Brad Treliving is headed to Connecticut to watch (and possibly sign) top prospect Matt Coronato

Friends, Harvard University sophomore is perhaps the Calgary Flames’ most important prospect these days. If you want an indicator of how important Coronato is to the organization, Flames general manager Brad Treliving is headed to Connecticut this coming weekend to watch Coronato’s game(s) in the regional portion of the NCAA men’s hockey tournament, per Sportsnet’s Eric Francis.

Coronato, 20, is a right shot forward who can play centre or the wing. He was the Flames’ first-round selection in the 2021 NHL Draft, and after impressing with his goal-scoring prowess in the junior United States Hockey League, he’s done the same with Harvard. Coronato hasn’t emerged quite yet as a Hobey Baker Award-level college star, but he’s been a really useful, important and clutch player for Harvard over the past two seasons.

Harvard plays Ohio State on Friday afternoon – it’s a noon MT puck drop on TSN+ – and if they win, the Crimson would play again on Sunday afternoon. If Harvard loses on Friday or on Sunday, expect the Flames to throw a rookie maximum entry-level deal at Coronato in an effort to get him inked and into NHL games before the end of the regular season. If Harvard advances to the Frozen Four, taking place Apr. 6 and 8 in Tampa, the Flames would still try to ink him, but the window to get him into games would be smaller.