COMING FULL CIRCLE

The logo is what initially caught his attention.
"That," confesses Mathias Emilio Pettersen, "was my first main thing.
"The whole jersey, really, stuck out for me. I like the colour red. The flame in the middle. How the jersey's put together.
"I liked to wear it. And I liked wearing Iginla and having the No. 12 on the back.
"Growing up on the pond, you always wanted to have the nicest jersey, right? For me, this was the nicest jersey.
"I had Flames and Penguins jerseys for a while there. But my dad, my family, always really liked the Flames.
"So they've been my favourite since I was, oh, about 10."
And now, he's one of them.

The volume of celebration at home in Oslo, Norway on Saturday, in the living room with parents Flemming and Therese, correlated with the 18-year-old centreman's future destination.
"The look in his eyes, the reaction … unbelievable,'' says Therese. "A moment we'll never forget.
"He was 14 when he moved out, so early. We as parents had to put away what we want, our ego, and think about his dream.
"When we saw him here in Norway playing against players two, three, maybe four years older, and being much better, we had to make a choice.
"He had to follow his dream.
"For us now to see the job he's done, the sacrifices he's made, the friends and family he had to leave behind here in Norway to follow that dream, and to see it reach this point, is a big relief.
"We, the whole family, had tears of joy."
For Pettersen (BTW, for future reference: At home in Norway, he goes by Mathias. In the states, he's known by Emilio or Petey), the moment was nothing less than head-spinning.

"Just being drafted, by any team, is an honour. But to have it be Calgary. That sure ran though my head: 'Oh my God, this is my team. The team I grew up cheering for.'
"That's a pretty rare, pretty special feeling."
Playing for USHL Muskegon last season, Pettersen contributed 14 goals and 46 points for the Lumberjacks and is committed to continuing his hockey education with the Pioneers at the University of Denver this fall.
"I just want to learn as much as possible through college. I think I can become a player. That's always been my dream. It's a long-distance dream right now, I know, but I had the belief in myself and from my teammates this past year. And school is, I hope, going to prepare me to have a shot at the NHL.
"When I get to dev camp, we'll look at my skating and really create a program I can work on through the summer and for next year."
The influx of prospects through the organizational structure, the steady stream of movement from the AHL to the big club, the opportunity to leave a mark and make a name has only whetted the young Norwegian's competitive appetite.
"You see all these young players getting a chance with the Flames, inside their organization, and it really does give you hope,'' acknowledges Pettersen. "It just makes me more motivated, knowing you actually have a shot."
The journey, naturally, is only beginning. It continues at Magness Arena on the U of Denver campus this fall. There's a ways to travel, a lot of growing up to do, before he slips on that favourite jersey for real, in an NHL regular-season skirmish.
And, sorry to break the news, but down the road a piece, that iconic No. 12, the one he grew up wearing proudly on the pond, idolizing, will be either officially or unofficially off limits.
"No problem,'' counters the long-standing Flames' fan wryly, with a nice dose of deference to a legend.
"I wouldn't dream of asking for that number, anyway."