'Surreal'

LOS ANGELES - Cole Reschny is a Calgary Flame.

Fitting.

The city is fast becoming a family affair.

His older brother Austin plays for the SAIT Trojans, and his sister Cassidy is attending MRU.

So, it only makes sense that he’ll don the Flaming C after he was selected 18th overall Friday night in the first round of the NHL Draft. The pick was announced on stage by the legendary Lanny McDonald, who got a warm welcome from the crowd at the Peacock Theatre at L.A Live.

“Surreal, so special,” said Reschny, sporting a broad smile. “I mean, just hearing my name called by such a great organization, it's a lifetime moment that I'll never forget.

“I can't wait to get started.”

Born and raised in Macklin, Sask., the 18-year-old, left-shot centre is coming off a stellar season with the WHL’s Victoria Royals in which he tallied 26 goals and a franchise-record 66 assists in 62 games, finishing a tidy +42 on the campaign.

This after putting up 21 goals and 59 assists in 61 games in his first season in the 'Dub the year prior.

Coached on the Island by former Flame James Patrick, his game blossomed this year as he showed his offensive flair while continuing to fine tune and develop his 200-foot game.

“It was a big year for me personally, but also the team and I felt like we did a good job of that,” said Reschny. “I can't thank Victoria enough for all the work and effort that they put into me. James, especially, the time he's put into to help me grow as a person and as a player. It's been huge getting to play with him behind the bench.”

With the recent changes to NCAA availability, Reschny made the decision to carry on his hockey journey this fall at the University of North Dakota.

“It was an extremely big decision for me and my family,” he said. “Teams were calling and schools were calling in during the season, and I told them all the same thing - I wanted to wait and really focus in on the season and Victoria and try and win a championship there.”

Once the Royals season ended, he turned his focus to the future.

“I went on a tour to North Dakota, and I got to see campus and see the facilities and see where I'd be living, and it just felt like the right place for me, going there and playing less games gives me the right time to develop and work on my mind and my body more and work on that side of my game, which is big part for me,” he said.

“Obviously, I'm not the biggest guy (5-foot-10, 187-lb.), so, like I said, it just it felt like the right decision for me, and I have no doubt in my mind, and I'm fully confident that it's going to work out, and I'm going to go there and do great. “

Reschny had a large contingent of family on hand in L.A. to hear his named called, including Clinton, Austin and Cassidy, along with mom Allison, other siblings Ashley and Anderson, his girlfriend Emma, and grandparents Ernest and Paulette Reschny, and Tom and Joan Degenstein.

Describing himself as a blue-collar kid with a small-town upbringing, he worked with his family on the farm and said that helped shape the person he is today.

“My grandparents have the farm, and they moved into town, but they kept the farm yard and house and everything, and my dad's out there all the time,” he explained. “So, my dad has goats, and my grandpa has calves, so I'm out there helping them all the time … it's nice. It's cool to get that opportunity to work with different animals, different machinery and tools.

“So, it's a big part of it. My parents have always preached that working hard and having that work ethic.”