[sureLoss]

Wes Gilbertson's latest piece on Pettersen

https://calgarysun.com/sports/hockey...-ncaa-freshman

“Obviously, we’re always looking for talent, but it’s his competitiveness and just the way he’s driven,” Treliving said of Pettersen. “I mean, you talk to those DU coaches right now, he’s an 18-year-old kid who prepares like he’s 28. He’s very serious. Driven. And ultra, ultra competitive.

“For people in Calgary, everybody remembers Mony (Sean Monahan) as this really serious guy. This kid is the same way. It’s hockey 24/7, and just a really serious approach.”

Pettersen remains a long-range prospect for the Flames — there are no sure-things in the sixth round of the NHL Draft — but Clark, admittedly a bit biased, figures this was a steal.

“The biggest thing missing from his game was man-strength,” Clark said of Pettersen, listed by the Pioneers at 5-foot-10 and 170 lb. “I really thought he was going to be drafted much, much higher. If you’d asked me two years ago, I’d say maybe third round. But as everyone else developed, he didn’t develop physically. He hadn’t yet.

“I did tell him, ‘When you get to Denver, their strength and conditioning coach — this guy’s name is Matt Shaw — is an elite strength and conditioning coach.’ I know NHL teams have been hounding him. And I said to Emilio, ‘When he gets his hands on you, it’s going to make a difference.’

“I think that’s what has happened, because I’ve seen clips of him playing at Denver and it’s like, ‘Oh my god.’ He has really done well, and I think it’s because of his strength. He still has to develop physically. He needs to keep going down that path and keep maturing. But things you can’t teach, that’s what he has. If you want to compare him to a Theo (Fleury) or to a Johnny Gaudreau or someone like that, I think it’s a pretty appropriate comparison, because he has the work ethic and has the drive, because he’s a little guy. He has to fight for everything that he wants.

“Probably the best part about Emilio is his love for the game,” Clark continued. “And as a scout, that sticks out like a sore thumb. That’s what you need to have. As these kids get older, some realize ‘Jeez, this is a lot of work’ and they come to the realization that, ‘Yeah, you know, I’m not sure if I want to do all this work.’ Emilio wants to do the work. He wants to pay the price. He’s special, that’s for sure.”