It was that summer, too, that Coronato ended up being selected at No. 13 by Calgary in the NHL Draft. No doubt, he got some tips on Alberta life, too, by the coach of that Steel championship squad - Brock Sheahan - who grew up in Lethbridge and now serves as the bench boss at the University of Notre Dame.
Coronato had junior hockey options, too, as a highly-touted young forward. He was drafted by the Steel, but also by the OHL’s Barrie Colts, The 23-year-old admitted his priority was to focus on seeking out collegiate opportunities, and the rules regarding major junior eligibility in the NCAA hadn’t changed just yet.
The staff in Chicago made the decision easy for Coronato and his family, too.
“Ryan Hardy, who used to be the GM here, and the two coaches I played for, Greg Moore and Sheahan, they were both just unbelievable with the way they wanted to develop us and the stuff we did in practice, the skill work,” Coronato recalled. “They were so focused on making us better players, which at that age, obviously, is so important.
“I couldn't have asked for a better place to play.”
Even if it meant leaving home for an extended period of time.
“I'd been away a little bit before, but it was definitely a big move,” he said. “I think it was tough on my parents at first, but I'm lucky they let me do it.
“It was such a great opportunity for me to improve as a player, and really get to work on my game.”
It was here, too, that his offensive instincts really took hold. During the Steel’s run to the Clark Cup, Coronato potted 48 goals in 51 regular-season games, earning the USHL’s top forward honour at the end of the campaign.
But he credits the coaching staff for carving out time for he and his teammates to work on the fundamentals.
“A couple days a week, practices were just skill work,” he explained. “So maybe we'd have two practices in a day, and one of it would be, like, a 30-minute skill session where we're just working on shooting, catching pucks and shooting them, catching them in your skates and shooting.
“All the focus that they had on the little things like that, it helped us all.”
Back home in the Empire State, Coronato is used to having familiar faces in the stands. Last season, he made the most of his visits to the Rangers, Devils and Islanders, too, scoring four times and finishing +6 over a trio of Calgary victories.
Here too, in Chicago, he’s got extended family cheering him on.
His billets from the Steel, who have supported Coronato all along the way since his two seasons in their home, helping him navigate those formative years in his life and hockey career.
“They've come pretty much every time I've been here,” Coronato said. They're such great people, they took care of me like I was one of their own.
“I’m definitely lucky I got to live with them.”
