[MissTeeks]

http://www.calgaryherald.com/sports/...386/story.html

The mentor, the model, the reference point, sat across the same room, a couple of seats down to the left from where the protégé does now, all those winters ago.

“Similarities?” repeats Doug Gilmour. “That’s for you guys to talk about. I’ll leave any comparisons up to others.

“All I know is: He’s a special player.

“He’s his own player.

“Real good kid. Focused. He wants to win. He doesn’t give up. He’s got a lot — a LOT — of grit for a smaller guy.

“He’s a talented kid. That’s no secret. We all know that. You’ve started seeing that in the last couple of weeks. I saw it the last couple years.

“His skill level, his thought processes, his work ethic . . . And he’s a gamer, a difference-maker, on top of that.”

His old boss got back to the house around 11:30 p.m. from Peterborough, the Frontenacs taking out the Petes 5-3 in their Ontario Hockey League regular-season opener on Thursday, the evening of Bennett’s Flames’ debut.

“So I saw the midnight highlights,” says Gilmour. “Liked what I saw. Rang one off the crossbar. Created some chances. And you can never question Sam’s effort.

“Our head scout was watching the game and he said ‘Oh my God. He was the best player on the ice.’ So we are getting updates. We’re interested, naturally.”

“Right away, he just took over as the No. 1 centre. We were not expecting that.

“Obviously he got overshadowed in minor midget by Connor McDavid, playing on the same line. When draft time came and he was there for us, we were happy to take him.

“I liked him right away. I liked the number (Gilmour’s signature Toronto Maple Leaf No. 93) he picked.

“You could just tell. Every practice, every game he just got better and better and better.

“You watched him here, at this level, how he controlled the puck, how hard he worked. Half the year he played with a separated shoulder. Never complained. Played hard, as I said, every night.

“People talk about testing all that . . . this kid played hurt. Now you guys are seeing what kind of character he has. We already know all about that here.”

"If you want a guy who’s going to go and compete for you every single night and make the team better,” says Gilmour, “that’s Sam.

“You’re not going to get any wins lifting a weight. Obviously that’s stuff you need to do but for Sam, it’s about how competitive he is, how intense he is, how much he wants to make a difference.”

“When Calgary got Sam where they did (No. 4 overall),” says Gilmour. “I thought: ‘Wow! They’re gonna love him.’ ”

The infatuation is only beginning to take hold.

“You’re just,” says the model, the mentor, the reference point, “seeing a small portion right now. A year, two years, three years from now, what this kid can be . . .

“Well, you guys out there will be smiling, let me put it that way.”