Calgary Kids - Nathan Behm

Warmer weather and longer days can only mean one thing.

Alright maybe two, summer time and NHL Draft season.

For Calgary product Nathan Behm, June 27 and 28 can’t come soon enough as the talented forward eagerly awaits what’s in store.

“I’m looking forward to it, held in L.A., nice spot. Should be super cool,” he said. “It’s every kid’s dream in Canada growing up to get drafted and play in the NHL. It’ll be a dream come true for sure.”

Ranked 44th among North American skaters on NHL Central Scouting, Behm impressed in his sophomore season with the Kamloops Blazers.

The winger doubled his offensive production, clicking at more than a point-a-game with 66 points in 59 skates, good for second in team scoring and his five game-winners tops on the club.

“I think I had a really good season overall, had a good start to the year, felt like I kept getting better and now trying to have a good offseason," he said. “I felt I took over more games, became more dominant with every shift.

“I’m a dual threat guy, I can pass and shoot but I used my shot more this year and it paid off. Just gotta keep using it and something I’m continuing to work a lot on.”

The Blazers unfortunately did not qualify for postseason action this year, but that has just added more fire to the group and Behm, looking to do whatever it takes to get back into playoffs.

And that work has already begun.

“I’m looking to keep getting stronger,” he said. "It's going to be a big summer going to pro camps hopefully, working on speed and getting stronger to compete at a higher level is big.

“As a team, we had a good improvement this year compared to the year before but now our goal is to make playoffs next year and get more wins.”

Playing alongside fellow draftees Emmitt Finnie and Harrison Brunicke, Behm credited the duo for helping prepare for his draft season filled with viewings from scouts and discussions throughout the year.

“They caught me up in what to expect which helped out a lot and I thought I did a good job handling it all,” he said. “They’ve been to NHL camps, the whole draft process, it took the pressure off learning from them and knowing what to expect.”

Behm was in Buffalo last week for the NHL Combine, with many familiar faces among the 90 prospects who took part in the event, with Tri-City’s Jackson Smith among them.

The two grew up together as good friends, playing minor hockey in Calgary and were also teammates at the Edge School before facing off on opposite teams for the first time once they cracked their respected WHL squads.

“It’s super cool seeing our growth,” he said. “Not many guys have the opportunity to get drafted first of all but to then go through it with someone you know pretty well and share that experience with is pretty cool.”