He leads all first-year draft eligible Western Hockey League players in points. But can you name him?
Despite five goals and 13 points in just 11 games to start the season, Swift Current Broncos forward Coda Gordon isn’t just under the radar, he’s avoided it altogether.
Until now that is, and Gordon best get adjusted to the increased attention he’s about to receive.
“I’m not too worried about it,” said Gordon, who wasn’t drafted into the WHL. “To me whatever happens, just want to play my game and if it happens, great.”
Scouts are quickly turning their attention to the six-foot-one, 179-pound forward. Gordon isn’t about to notice them, though.
“I can’t say I do, up in the stands,” he said. “There’s been some interviews but I haven’t been too focused on it right now.”
The immediate success the 17-year-old has found in his first few months of his WHL action shouldn’t come as a significant surprise, though. Gordon is a product of Calgary’s Edge School, helped his club to both a CSSHL and MPHL title, Gordon compiled 25 goals and 54 points in a combined 28 games.
It is these accomplishments in midget last season that Gordon credits as preparing him to make the jump to major junior.
“I think Edge prepared me really well,” Gordon said. “There’s a lot of stuff that they taught me that I don’t think I would’ve learned in other places and really helped me make the leap.”
Whatever he’s learned has impressed teammate Adam Lowry.
“He’s a real smart player,” said Lowry, a draft pick of the Winnipeg Jets. “He reads the game really well and I find he’s a similar player to me. I think we think the game well and we get down low and we’re able to work the other teams defense. He’s able to find open spots and we’ve been able to find him so far.”
In perhaps the greatest symbol of Gordon’s start comes from Lowry, his linemate, who said Gordon’s early season success has surprised even his teammates.
“Coming in it’s always nice to have someone unexpected step up right away and he’s been able to do that for us,” Lowry admitted.
Being able to maintain that is the next goal Gordon hopes to score.
“I just have to keep it going, keep my feet moving and come prepared every game,” Gordon said. “Just stay confident I think, just being able to make the plays and to play physical.”
And if he’s able to preserve that for eight more months, Gordon won’t just be on the radar, he’ll be on the minds of 30 National Hockey League organizations.
Aaron Vickers is the managing editor of Future Considerations and can be found on Twitter. For all the latest Future Considerations news and posts, follow FC’s Official Twitter Feed, on YouTube and on Facebook!