Flames' Dube: Coronato's shot 'up there with the top guys in the league'

Dillon Dube believes his rookie teammate Matt Coronato is ready to make an immediate impact with the Calgary Flames thanks to his lethal shot.

"His shot is up there with the top guys in the league - the way he releases it and how quick it is," Dube said, according to Sportsnet's Eric Francis. "(On Monday) he beat one of the best goalies in the league. It's an NHL shot for sure."

Coronato entered Tuesday tied for the NHL lead with four goals in five preseason games. He's second in points with seven.

The 20-year-old scored a hat trick in Calgary's preseason opener against the Vancouver Canucks. His latest tally came against Connor Hellebuyck on Monday, beating the former Vezina Trophy winner clean with a power-play snipe.

It's not just Coronato's shot, though. Dube, who had Coronato living in his basement at the end of last season, believes the rookie is doing all the little things that will lead to sustainable goal-scoring.

"He's playing the right way - he's a worker, he plays hard on the puck, forcing turnovers and making those little plays and that's what translates into his offence," Dube said.

Head coach Ryan Huska agrees with Dube's evaluation.

"If you watch him away from pucks when he doesn't have it, how hard he works to try to get it back - that's why he's had success," Huska said. "He's been like a dog on a bone and he is hunting things hard."

Huska's praise doesn't appear to just be coach speak, either: Coronato is in line for a top-six role to begin the campaign. Lately, he's skating alongside captain Mikael Backlund and offseason acquisition Yegor Sharangovich.

The Flames selected Coronato 13th overall at the 2021 NHL Draft after he potted 48 goals in 51 games with the USHL's Chicago Steel. He spent the last two campaigns at Harvard, scoring 38 times in 68 NCAA games.