After posting one goal and seven assists with the American Hockey League’s (AHL) Stockton Heat, Cochranite Dillon Dubé is back up with the Calgary Flames after he was recalled by the National Hockey League (NHL) team on Dec. 29.
“I think when I first got here at the start of the year, everything was going over my head … it was happening fast, games were coming right away and I couldn’t really settle in,” Dubé said to Flames TV host Brendan Parker about the recall.
“I’m excited to be here and going down to Stockton helped me out a lot. Being comfortable about the coaches down there, working with them in the Young Stars tournament and exhibition really helped me out a lot. I think coming up around this time, I have a lot more confidence knowing what to expect and not so much just being happy to be here.”
“Knowing what to expect and being a little more comfortable with those games I played before, it’s more about getting my legs back and I’m just excited to play in front of the crowd. It’ll be a good atmosphere and I’m looking forward to getting my legs under me here in the next few games.”
In a limited role with the Flames, Dubé tallied his first NHL goal while also adding four assists in 22 games. He said being able to play more often in a bigger role with Stockton would be key for him moving forward.
“Getting those many minutes (in the AHL) were nice. I wasn’t worried whether it was eight games or 40 games in my first year of pro, that’s what needed to happen for me,” said the young Cochrane forward.
“Whether it is only eight games or for the remainder of the year, I’m happy with that because I know I can excel at the pro level. It’s nice to have that and it’s almost a new start here with the New Year just around the corner so I’m excited for that.”
“The start of this season was crazy. I didn’t expect it as much (the level of hockey in the NHL), I thought it would maybe be a little easier when I got here … my plan was to make the team right out of the gate and it just happened a lot faster than I expected. I think it was good for me to see what pro hockey was all about and see what it was like to play against men. That helped me out a lot.”
Dubé, who was taken in the second round (56th overall) by the Flames in 2016, spent last season playing junior hockey with the Rockets and had a stellar career with the club. The Cochrane native, who was presented with the Rockets President’s Choice Award to recognize outstanding and significant accomplishments at their awards banquet in March, played in 203 WHL games, amassing 101 goals and 131 assists for 232 points. Those stats included the 38 goals and 84 points he posted in 38 games last year with the Rockets. He also helped guide Kelowna to a league championship after winning the Ed Chynoweth Cup in 2015.
During his last year as a junior, Dubè suited up as team captain for Team WHL during the CIBC Canada-Russia Series, where he tied a WHL record in points (two goals and three assists) and he is also the first Kelowna Rockets player to earn a spot on the Canadian World Junior team in back-to-back seasons.
A season after coming home with a silver medal and finishing the tournament with three assists in seven games in 2017, he became the first player from the Kelowna Rockets to Captain Team Canada at the 2018 World Juniors in Buffalo, New York, this time helping the team to a gold medal. He had three goals and two assists in seven games that year.
