CHASING HIS DREAM

CALGARY -Morgan Klimchuk is one step closer to his NHL dream.
"It's an unbelievable feeling," said Klimchuk, who received his first regular-season NHL call-up on Saturday morning. "It's been a long road to this moment and I'm very excited to be here."
The Flames 2013 first-round pick has been biding his time in the team's farm system, working his way towards an NHL call-up.

After putting up three goals and nine assists in 55 games with Stockton in 2015-16, the Regina, Sask. native broke out with 19 goals and 43 points in 66 games last season.
This year, Klimchuk has been having another strong campaign for the Heat with 27 points through 44 games, and his 13 goals over that span are tied for second on the team.
The fact that Klimchuk seems to be finding his offensive touch in the pros isn't particularly surprising, given that he put up 118 goals for 267 points in 261 games in the WHL.
"In junior, obviously I was a scorer and put up a lot of points there, and coming into pro it didn't come easy. I think you have to learn how to play at that level and how to produce at that level because it's a lot different than anything I'd experienced before," said Klimchuk. "Just playing games and getting into certain situations, in combination with the coaching staff and the development staff down [in Stockton], they helped me evolve my game and just kind of come into my own.
"When you play in certain situations, you play with good players and you have that touch, things are going to start going in for you, so it's a marathon not a sprint."

Head coach Glen Gulutzan isn't expecting Klimchuk to shoulder a heavy offensive workload should he draw into the lineup. Instead he'll be looking for reliability from the 22-year-old.
"From talking to our guys down there, they thought it was well-deserved for him to come up, just how steady he's been all season," said Gulutzan after the team's morning skate on Saturday. "Hopefully he gets into a game and bring that consistency that he brought there [in Stockton], that good two-way hockey. We'll see how we go here in our next week, we've got a bunch of games here coming up so hopefully he can get into one here and give us some of that energy that, especially at this time of year, you need."
That expectation is just fine with Klimchuk.
"I think as a young guy, coming up here and getting this opportunity, you have to be trusted on the ice, first and foremost. I think it's pretty rare to come up here and [be] a guy that's trusted in all situations so you gotta earn that," he said. "I think that's going to be the first thing I focus on is obviously, one, getting in the lineup but then when I do, making sure that I'm trusted on the ice and responsible enough to play and then you can kind of settle into your own and start contributing in other areas as well."
Klimchuk was recalled from the Heat as Marek Hrivik was placed on the injured reserve. While he won't draw into the lineup for Saturday's tilt against the Panthers, he'll be prepared for his regular-season NHL debut at a moment's notice.
"Things happen throughout the course of a game and it's a business and things like that," said Klimchuk. "So you gotta be ready and handle yourself like a pro and make sure every day you're doing everything you need to to show the coaching staff and show your teammates that if that opportunity does come, you're going to be ready and there's no doubt in their mind."