Sam Morton has had a great couple of months. Read More
Sam Morton signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Calgary Flames that comes with a cap-hit of US$775,000.
Sam Morton signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Calgary Flames that comes with a cap-hit of US$775,000.
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Sam Morton has had a great couple of months.
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That’s probably understating it a bit.
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Back in April, he scored in his first NHL game for the Calgary Flames. A milestone every young hockey player dreams of hitting.
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About a week ago, he proposed to his longtime girlfriend, Ellie, and she said yes.
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Then, on Wednesday morning, the 25-year-old signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Calgary Flames that comes with a cap-hit of US$775,000.
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“I said to my fiancee, Ellie, ‘How are we going to top this next year?’ “ Morton said on Wednesday afternoon. “Hopefully with a wedding and some more NHL games under the belt, but as we were talking about, you’ve got to put the work in and the work that you put in is what makes it so rewarding.”
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There’s never been any question about Morton’s work ethic, and it’s the major reason why he’s one of the most intriguing players in the Flames system heading into training camp in September. He earned his call-up for the final game of the regular season through his performances with a Wranglers team that was snake-bitten by injury all year.
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Morton scored 20 goals for the team – including four game-winners – and was fifth on the team with 45 points.
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Remember that it was his first season as a pro, too, after signing as a free-agent following a standout NCAA career with Minnesota State University.
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That should all put him right in the mix for a job as the Flames’ fourth-line centre this fall, especially because Justin Kirkland can be moved to the wing if necessary.
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With that in mind, while it’s been an amazing spring and start to the summer for Morton, he’s making sure not to get too comfortable.
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“(This summer) feels different in that I’m more familiar with the staff and the players that are around and just kind of the culture of this organization,” Morton explained. “In that regard, I’d say it’s more familiar, but every year the pressure grows.
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“Last year, it was do as well as I can in the AHL and hope to get an NHL game and that happened. Now, it’s like ‘Alright, how many more can we get? How can we get to that league and stick in that league?’ Every year, the pressure stays the same or grows because if you do well, the bar gets set higher.”
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After the high of scoring in his first NHL game, Morton returned to the Wranglers for the AHL playoffs and then took two weeks off to get a break from hockey. Since then, though, the focus has been squarely on getting ready for next season.