In his first meeting with Calgary Flames media members after he was taken 13th overall in the 2021 NHL Draft, Long Island native and Harvard commit Matt Coronato was asked about the prospect of playing in a smaller Canadian market.

The wound from losing blueliner Adam Fox – the team’s third round pick in 2016 who also played at Harvard but refused to sign with the Flames before eventually making his way to the New York Rangers – was still fresh. Coronato gave a predictable response, brushing the question off and said he was excited to be taken by any team and that he had an open mind.

Four years later, reporters now have no reason to question the 22-year-old Coronato’s desire to be with the Flames.

On Saturday, the team announced a seven-year pact with the budding two-way, 30-goal scorer that will pay him a tidy average of $6.5 million per season until he’s nearly 30 years old. Coronato is coming off an impressive sophomore campaign where he notched 24 goals, 47 points, was a fixture on the top line with Jonathan Huberdeau and Nazem........

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