Page 32 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 71
P. 32

32           Issue #71  October 2018                                                        www.sportsenergynews.com




                                                   presents Then and Now:






        Cornwall Colts Edition…Kyle Flanagan



                                              and 24 assists).  Looking back at his  Flyers’ expansion squad out of Glen
        By Carrie Seguin
                                              time with the Junior A team, Flanagan  Falls, NY.  Flanagan played with the
                                              feels that his time with the Colts was  Phantoms for two seasons.

                                              valuable  time  spent.    “Playing  for   Following his time with the
                                              the  Colts helped  me  in my hockey   expansion     franchise,   Flanagan
                                              career.  It helped my experience  as   travelled to Sweden where he played
                                              a player since I was playing against   for MODO  Hockey Ornskoldsvik
                                              older, stronger players.   I learned  a   of the Swedish Hockey League
                                              lot about the game, on and off the ice,   for  one  season.    “I’m  thankful
                                              from the coaches who had all played   for the  opportunity  to experience
                                              at the high levels of hockey that I was   hockey overseas, in Sweden.  I got
                                              aspiring to.”                         to experience life  in the  Swedish
                                                Playing higher levels of hockey is   culture.  I made countless memories
                                              exactly what Flanagan did following   while being overseas.”                                  Photos Submitted
                                              his three year Junior  A hockey         Returning  from Sweden in 2015,  with  Ottawa’s organization, who I
                                              career.  He played college hockey  Flanagan then accepted an invite to  played for over the past three seasons
                                              for St. Lawrence  University’s D1  the  Stockton  Heat’s training  camp.   with their  AHL team.  My territory
                                              team for 4 seasons.  While earning a  The Heat’s parent team is the Calgary  includes primarily the OHL, CCHL,
                                              degree in communications, Flanagan  Flames of the NHL.  He signed with  OJHL in  Ontario,  and  I will  also
            ight  hockey  teams,  spanning  played  134 games, racking up 127  the Adirondack Thunder, an affiliate  spend time viewing the QMJHL and
        Esix leagues - Kyle Flanagan  points.  “Playing hockey at SLU  team within the ECHL.  In that same  NCAA prospects.”
        has played in a lot of different rinks  was one of my favorite experiences.  year, Flanagan found himself back in
                                                                                                                            From the Cornwall Colts to now,
        and skated on countless ice surfaces  St. Lawrence is a small school in a  the AHL playing for the Binghamton
                                                                                                                          Flanagan’s hockey journey has
        during his hockey career.   This  small  community  with  a  loyal  fan  Senators  (who later  moved  to
                                                                                                                          taken him to many places and great
        includes playing for the Junior  A  base.  There  were a lot  of students  Belleville, Ontario).  He played with
                                                                                                                          heights.  During all  of it, what is
        Cornwall Colts at the Si Miller arena  who went to the games that were in  the Ottawa Senator’s AHL team for
                                                                                                                          his  favourite  memory?    “My  most
        in Cornwall.  “When I think of my  your class and who you also saw out  two years.
                                                                                                                          treasured hockey memory is playing
        time with the Colts, I quickly think  on the weekends and enjoyed a beer      At the end of the 2017-18 season,  with my older brother, Sean in our
        of my time playing in the old arena,  or two with.  It made for some great   Flanagan announced his retirement  first game together at St. Lawrence.
        the Si Miller.  It was the last year the  times.”                           from professional hockey, indicating  As a kid that was my biggest dream,
        team played there.  The atmosphere      In his final year of NCAA hockey,   an  interest in  staying  involved  with  to play  at  St. Lawrence  alongside
        was amazing.  It felt  like  the  fans   Flanagan was selected to play on the   hockey.  “Hockey has helped me learn  my brother.  Everything  else I’ve
        were right on top of you, right there   First Team at the 2012-13 ECAC All-  a great number of lessons throughout  gotten to experience after that is just
        on the ice.”                          Conference Tournament, held at the    my career, and I feel there are plenty  a bonus.”
          Flanagan  played  with  the  Colts  end of each regular season.  Coaches   more to be learned, whether that be    Flanagan is an avid outdoorsman.
        during the 2006-2007 season, his first  of conference teams vote for players   through coaching, scouting, or skill   He spends most of his free time hiking
        in the CJHL.  “What brought me to  to play on one of 4 tournament           development.”                         and fishing in the forested areas and
        play for the Colts was the coaching  squads:  the First, Second, Third, or    It hasn’t taken long for Flanagan   rivers of the North Country.  Goose,
        staff,  the  people  surrounding  the  Rookie Team.
                                                                                    to settle  into a new hockey role.     his dog, is usually by Flanagan’s side.
        team,  and the proximity  to home.      In  March  of  his  final  year  of   Just recently, he joined  the Ottawa
        The  Colts organization  was a  great   college  hockey, Flanagan  signed   Senators scouting staff as an amateur   Flanagan’s hockey career, which
        one to play for.”                                                                                                 began with the Cornwall Colts in
                                              an entry level contract  with the     scout.  “I am excited to start this   2006-07, saw him play with affiliate
          During his time  with the Colts  Philadelphia  Flyers  of  the  NHL.   new role  in my hockey career.  It       teams to the Philadelphia Flyers,
        team, the left-handed winger played  This landed him a spot on the AHL’s  will  keep  me  involved  in  hockey    the Calgary Flames, and the Ottawa
        44 games, tallying 42 points (18 goals  Adirondack  Phantoms  roster, the  along with continuing a relationship   Senators.
   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37