Joe Colborne, Re-Introducing Your Calgary Flames
By Len Nunes
Mar 21, 2014; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Nashville Predators defenseman Shea Weber (6) and Calgary Flames center Joe Colborne (8) collide at Scotiabank Saddledome. The Predators won 6-5.Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-USA TODAY Sports
Born and raised in Calgary, Joe Colborne is listed at 6’5″ which makes him the tallest member of the Calgary Flames. According to his Wikipedia page, Colborne was 5″7″ at the age of 15. In other words, Colborne was as tall going into high school as the previously re-introduced 25 year old Paul Byron is today.
From the September 29, 2013, CBC Sports article announcing Joe Colborne’s trade to the Calgary Flames from the Toronto Maple Leafs:
"It didn’t take long for Brian Burke to reach into his Toronto Maple Leafs past in his new job with the Calgary Flames….Colborne was among the players fighting for one of the final spots on the Leafs roster but did not stand out in the pre-season. The 23-year-old joins a host of other young players who are expected to be given big minutes by the rebuilding Flames.“With the opportunity to speak with Brian Burke and learn about Joe’s hockey sense and character from someone who had him as a player and knows him so well, it became clear to us that this is the type of young, big centre we need,” Flames general manager Jay Feaster said in a statement."
The promise of big minutes for Joe Colborne in Calgary was fulfilled. The former first round draft pick, 16th overall in the 2008 NHL Draft, had a grand total of 16 career games when he arrived in Calgary. Colborne played 80 games last season for our Flames averaging 14:16 per game.
Joe Colborne was tied with Jiri Hudler for the Calgary Flames shootout attempts lead at 9. Colborne finished 2nd in Flames shootout scoring with 4 goals.
From an article on March 31st leading into Colborne’s return to Toronto but this time as a Calgary Flame:
"Colborne has two goals in his last four games (converted to wing lately) playing with rookie Sean Monahan. Colborne has 10 goals and 16 assists in what has been his first full NHL season, fulfilling the promise that led Boston to draft him in the first round in 2008 and Toronto to trade for him in a package for Tomas Kaberle in 2011."
With or without rookie sensation Sean Monahan on the ice with him, Colborne collected a total of 6 of his ten goals last season in March.
While the jury may still be out on whether or not Joe Colborne is a top six forward in the NHL, the following quote has enamoured the big fellow to me:
"Colborne vents frustrations over struggles | 01/09/2014 8:52 AM Calgary HeraldCalgary has been shut out of four of its last six games. “No matter what anyone says, it’s frustrating when we’re not scoring,” Colborne said. “When you score one goal in four games, that’s something you take to heart. You keep trying to look at the positives, but this is a results-based business. When you’re not getting the results, it’s frustrating. We’re all competitors. It sucks to lose. It wears on you. We have to start stringing something together.”"