’s the goal for the rest of this year.”