Latest news with #MaceoPhillips
National Post
2 hours ago
- Sport
- National Post
‘He's a bit of a throwback': Meet Calgary Flames third-round pick Mace'o Phillips
The Flames selected defenceman Mace'o Phillips, a product of the U.S. National Team Development Program, with the No. 80 overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. Rena Laverty, courtesy of USNTDP On Friday night, shortly after the Calgary Flames called his name in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft, Cullen Potter fielded several questions about his mom. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS Enjoy the latest local, national and international news. Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events. Unlimited online access to National Post. National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE ARTICLES Enjoy the latest local, national and international news. Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events. Unlimited online access to National Post. National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors An obvious angle, since Jenny won four Olympic medals during an illustrious hockey career. The following day, when the Flames welcomed Mace'o Phillips to the fold, the heavy-hitting blue-liner wanted to brag a bit about his own mother, Amy. 'She's kind of the reason I am who I am today,' Phillips said. 'She is the first person I hugged when I got picked. I can't thank her enough for all she's done for me.' Amy has been a pillar of strength for this defence prospect from Wayzata, Minn., raising Mace'o and his sister as a single parent. She was also a heck of an athlete in her own right. During the draft broadcast, they mentioned that Amy competed in gymnastics and soccer. According to her son, who has spent the past two seasons with USA Hockey's National Team Development Program (USNTDP), there was another sport that they forgot to mention. 'Her eighth-grade year, she was out in the field at Apple Valley High School here in Minnesota and she was just kicking some field goals with her friends,' Phillips said. 'And the boys' football coach saw her kicking field goals and they asked her to be the kicker for the boys' football team in high school. 'So I definitely get some of that athleticism from her.' Potter and Phillips, two of the eight prospects selected by the Flames in the 2025 NHL Draft, are actually close friends. They both hail from Minnesota and were teammates with the USNTDP in 2023-24. Everything College Hockey recently filmed a day-in-the-life feature on Potter, who has already played his freshman season with the Arizona State Sun Devils, and Phillips makes a cameo as his pickleball partner. You can bet these buddies have been volleying back and forth about eventually becoming fan faves in Calgary. Just like Jenny was a speedster on skates, Cullen can absolutely fly. This potential pivot is now the fastest player in the Flames' pipeline and has the soft hands required to make offensive plays at high pace. While Mace'o moves well for his size, he is less dash and more smash. At 6-foot-6 and 233 pounds, he would also be an appealing football recruit. He plays an aggressive, imposing brand and led the USNTDP in penalty minutes this winter, with 103. There is a former NHL tough guy on the Flames' amateur scouting staff, and he can vouch for Phillips' grip strength.
National Post
a day ago
- Sport
- National Post
NHL Draft Day 2: Who the Calgary Flames Took
By Danny Austin Article content The Calgary Flames loaded up on centres in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft on Friday night. Article content On Saturday, they doubled-down on that approach before going after the best players available with the rest of their picks. Article content Let's take a look at who the Flames added to their prospect pool on Saturday, with comments from director of amateur scouting Tod Button about each. Article content Article content Article content Second round, No. 54 Article content Theo Stockselius Article content Position: Centre Article content Height: 6-foot-3 Article content Weight: 196 lbs. Team: Djurgarden Jr. Article content What's his story: The third centre the Flames took in three picks after selecting Cole Reschny and Cullen Potter in Friday's first round, Stockselius averaged 1.28 points per game in the Swedish junior league and models his game on Flames captain Mikael Backlund, among others. He's got size, two-way instincts and a scoring touch, too. Article content What Button said: Update coming … Article content Article content Third round, No. 80 Article content Mace'o Phillips Article content Position: Defence Article content Height: 6-foot-6 Article content Weight: 233 lbs. Team: U.S. National Team Development Program Article content What's his story: Phillips is huge, he's strong and he's physical. By no means is he a finished product, but he's a left-handed blueliner and that's something the Flames could use more of. His size alone meant he was worth a swing and while scouting reports do note he's got to cut down on the penalties he takes, there's lots of time for him to improve there. Article content Article content What Button said: Update coming … Article content Article content Article content Fifth round, No. 114 Article content Ethan Wyttenbach Article content Position: Left-wing Article content Height: 5-foot-10 Article content What's his story: Wyttenbach was the first ever winner of The Gaudreau Award, which goes to the USHL player who best embodies the legacy of the late Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau. That's a pretty amazing connection with the Flames, given all Gaudreau accomplished in Calgary. The right-handed winger scored 24 goals and added 27 assists for the Stampede this year and is committed to playing at Quinnipiac University next season. Article content What Button said: Update coming … Article content Article content Sixth round, No. 176 Article content Aidan Lane Article content Position: Right-wing Article content Height: 6-foot-1 Article content Weight: 193 lbs. Team: St. Andrew's College (Ontario High School) Article content What's his story: Lane is heading to Harvard next season and if that leads to him being anywhere near the player that Matt Coronato's become, this will be the steal of the draft. Even if he never reaches Coronato's heights, Lane put up 13 points in 13 games for the Brampton Steelheads in the WHL after leaving St. Andrew's College, suggesting the offensive upside is real. Article content What Button said: Update coming … Article content Article content Seventh round, No. 208 Article content Jakob Leander Article content Position: Defence Article content Height: 6-foot-4 Article content Weight: 196 lbs. Article content Team: HV71 Jr. Article content Article content Article content
