You get the sense Mark Jankowski has rarely stopped smiling since he and his Providence College Friars teammates claimed an NCAA hockey crown this spring.
Ask him whether he still sees himself as a long-term fit for the Calgary Flames, though, and he immediately turns serious.
"Absolutely, I think I can, in the future, be a key contributor on this team," Jankowski said matter-of-factly.
Jankowski insists he doesn't pay much attention to outside opinions, but the 21-year-old must be aware some folks are predicting he won't amount to more than a punchline at the Saddledome.
The Flames' old regime preached patience when they selected the little-known high-school standout in the first round -- No.