CALGARY — Standing up at Peacock Theater in LA to acknowledge the realization of a dream, Cole Reschny’s first NHL moment included an emotional embrace with his mom, Allison.

It’s something everyone in his tight-knit family has been doing plenty of lately, as a recent breast cancer diagnosis for the mother of five has demonstrated the type of familial fight and determination that helped make Cole the Calgary Flames’ 18th-overall overall.

“She’s a battler,” said Reschny, whose embrace of a mother he affectionately referred to as a ‘young lady’ must’ve meant the world.

“She’s doing well right now and is starting radiation when we get back. 

“You just look at her, and how well she takes care of me and our family, and being the best mom and person… Seeing her go through that sucks, but I have no doubt she can beat this. We’ve all got her back and we’re a tight family.”

Allison’s determination is well-known in tiny Macklin, Sask. (pop. 1,200), where a rural upbringing for her kids included plenty of time on grandpa’s farm, which has served them all well character-wise.

“I can’t imagine having that on your shoulders, and then with the draft and what he’s going through everywhere, but it just says how high a character person he is,” said Craig Conroy of Reschny.

“It’s never easy, but I think he’s going to be there for her, and for us, now she’s part of the family here too. So anything we could do, we want to be there for them.”

Addressing the Flames’ biggest organizational need, Conroy drafted two centres in the opening round of Friday’s draft, and in both cases, the young men have been heavily influenced by their mothers.

The second was 32nd pick Cullen Potter, whose mother, Jenny, was a four-time Olympic medalist for the U.S. hockey team.  

Conroy made Reschny the tenth centre selected in the first 18 picks, based on his competitiveness, offensive upside and a completeness to his game the young man takes great pride in.

“I think I’m a playmaker and a strong 200-foot centreman who plays both ends of the ice well,” said Reschny, a standout with the Victoria Royals whose rising stock throughout the season was punctuated by a stellar, leading performance that helped Canada win U-18 gold.

“I see the style the Flames play, that hard, gritty hard-nosed game and don’t take no for an answer, and they go to those dirty areas. That will suit me.”

Finishing sixth in the WHL with 66 assists, to go with his 26 goals, Reschny isn’t the first in his family to start playing hockey in Calgary.

Older brother Austin is a former Okotoks Oiler who plays for the SAIT Trojans.

All the Reschny kids are well-versed in the hard work associated with farm life, helping raise goats, calves and hauling plenty of hay bales.

Cole will work on beefing up his five-foot-11, 183-pound frame at the University of North Dakota this fall, which should give him at least a year to start converting the bulk of his tiny hometown from Oilers to Flames fans.

“I did grow up an Oilers fan,” said Reschny, who was spotted in several Oilers jerseys on the draft broadcast.

“My family was an Oilers family when I came along. I grew up rooting for them, up until now. I’m very excited to be part of (the Battle of Alberta). I’m very excited to be on this side and bring what I can to the table for the Flames. Such a great organization and city and how they treat their players.”

Reschny’s nine goals and 25 points in 11 playoff games speak to his ability to rise to the occasion, as did his clutch performance at the U-18s.

Potter is a five-foot-10, 172-pound speed demon from Arizona State University who grew up watching his mom become one of the most decorated players in U.S. hockey lore.

On the power of a sublime skating stride, Cullen overcame his size to have rare success as a 17-year-old collegian, scoring 13 times and adding nine assists in 35 games.

“The speed alone, he’s just fast, quick, electric,” said Conroy.

“High hockey sense. To be this young, playing in college hockey, it’s not easy. He’s very competitive, too. He could be five, six years younger than guys that he’s playing against, so for him to kind of step up and have the kind of season he had, it’s impressive and not easy.”

“His mom is a legend of the game in her own right and what she has done for women’s hockey is pretty special. I think she passed that competitiveness off to him.”

“It’s huge having a mom who played hockey at a high level before, being able to talk to her after games,” said Potter, whose dad played too.

“They’ve been really influential in my life and who I look to most.”

Reschny would likely say the same.