Flames prospect Jonathan Castagna making early impression at rookie camp

The word “maturity” comes up a lot when people around the Saddledome talk about Jonathan Castagna.

And while it’s true that at 21 years old he’s got a few more years under his belt than some of the recently drafted players who skated this weekend at Calgary Flames rookie camp, it’s not just age.

After three seasons at Cornell University, the 6-foot-1, 183 lbs. centre has developed a polished, intelligent game that could put him on the NHL team’s radar sooner rather than later.

“I think he’s a very mature hockey player already, both on and off the ice,” said Calgary Wranglers head coach Brett Sutter, who was running the on-ice sessions at rookie camp.

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“I think he did everything right, he asked the right questions, he picked everything up quick. He’s not a guy you’re going to have to babysit, he was out there doing things he was supposed to do, he’s a hard worker, he works hard in the gym, he’s a player that’s ready to go.”

There are a couple of young centres at camp this weekend who are hoping to push for NHL playing time in the season ahead. Castagna is one of them, as are Tyson Gross and Sam Morton. It’s still way too early to be making predictions about how the competition for spots will shake out, but Castagna is definitely a guy fans should be keeping an eye on this fall.

Acquired as part of the trade that sent MacKenzie Weegar to the Utah Mammoth in March, the Toronto native signed his first pro contract after completing his season at Cornell and arrived in Calgary soon after.

An ankle injury prevented him from playing with the Wranglers or Flames in the spring, but he has the look of a player who is ready to hit the ground running so far at rookie camp.

“His maturity, he’s smart, he’s a 200-foot player and his size and the detail to his game, there’s a lot of things I like,” said Flames director of player development Ray Edwards.