News Article: Confirmed: Valimaki and Dube will start the season with the Flames

[Rubi]

Gio's thoughts on Vali and Dubes

 

[Mobiandi]

Sure sounds like Andersson lost out because of Handedness. That sucks.

It really does. The way he moves the puck is unreal. Crisp passes that always find their way to a teammate.

I will say that Valimaki looked incredibly good in the offensive zone. I think he'll be a good PP guy on the second unit

 

[Calculon]

On the other hand, it does suggest Andersson will be on the team as soon as someone on the right side is injured or traded away. So spot duty this year, a full time spot next season when Stone is moved.

 

[Rubi]

Now that Kulak has been traded Vali pretty well has a lock on the job. Who else is there to replace him on the left side? Kylington?

 

[Volica]

Freidman was just on with Steinberg and Pinder on their afternoon show.
Apparently he said that anytime Calgary would be in the midst of trying to make a deal, GMs would ask for Valimaki. He's apparently very highly regarded league wide and the people in the know think that he's going to be a tremendous player in the NHL.

 

[Mr Snrub]

Would prefer Valimaki plays top minutes in Stockton, spends a year polishing his defensive game and then comes in next season and plays 20 minutes a night rather than him jumping onto a bottom pairing this year and being handcuffed to a literal stone. As for Dube, I think it was pretty obvious he was making the team.

 

[Rubi]

Would prefer Valimaki plays top minutes in Stockton, spends a year polishing his defensive game and then comes in next season and plays 20 minutes a night rather than him jumping onto a bottom pairing this year and being handcuffed to a literal stone. As for Dube, I think it was pretty obvious he was making the team.

Now that Kulak is gone, who would play the left side beside Stone other than Valimaki?

 

[Mr Snrub]

Now that Kulak is gone, who would play the left side beside Stone other than Valimaki?

I would put Stone on the left side and have Andersson play RD.

 

[Rubi]

Would prefer Valimaki plays top minutes in Stockton, spends a year polishing his defensive game and then comes in next season and plays 20 minutes a night rather than him jumping onto a bottom pairing this year and being handcuffed to a literal stone. As for Dube, I think it was pretty obvious he was making the team.

That would be the logical thing to do but not once did Stone play the left side during training camp/preseason. If that was an option with the Flames to get Andersson into the lineup you would think they would have tried it for a couple of games. That makes me think that this option is a non-starter as far as the Flames are concerned.

 

[Rubi]

Found this on CapFriendly. Valimaki is considered to be a Entry-Level Slide Candidate.

Entry-Level Slides 2018-19

If a player who is signed to an entry-level contract and is 18 or 19 years of age (as of September 15 of the signing year), does not play in a minimum of 10 NHL games (including both regular season and playoffs; AHL games do not count), their contract is considered to ‘slide’, or extend, by one year. For example, if a player signed an ELC for three seasons from 2015-16 to 2017-2018, and their contract slides, their contract is now effective from 2016-17 to 2018-19. An exception to this rule is that if the player is 19 on September 15 of the first year of their contract, and turns 20 between September 16 and December 31, their contract does not slide.
Because signing bonuses are paid regardless of a slide, the bonuses paid on the slide year no longer count to the players remaining cap hit. The cap hit therefore changes - the players salary is averaged without the signing bonus.

 

[Flames Fanatic]

Found this on CapFriendly. Valimaki is considered to be a Entry-Level Slide Candidate.

Entry-Level Slides 2018-19

If a player who is signed to an entry-level contract and is 18 or 19 years of age (as of September 15 of the signing year), does not play in a minimum of 10 NHL games (including both regular season and playoffs; AHL games do not count), their contract is considered to ‘slide’, or extend, by one year. For example, if a player signed an ELC for three seasons from 2015-16 to 2017-2018, and their contract slides, their contract is now effective from 2016-17 to 2018-19. An exception to this rule is that if the player is 19 on September 15 of the first year of their contract, and turns 20 between September 16 and December 31, their contract does not slide.
Because signing bonuses are paid regardless of a slide, the bonuses paid on the slide year no longer count to the players remaining cap hit. The cap hit therefore changes - the players salary is averaged without the signing bonus.

Also, the other factor is he plays 41 games, he is eligible for UFA one year sooner.

 

[Baxterman]

Would prefer Valimaki plays top minutes in Stockton, spends a year polishing his defensive game and then comes in next season and plays 20 minutes a night rather than him jumping onto a bottom pairing this year and being handcuffed to a literal stone. As for Dube, I think it was pretty obvious he was making the team.

That makes our NHL team worse and it is very debatable if it results in a better development opportunity for Valimaki.

If he is good enough to play in the NHL I would prefer he is in the NHL line-up everyday as I think that is much better for a defenseman than playing in the AHL. Now if they are rotating him then I agree he should go to the AHL but as long as he is good enough to play I don't understand moving him down.

 

[Nanuuk]

While there is no doubt in my mind that Andersson should be up and playing, there is no room at the inn for him until a trade of an injury occurs. Meanwhile, he'll play big minutes in Stockton and gain that much more experience. Valimaki earned his spot and the Flames could have lost Kulak for nothing so I'll take that trade. I still think Kulak has upside, but he was passed by this camp by Valimaki and Kylington both.

 

[Dack]

Andersson was better than Valimaki. Not a fan, I don't think he's ready just yet and I feel like we're rushing him. I hope he plays well and stays up but right now I feel like some of the decision making is too slow and he could use some polishing on his skating.

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

Now that Kulak is gone, who would play the left side beside Stone other than Valimaki?

Valiev

 

[InfinityIggy]

Valiev

Kylington, literally anyone.

 

[Mr Snrub]

That makes our NHL team worse and it is very debatable if it results in a better development opportunity for Valimaki.

If he is good enough to play in the NHL I would prefer he is in the NHL line-up everyday as I think that is much better for a defenseman than playing in the AHL. Now if they are rotating him then I agree he should go to the AHL but as long as he is good enough to play I don't understand moving him down.

Explain how? Andersson has been visibly better than Valimaki.

 

[Baxterman]

Explain how? Andersson has been visibly better than Valimaki.

I disagree with that statement but even if it were true he definitely hasn’t been good enough to pass Stone and moving Stone to his off side is not better than Valimaki on the left.

Valimaki-Stone is better than Stone-Andersson and I would say it’s not that close.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

Now that Kulak is gone, who would play the left side beside Stone other than Valimaki?

Kylington, of course. You think the Flames trade Kulak if they don't think Kylington is a stud?

 

[Rubi]

Kylington isn't ready to be a regular on the Flames.

 

[InfinityIggy]

Kylington isn't ready to be a regular on the Flames.

I don’t disagree, but we also have options like Brodie switching sides. Worst comes to worst, Stone can play RD.

 

[Mobiandi]

Cupboards are getting real bare now. Can't afford to trade any more draft picks

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

Man how do you not love Dube? This kid is a pro through and through and I don’t think he’ll ever play an AHL game. He has the confidence and he just gets it. His mental aspect is down and that is largely the reason guys like Lazar, Poirier, Klimchuk, Rychel, Shinkaruk, Tspoon and Kulak never made it.

He’s a 2nd round pick that has the attitude he’s going to go out and dominate McDavid lol. He’s fearless and fully confident in his abilities. I also think Valimaki is this way.

Juuso had a great camp and got better throughout it. Congrats to both these 2!

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

Explain how? Andersson has been visibly better than Valimaki.

What matters is how the Flames are going to deploy him. You will see why he made the team in short order.

 

[Mr Snrub]

I disagree with that statement but even if it were true he definitely hasn’t been good enough to pass Stone and moving Stone to his off side is not better than Valimaki on the left.

Valimaki-Stone is better than Stone-Andersson and I would say it’s not that close.

Handedness really does not matter nearly as much as people want to pretend it does; in fact it was an afterthought among this fanbase until Gully coached this team. Stone is not significantly worse on either side, and the difference between him on his left vs him on his right is far less than Andersson vs Valimaki.

Rasmus' game is significantly more polished than Valimaki's and while he will score fewer points he would cost us less goals against. Juuso has fantastic instincts in the offensive zone but the defensive side of the pro game is not something that can be brushed aside - it takes a lot of time for defensemen coming out of junior to get used to how quickly they can get burned by making a bad pass or a bad read in transition.