'MAKE HIM MORE COMFORTABLE'

There's a reason a young Jakob Pelletier wore the 'C' with the Moncton Wildcats and Val-d'Or Foreurs.
Few personify 'leadership' quite like he does.
And fewer, still, are willing to step up and show another young player the way, despite being in that rookie age bracket himself.
But at Tuesday's morning skate, Pelletier, 22, was right in the hip pocket of Flames' first-rounder Matt Coronato, who was taking his very first turns in the NHL.

"He's close to my age, right?" said Pelletier, who was constantly chatting up and shepherding his new teammate throughout the half-hour workout. "I remember my first practice with the team. I was kind of scared and stressed out, because I wasn't sure what the drills were going to be like.
"I just wanted to help. We were on the same line with Rosey (Adam Ruzicka) and I just wanted to help explain some of the drills and help make him more comfortable out there. He's a smart guy, so it was pretty easy for me to explain."
Remember: Pelletier has only 23 games of big-league know-how, but is wise beyond his years and has clearly come a long way in his development, both on and off the ice. His bubbly personality makes him an easy guy to root for, while his teammates can't say enough about him and the positive impact he's had on the room in the midst of a playoff race.
So, yes, the image of Pelletier mobbing Coronato with hugs and all kinds of positive reinforcement was not entirely unexpected. But it certainly speaks to the character of this talented, 22-year-old, while offering fans a glimpse into the future.
Is this a pair that could one day hold a prominent spot on the Flames roster?
"It's a huge moment," Pelletier said of Coronato's first day in The Show. "It's been your dream since you were four or five years old. Once you get in here in a situation like this, it's for real. It's not training camp. Even if you're in the NHL for practices, it's a huge - not shock - but you're like, 'Man! This is the NHL!'"

You could certainly understand if Coronato was feeling a bit overwhelmed by everything, which makes Pelletier's stewardship all the more valuable.
With his NCAA season coming to an end on Friday, Coronato signed his three-year entry level contract less than 48 hours later, before hopping on a plane and landing in Calgary at around 11 p.m. Monday night.
By 8 a.m. the next morning, he was in Darryl Sutter's office, before getting fitted for equipment and meeting his new brothers.
Even the media side of it - standing before a throng of about a dozen reporters in the Flames dressing room - was a new experience for the Harvard alum.
But with Pelletier's help, he seems to be settling in.
"It's been a little crazy (but) it's been really exciting," Coronato said. "Just grateful for the opportunity to come in and be with these guys, to learn and do all that.
"When I walked in today, it really started to sink in. Getting to meet the guys and talk to everyone, it's been really cool. … I'm trying to learn as much as I can from the staff, but also from all the guys. ... I'm lucky to be able to talk to them and learn from them."
Currently, there's no indication about when Coronato will draw into his first game. The focus is more on getting him acclimated to his new surroundings and getting at least a full team practice in.
Pelletier believes that's a good thing.
"I think you just have to be a sponge and soak everything in," he said. "I know for me, I was in the stands for the first six games, and it helped me a lot to watch guys plays and to learn how fast the game is. For him, it's going to be great to watch - and it's great that we're going to be together to watch the game tonight."

What did he learn from those nights in the press box anyway? Was it the pace? The physicality? The fact that the game 'slows down' when you're 100 feet above ice level?
Well, yes. But …
"The rinks are freaking amazing, I'll tell you that," Pelletier laughed. "The fans - they bring some juice. I think that was a big adjustment for me. I remember when we were playing in LA, they scored two or three in a row and the fans were going crazy, the horn was going off. It's crazy. The (little) things can make such a huge difference for the players."
That's why it's imperative the Flames let Coronato breathe a little bit. While the Harvard Crimson are one of the elite programs in American college hockey, it's a long way from the NHL. And a packed house of more than 19,000 rabid Flames fans will certainly hammer that point home on Tuesday, when the Flames battle the Kings to keep their playoff hopes alive.
In the meantime, Pelletier wants Coronato to keep his eyes and ears open. Be a student.
Just like he would have if the Flames hadn't come calling, in place of his Monday morning psychology class at the famed, Ivy-League outfit.
"I remember the first day, I think it went well - but it's really after the third and fourth game that I took a step up and started to play my game," Pelletier said. "In the first three, I was kind of scared to make plays and I think if you play games, you get more used to the pace, more used to the time and space that you have on the ice.
"It takes time.
"For sure, as a player, you want to play games, but when you look back on it, it was great for me to watch games and practice for a week-and-a-half.
"Then, when game time comes, you're more at ease and more comfortable with the guys."