Flames Winger Dominating Key Area

A top young forward for the Calgary Flames is dominating a key area of the offensive zone.

Jan 13, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Calgary Flames right wing Matt Coronato (27) celebrates with teammates after scoring against the Chicago Blackhawks during the first period at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images / Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Those pesky Calgary Flames just won't go away. Sitting in the second wild card spot in the Western Conference, the Flames have a 22-16-7 record and a slight cushion over the Vancouver Canucks and St. Louis Blues for the final playoff position.

The Flames are one of the biggest surprises in the NHL this year, but the shock is fading as they settle into being a playoff contender. One surprise that remains, however, is the breakthrough campaign former first-round pick Matt Coronato is having.

When the Flames selected Coronato in the 2021 NHL Draft, they envisioned him being an all-around player with a nose for the net. After a 34 game audition last season, he's become a full-time player for Calgary this season and he's excelling.

The ability to drive to the net is a persisting part of Coronato's game, but what's taken a huge step forward is his shooting. In 40 games this year, he's up to 11 goals on 95 shots on goal. HIs shooting percentage of 11.6% is below the NHL average this season, according to NHL EDGE statistics, but his 11 tallies rank in the 72nd percentile among skaters.

And he's letting it rip from wherever he can with success. While you might expect him to do most of his finishing around the net, he's scored the majority of his goals from the mid-range danger area of the offensive zone. NHL EDGE defines this area as "the area between 29-43 feet of the center of the goal and bound on both sides by an imaginary line drawn from the faceoff dot to 2 feet outside the goalpost."

Coronato might define the mid-range area as his wheelhouse. He's launched 45 shots on goal in that area, making up nearly half of his total and ranking in the 94th percentile of all skaters. In addition, he's netted seven of his 11 goals from this part of the offensive zone, which ranks in the 93rd percentile this season.

His most recent goal illustrated exactly how dangerous he is in that area. When the Flames took on the Winnipeg Jets, Coronato scored his 11th of the season by setting up in the center of the mid-range area and blasting a one-timer past Jets goalie Eric Comrie.

The production from Coronato has been one of the most under appreciated pieces of Calgary's success this season. They have a chance to continue making an impression on the NHL and hopefully keep this momentum going as the second half of the regular season continues.

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