FlamesNation chats with Coda Gordon

 

In the sixth round of last month’s NHL Entry Draft, the Flames chose Calgary resident Coda Gordon, a winger with the WHL’s Swift Current Broncos. Ranked fairly highly by NHL Central Scouting, Gordon scored 30 goals in his only full WHL season but his production tailed off a bit towards the end of the season. He chatted with FlamesNation’s Ryan Pike at this week’s Flames development camp.

Ryan Pike: What was it like to be drafted by your hometown team?

Coda Gordon: It was pretty good. I wasn’t sure when I was gonna go, so I was thinking I was going to go somewhere, but to be drafted to your hometown is even better. You don’t have to go anywhere. It’s just exciting and I always grew up watching the Flames and they were my favourite team as a little kid, so it’s been a great experience with them.

RP: Are you making any adjustments to how you’re approaching next season?

CG: No, not really. I’m just going to continue working out with my trainer. I mean, if the Flames have anything extra that they think I need to work on, I’ll definitely do that and adjust with that, but overall I’m probably going to stick to what I did and do some power-skating stuff and work with my trainer.

RP: You started off strong last season but tailed off a little bit. How are you working on consistency looking to next season?

CG: It was kind of just got mixed up with [Adam] Lowry getting injured and stuff like that, but that’s just part of the game and I’ve got to adjust to that. So I’m just looking forward to hopefully get back with him and get some more chemistry and just continue to improve. Now that I’m stronger and used to the game now, the pace of the WHL, I think I’ll be able to fit in more.

RP: There are a lot of veteran WHL players at this camp. Have you learned anything from them?

CG: A little bit. I more just kind of watch, see what they do, because they’re pretty much pros so I try to take tips from that and learn the game and how they play and take little things from their game and work it into my game.

RP: With the draft and this camp, it seems like you have a really short off-season before WHL training camp starts.

CG: I’m going right after this, I’m going out to Kelowna to see this power-skating guy at a camp that he works. And then I’ve got another week where I’m gonna go on vacation and other than that, just train with my trainer here and kind of work for the training camps.