Calgary Flames select left wing Andrew Basha 41st overall

The Calgary Flames decided to follow up their defenceman selection by drafting left winger Andrew Basha 41st overall in the second round of the NHL Draft.

Basha, 18, played his junior hockey with the Medicine Hat Tigers of the WHL. He led the Tigers in goals (30), assists (55), and points (85) last season.

A player who “loves to play with speed,” he also had three goals and two assists in five playoff games.

Basha, a Calgarian, idolized Mikka Kiprusoff growing up and wears his number 34 in his honour, though he told reporters following the selection that he “wasn’t really a good goalie.”

“When I came into Medicine Hat … 34 was open, and … I’m a player, but for some reason, when I was a kid, I kind of wanted to be goalie a little bit. Kiprusoff is obviously a legend in Calgary. So I had an opportunity to take 34, I mean … I knew I had to take it,” he said.

“I don’t know if I really wanted to be a goalie. But, you know, I think any kid has that little bit of want, you know, at the time. But definitely pretty happy that I decided not to do that.”

His father owns The Garrison Pub in the Marda Loop neighbourhood in Calgary, where Basha says one of his Medicine Hat jerseys hangs.

On social media, the pub said it’s proud of Basha and his new colours.

He says he is inspired by Kyle Connor with the Winnipeg Jets and Jordan Kyrou with the St. Louis Blues.

Overall, in his three seasons in the WHL, Basha has 55 goals and 100 assists in 178 regular season games played.