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Prospect Notes: Khovanov, Jokiharju, Rookie Camps

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It’s been an up-and-down summer for Alexander Khovanov. Expected to be a top pick in the 2018 draft, Khovanov was planning on coming to Canada to join the junior ranks and compete right in front of the eyes of NHL scouts. Because of his public commitment, he went second-overall to the Moncton Wildcats in the CHL Import Draft, but eventually re-signed with Ak Bars in the KHL for three years.

Now, according to the Moncton Times & Transcript, Khovanov will miss at least six months of development due to contracting hepatitis A. He’s battling the illness in Russia. It’s a tough break for a player who was expected to go somewhere in the first round, as his draft year is compromised almost entirely. Hockey fans will hope for a quick recovery from the young forward.

  • Scott Powers of The Athletic catches us up on several of the Chicago Blackhawks’ prospects, including Henri Jokiharju who is now considered likely to start training camp with the club. Last we heard it was in doubt after he suffered a knee injury in July. Jokiharju was the Blackhawks’ first-round selection this year, and will likely return to the Portland Winterhawks where he was outstanding as a 17-year old rookie. Scoring 48 points in 78 games, he was one of the most impressive puck-rushing defensemen in the entire WHL, and should only develop further this year.
  • Our friends over at Roster Resource have added the rookie camp rosters for all the teams who have announced them thus far, giving you a quick look at who will be competing over the next few weeks. The site has also added depth charts all the way down through the ECHL, giving unprecedented information all in one place for your favorite team. Make sure to keep their page bookmarked all season for an easy check of where players are stationed throughout the year.

Snapshots: Krueger, Cholowski, Datsyuk

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Over the past year, Ralph Krueger has been the subject of speculation surrounding just about every head coaching vacancy in the league. Offered at least two jobs, Krueger has turned down every opportunity to return to hockey and instead kept his position as Chairman of the Southampton soccer club in England. The Premiership offers Kruger a chance to be part of one of the biggest sporting leagues in the world, and he’s seemed very content with his position there.

Today, eighty percent of the Southampton organization was sold off for more than $270MM to businessman Jisheng Gao and his family. While a letter from former majority owner Katharina Liebherr states that she and Gao still have complete confidence in Krueger’s leadership, some like Bob Stauffer of 630 CHED in Edmonton believe it could inch him closer to an NHL return. If the new ownership wants to install their own chairman, Krueger could be on the top of many team’s lists in the hockey world.

  • Detroit Red Wings’ prospect Dennis Cholowski has officially signed a CHL contract with the Prince George Cougars, where he’ll likely spend this season. After playing one year at St. Cloud State in the NCAA, Cholowski signed his entry-level contract in the spring and spent some time with the Grand Rapids Griffins. The 19-year old first-round pick will head to the WHL where he should dominate after already putting up impressive performances against much older players in the US college ranks. He could still be sent to the AHL or even make the NHL squad in training camp, but this signing lends more credence to the idea he’ll spend 2017-18 in the junior ranks. The left-handed defenseman has some of the best upside in the Red Wings’ organization, and won’t be rushed to the NHL for a team that is not expected to compete. Cholowski has a very good chance of representing Canada on the international stage at the World Juniors this year, after taking part in the Summer Showcase earlier this offseason.
  • After suffering an injury that forced him to watch as his team won the KHL’s Gagarin Cup, Pavel Datsyuk is healthy and back in the lineup for SKA St. Petersburg’s preseason game tonight. Datsyuk was an All-Star in his first year back in the KHL, and even at 39-years old should be a lock for the Russian Olympic team. The former Detroit Red Wings’ forward scored 42 points in 51 total games last year for St. Petersberg, and will try to take a depleted team back to the playoffs again. Both Vadim Shipachyov and Evgeni Dadonov left the team for the NHL this offseason, but they did add young defender and Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Vladislav Gavrikov to the defense group.

West Notes: Gaudette, Jokiharju, Richardson

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We know that USA Hockey has already contacted about 85-90 players as potential options for their 2018 Olympic team, but other than a rough breakdown of where those players will be coming from we hadn’t heard much in terms of actual names. Now we can add one thanks to Rick Dhaliwal of News 1130 in Vancouver, who spoke to Canucks’ draft pick Adam Gaudette about his candidacy. Gaudette confirmed he did get a call from Olympic GM Jim Johannson, but just to say that the management team will keep an eye on him.

Gaudette was selected in the fifth round of the 2015 draft, and currently plays for Northeastern University in the NCAA. A dominant force last season, the forward put up 52 points in just 37 games and was at times part of one of the most imposing lines in the country. Skating with Zach Aston-Reese (Pittsburgh) and Dylan Sikura (Chicago) for most of the year, the trio put up more than 170 points and could barely be contained. Aston-Reese has already signed his entry-level deal and will be ineligible for the team, but Sikura and Gaudette should compete for sports with another big year.

  • The Athletic’s Scott Powers reports that Henri Jokiharju could miss the Chicago Blackhawks’ training camp in September after suffering a knee injury at the recent World Junior Summer Showcase. Jokiharju, the team’s first-round selection from the draft in June, could go straight to the Portland Winterhawks instead. One to keep an eye on this year in the WHL, Jokiharju was already one of the most productive defensemen in the league as a rookie last season, and could easily find himself a big part of a very successful team. The Winterhawks are likely to get top pick Cody Glass back from the Vegas Golden Knights, and will welcome in Kieffer Bellows after he left Boston University. Their powerplay should be devastating, and Jokiharju will have the puck on his stick a ton.
  • Brad Richardson missed almost all of last season for the Arizona Coyotes following multiple leg surgeries, but told Dave Vest of NHL.com that he’s ready for training camp even if it were to start today. Richardson was an underrated part of the Coyotes team in 2015-16, when he scored a career-high 31 points and showed that he could be a bit more than just a bottom-six grinder. He was off to another good start with nine points in 16 games before the leg injury, and could add some productive experience to what should be a very young team. The Coyotes could have as many as ten forwards on their team who are 25-and-under, leaving Richardson as the old man up front at 32.

Oilers Sign Kailer Yamamoto To Entry-Level Deal

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It’s already been a big month for 2017 first-round draft pick Kailer Yamamoto just ten days in. After putting on clinic at the World Junior Summer Showcase last week, it seems like his efforts did not go unnoticed by his new team, the Edmonton Oilers. The Oilers this evening announced that the 22nd-overall pick has signed his entry-level contract with the team. As per usual, the deal is for three years and, although not yet official, expected to be for the ELC maximum of $925K per season.

Of course, Yamamoto’s work with Team USA last week was not the first good look that GM Peter Chiarelli and company got of the 18-year-old. Yamamoto also attended the team’s Player Development Camp earlier this summer and drew rave reviews. Prior to that, Yamamoto put his skill on display last season for the WHL’s Spokane Chiefs. The swift right winger is a gifted play-maker, scoring 42 goals and adding 57 assists for Spokane last season in the rugged WHL. Add in seven-point performance in four games at the 2016 U-18 World Juniors, and there is little doubt that Yamamoto can put up points.

Where there is doubt, and where there will continue to be until he proves otherwise at the NHL level, is with his size. At just 5’8′, 153 lbs., Yamamoto would be the smallest player in the league should he actually suit up for the Oilers this season. Due to his lack of stature, Yamamoto’s offensive instincts and impeccable skating ability were overlooked by many teams in the NHL Draft until Edmonton jumped on him at #22. There have been plenty of smaller players to make it in the NHL, especially in recent years with the likes of Johnny Gaudreau and Tyler Johnson, but that won’t stop critics from waiting to see if Yamamoto can actually produce in a much bigger and tougher pro game.

While Yamamoto will surely be featured prominently in the Oilers’ training camp and preseason this year, don’t be surprised if he is sent back to junior for the 2017-18 campaign. Not only would another year of physical growth and bulking up help the undersized scorer, but continued development of a more sound two-way game would also go a long way to making his NHL transition much smoother. With that said, the Boston Bruins, who ironically were expected to have interest in Yamamoto this year, watched 2014 #25 overall pick David Pastrnak make the roster right away in 2014-15 after questions over pro readiness caused him to fall in that draft year. The same situation could certainly occur with Yamamoto this season and with talents like Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins making up the Oilers’ forward corps, Yamamoto could find a good fit and plenty of points right away if he makes the team.

Which 2017 Draft Picks Will Make Their Teams?

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This year’s draft was notoriously thin in terms of elite talent, but that doesn’t mean that some of the top choices won’t make an impact. Of course, a lot will depend on training camp and whether players will return to Juniors, College, or overseas. Nico Hischier has already signed his entry-level contract with New Jersey, as has Nolan Patrick with Philadelphia. Both look primed to make their teams out of camp, even though Patrick will be recovering from an injury. It’s common for top picks to make their teams, and it would be shocking to see either fall short. Beyond these two, however, many of the top players till need seasoning.

The third pick, Miro Heiskanen, very well could return to the Finish Elite League for IFK, or theoretically be taken in the CHL import draft. Dallas doesn’t look like they’ll try to rush it with him, but anything is possible with this talented a player. Fourth overall was defenseman Cale Makar for Colorado, who is committed to play with the University of Massachussetts. Still, Colorado is hurting badly for skill and could benefit mightily from his dynamic presence on the blueline. Fifth overall was Elias Pettersson for Vancouver, who should return to Vaxjo of the SHL. He hasn’t signed an ELC and won’t attend training camp. Sixth overall Cody Glass looks primed to make a push for a spot in Vegas if he can show he belongs. The offense acquired via the expansion draft is very lean, and if Glass can round out his frame, the team may opt to toss him into the fire. He comes from a solid program with the Portland Winterhawks, and already surprised many with his ascension to first-round status in 2016-17.

Seventh overall was 5’11 center Lias Anderssson, who will fight for a position on the New York Rangers. In May, he signed a two-year contract with SHL’s Frolunda, so he might be one of the least likely of the group to see playing time in the near future. Casey Mittelstadt went eighth overall to Buffalo, and his phenomenal performance in the 2016 U-18 World Juniors played a large role in that. He only has USHL experience under his belt, however, and is committed to the Minnesota Gophers for the 2017-18 season. Michael Rasmussen is a towering, 6’6 center from Tri City of the WHL, and his overall physical package propelled him into that 9th selection by Detroit. Detroit is in need of cheap roster players on ELCs, but rushing a player of his caliber, especially coming off an injury-marred 2016-17 season, seems unlikely. GM Ken Holland is known for his patience when it comes to prospects. Rounding out the list, we have one of the few wingers selected in the first round – Owen Tippett of the OHL’s Mississauga Steelheads. His 44 goals in 60 games caught the attention of Florida’s scouts, and he could make things interesting with a solid camp showing.

In the final evaluation, there are really only two sure-fire picks to make their teams in the 2017-18 season. Of course, there are players later in the order who could surprise and get a look as well. Gabriel Vilardi (11) would inject some much needed offense to a floundering Los Angeles squad, and already possesses NHL size. Nick Suzuki (13) could transcend Glass in Vegas as his flashy speed and exceptional passing are already pro-level. Future teammate Erik Brannstrom (15) proved again that he belongs in the conversation in the recent Summer Showcase. Timothy Liljegren (17) is already making Toronto fans salivate at his potential, and there is always someone unexpected who completely blows away the competition in camp. We shouldn’t see more than one or two surprises, but anything is possible once the players retake the ice in August for some internal competition.

In your mind, which 2017 draft picks make the NHL starting roster for their teams, excluding the obvious Hischier and Patrick? Will any of these names compete for a Calder, or will there only be one or two immediately successful rookies from this class? (For comparison’s sake, 4 players played regularly last season of all the players selected in 2016).

Please vote in our poll below!

Mobile users can vote here.

Is Houston A Viable NHL Hockey Market?

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When the NHL began discussing expansion a few years ago, the plan was never to add one team. No owner or league executive stood up and said “31 is the perfect number!” The idea has always been to bring in two more teams to bring the total to 32, the same number that the National Football League has managed since 2002. So whether you are of the opinion that the Arizona Coyotes, Carolina Hurricanes, or New York Islanders need to re-locate or not, the fact of the matter is that the NHL will welcome a new city regardless in the near future.

The overwhelming opinion seems to be that Seattle, Washington is next in line to follow Las Vegas. The city is full of die-hard sports fans who cheer vehemently for the Seahawks, Mariners, and Sounders and have been clamoring for a basketball team since the SuperSonics left. They also show up to watch junior hockey, as the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds finished in the top half of attendance in 2016-17. Millionaire Chris Hansen has been pushing hard for support to build a new arena with plans to bring back the NBA and bring in the NHL, while Seattle mayor Ed Murray has been negotiating with the NHL on the city’s behalf as well.

Seattle could very well be the 32nd NHL team. However, some hockey purists would like to see the league go back to the small market of Quebec City and revive the Nordiques. Others don’t mind the Seattle plans, but would rather a team go about 150 miles south to Portland, Oregon, where the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks outdraw the Seattle Thunderbirds. Some stand up for places like Kansas City, Missouri, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Hartford, Connecticut. You may even hear a few in favor of going back to Atlanta already. What you don’t hear much of though is talk about Houston, Texas. That is until now.

Last month, Leslie Alexander, the owner of the NBA’s Houston Rockets and the Toyota Center, announced that he would be selling the team. While this may simply seem like the NBA’s business on its face, it could have big implications for the NHL. Alexander had attempted to purchase the Edmonton Oilers back in 1998 with a plan to move them to Houston. However, the league turned the offer down, opting instead to keep one of it’s most well-known franchises in Canada where it belonged. Alexander held a grudge not only against the NHL, but against hockey. He all but forced the AHL’s Houston Aeros, beloved by the local fan base, out of the city by charging unreasonable rent at the Toyota Center. The Minnesota Wild had to move their part-owned affiliate to Iowa, where they remain today. With the Aeros gone, the city’s interest in hockey seemingly disappeared and with Alexander remaining in charge of the Rockets and Toyota Center, there was little hope of the NHL or AHL ever returning.

With Alexander selling the Rockets, and likely his stake in the Toyota Center as well, those hopes are alive once again. But is Houston interested in having an NHL team? Is the NHL interested in going to Houston? It certainly makes some sense on paper. Houston is the fifth largest city in the United States – behind only New York, L.A., Chicago, and nearby Dallas – and has only seen its population grow in recent years. It is also a major three-sport city. The Rockets have always been very successful, recently the MLB’s Astros have righted the ship and boast a strong team, and the NFL’s Texans, still the league’s newest team dating back to 2002, are wildly popular. With that success comes both a strong fan base and a industry that is comfortable with throwing lots of money into athletic sponsorship. Financially, Houston would seem to be as good a fit as any. They also have a suitable arena, which Seattle does not, and a much greater population and pro sports history than any of Quebec City, Portland, Milwaukee, or Hartford.

The NHL sought expansion bids three years ago and accepted just one: Bill Foley’s Las Vegas bid. Many were surprised that Seattle and Quebec City among other could not place a suitable bid. If that process was to occur again, after the Rockets deal is done, would the new owner or another interested Texan place a bid? Or would a perceived lack of interest in the NHL prevent it from happening, yet another surprise in the NHL bidding process? There is still plenty of uncertainty surrounding the situation, but NHL Expansion is not over yet and now, for the first time in years, Houston is at least back in the conversation.

Minor Transactions: 8/5/17

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It may be August, but hockey transactions are still ongoing. While the major names on the NHL free agent market appear to still be in a holding pattern, AHL teams have begun to fill out their rosters with minor leagues deals. The result has been a recent influx of minor news, both of AHL signings and those with less luck finding a contract in North America signing overseas. Keep track of these moves today right here:

  • The EBEL has already made their presence felt this summer more so than ever before with the signings of NHL veterans like Matt Fraser, Ben Walter, and Rob Flick, and now the small Austrian-based league is back at it again. Defenseman Mat Clark has signed on with HC Bolzano for the coming season, the team announced yesterday. Clark, a veteran of nine NHL games with the Anaheim Ducks and over 400 AHL games since turning pro in 2010, is a big addition for the Foxes. Like most North American signings in the EBEL, Clark should step in and compete right away for the title of best player on the team. The big blue liner, a second-round draft pick of the Ducks in 2009, is a dominating stay-at-home threat, but has also contributed some modest offense in the AHL as well.
  • If Clark had been able to find a good fit in the AHL for the 2017-18 season, one would think he would have jumped on it. Instead, he decided to take a deal overseas. Dalton Thrower, another defenseman, has chosen a different path. Thrower has signed with Allen Americans of the ECHL for the upcoming campaign. It’s quite the change in direction for Thrower’s career path, as he was not tendered a qualifying offer by the Montreal Canadiens this off-season and goes from an NHL contract to an ECHL contract. A second-round pick of the Habs just five years ago, Thrower has not come close to reaching his lofty expectations, having played almost exclusively in the ECHL since turning pro. However, softening the blow of Thrower losing his NHL connection is a familiar face joining him in Allen. The Americans announced that they have signed both he and his younger brother, Josh Thrower, who aged out of the WHL after last season. The pair are set to dominate the Allen blue line in 2017-18.
  • Nolan Zajac is having the opposite fortunes of Thrower, as he’ll jump up a level ahead of next season. The younger brother of New Jersey Devils’ mainstay Travis Zajac, the 25-year-old defenseman has signed an AHL deal with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Zajac had signed with the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye out of college last off-season, but after 54 points in 61 games and strong performances on loan to three different AHL teams, he has earned a full-time role at the next level. The former University of Denver standout is a strong skater who has left his mark on the score sheet wherever he has played, Zajac will look to continue to climb through the ranks of pro hockey next season. With a big year in Lehigh Valley, the Philadelphia Flyers’ affiliate, Zajac may just end up with an NHL contract next summer and a possible divisional sibling rivalry down the road.
  • The AHL’s Ontario Reign, the affiliate to the Los Angeles Kings, have re-signed two-way forward Sam Herr to a one-year extension. The former Notre Dame winger made his pro debut in 2016-17 with 14 points in 61 regular season games with the Reign and looked his best during the team’s short playoff run. The 24-year-old may not have NHL chops, but is a smart player and hard worker who will surely be able to help Ontario out in the coming season.

More to come…

WHL Trade Notes: Bargar, Bishop, Dumba, Henderson

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While it has been relatively quiet on the NHL transaction front this week, there has been a flurry of activity in one of the main feeder leagues, the Western Hockey League. Off-season trades are not overly common in the Canadian junior leagues, but every year a few notable prospects end up on the move. Just recently, former Providence College commit Merrick Rippon was traded from one OHL squad to another, with a handful of other big OHL names potentially on the move soon. Not to be outdone, three trades have since gone down in the WHL as teams begin to sort things out ahead of the 2017-18 season.

  • Yesterday, a noteworthy one-for-one swap went down, with the Seattle Thunderbirds receiving forward Blake Bargar from the Victoria Royals in exchange for defenseman Anthony Bishop. This will be the third team in three years for Barger, an undrafted small, gritty winger who was dealt by the Moose Jaw Warriors last year. Bargar hopes that the third time is the charm as he looks to finally find some consistent scoring in Seattle during his fourth junior season. He should have a good chance with the defending WHL champion Thunderbirds, where he could find himself skating alongside promising NHL prospects like Ryan Gropp or Keegan Kolesar. Meanwhile, Bishop is in the same boat as Bargar. He too is beginning the new season with a new team for the third straight year, having began his WHL career with the Saskatoon Blades. Bishop, also undrafted, did show some growth last season and is trending towards a career year in 2017-18 with the Royals.
  • Another 19-year-old was on the move yesterday, as goaltender Kyle Dumba was traded to the Kamloops Blazers  from the Calgary Hitmen. The team announced that they had received a conditional seventh-round pick in the WHL Bantam Draft, though the conditions were not disclosed. The team release revealed that the team believes 2016-17 starter Connor Ingram, a 2016 Tampa Bay Lightning selection, will indeed be going pro, likely joining the Lightning’s AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch, for the upcoming campaign. The team made the decision to bring in some competition for and depth behind Dylan Ferguson, who notably drafted in the seventh round by the Dallas Stars this past June, only to then be dealt to the Vegas Golden Knights not long after. Ferguson appeared in 31 games last year and is ready for the starter job, but Dumba made 28 appearances himself and will work to get his minutes in net. The younger brother of young Minnesota Wild defenseman Mathew Dumba, Kyle Dumba has something to prove in Kamloops after two tough seasons in Calgary.
  • Also heading to a new home for the upcoming season in defenseman Jordan Henderson. It is strange to see Henderson on the move yet again after being traded twice last season. After more than two years with the Spokane Chiefs, during which time Henderson showed little potential, he was moved to the Saskatoon Blades early last season, who then flipped him to the Medicine Hat Tigers later on in the year. However, Henderson could not have asked for a better fit, as he exploded in Medicine Hat with 19 points and a +29 rating in 26 games – both more than the rest of his WHL career combined. Henderson is 20 years old and in the final season of his junior career, but finally seemed to be coming into his own with the Tigers. However, the 2016-17 Central Division champs made the decision that a future prospect, a 2019 conditional sixth-round Bantam Draft pick, was more valuable than one more season of an overage defender. Now, the WHL veteran will head to the Kootenay Ice, the worst team in the WHL last year. Henderson may play the largest role of his career and will certainly get some attention playing alongside promising “D” prospect Cale Fleury, but it will be difficult for him to match the production he found with his talented teammates in Medicine Hat.
  • The 2018 NHL Draft is expect to have greater talent and depth than this year’s prospect crop, but the same can’t be true for the WHL’s group of upcoming talent. In fact, this may one of the smallest and least talented draft classes to ever come out of the WHL. For that reason, there is a lot riding on defensemen Jett Woo and Ty Smith, the WHL’s only surefire first-rounders at this point in time, as they head into next season. The pair has already been named to Team Canada’s Ivan Hlinka roster, which the league did not miss the opportunity to promote, but there is some question as to how much attention they can draw in this upcoming season. Smith’s Spokane Chiefs finished last in the U.S. Division in 2016-17 and missed the playoffs, and that was even with top 2017 NHL draft picks Kailer Yamamoto and Jaret Anderson-Dolan.  Woo’s Moose Jaw Warriors fared much better, finishing second in the East Division. However, the team will lose starting goalie Zach Sawchenko, while captain and top prospect Brett Howden could earn an NHL roster spot with the Tampa Bay Lightning. In either case, Woo and Smith could be major trade bait this season if their teams head in the wrong direction. The players – and the league – will want to find success this season, and that could mean new homes shortly.

Early Notes: Butcher, Neil, CHL

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Will Butcher won’t be signing with the Colorado Avalanche before the August 15th deadline, and his impending free agency has the rest of the league looking back through their notes on the former Denver Pioneer. The two-way defender has some solid upside despite being a fifth-round selection, and should cause a bidding war not unlike the one Jimmy Vesey sparked last summer. Several teams will be interested in bringing the Hobey Baker award winner in, and he should have his pick of destination.

Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette caught up with Butcher’s agent Brian Bartlett, who told him that if the Penguins called “I’m sure we’d answer the phone.” Bartlett was clear in what he was looking for in Butcher’s first team, noting the Penguins solid track record developing college players and the fact that they’ve had (a bit of) recent success in the NHL. Butcher isn’t looking for a chance to compete in the NHL right away, but a spot to grow his young career.

  • Chris Neil won’t be back in Ottawa next season, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be in the NHL. The 38-year old tough guy told Don Brennan of the Ottawa Sun that he’s already received one-way offers from a few teams, but is waiting on the right fit for him and his family.  Growing up and playing in Ontario for almost his entire life, any departure would be a new adventure for Neil and his young family.
  • Craig Button of TSN is at Canada’s Under-17 development camp, and breaks down the three top bantam picks of the CHL. Peyton Krebs (WHL first-overall in 2016) Ryan Suzuki (OHL first-overall in 2017) and Alexis Lafreniere (QMJHL first-overall in 2017) all have incredible talent, and have a good shot to go high in their respective NHL drafts in a few years. Suzuki is on to particularly watch over the next few years, as the younger brother of Vegas first-round pick Nick Suzuki will be playing for the Barrie Colts alongside possible 2018 first-overall pick Andrei Svechnikov. Barrie was the worst team in the OHL this season, but with Suzuki and Svechnikov coming in they could be much improved right away.
  • Speaking of prospects the NHL is set to hold a press conference with the Dallas Stars on Saturday, and Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News is expecting it to announce the location of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. The draft, which was held in Chicago this season, is a huge event that brings people from all corners of the hockey world together for more than a week. The top names like Svechnikov, Joe Veleno and Rasmus Dahlin are all extremely enticing prospects in what should be a very deep draft.

Calgary Flames Sign Juuso Valimaki To ELC

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The Calgary Flames have signed their first-round pick from the recent draft, inking Juuso Valimaki to a three-year entry-level contract. The salary and bonus structure has not been released, but you can bet he’ll come in at the maximum $925K with some Schedule A perfomance bonuses.

Valimaki was selected 16th-overall last month after an outstanding season with the Tri-City Americans of the WHL. The Finnish defenseman put up 61 points in 60 games, while also suiting up for his country at the World Junior Championships (where he registered two points). The 6’2″ 212-lbs defender may not have the offensive upside that his point totals suggest, but would rank close to any other defender in the draft in terms of two-way consistency. Those who critiqued Timothy Liljegren—who went just after Valimaki to the Toronto Maple Leafs—for his poor decision making skills could never say the same about the newest Flames prospect, as Valimaki is hardly ever caught out of position or turning the puck over.

While he still has some developing to do if he wants to be the two-way rock the Flames are hoping for, they can afford to wait with the group they already have in the NHL. Valimaki can be brought along slowly and eventually replace some of the minutes Mark Giordano will be ready to give up as he heads into his mid-thirties. As Pat Steinberg of Sportsnet points out, Valimaki’s entry-level contract will likely slide until the 2019-20 season unless he’s brought up sooner than that for more than nine games. If he does pan out as an NHL defender, his entry-level deal would end just as Giordano’s current deal is coming off the books.

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