Confirmed with Link: Flames acquire Travis Hamonic and 4th from Islanders for 1st and two 2nds

[Tkachuk Norris]

Honestly how is Fox overrated? If anything he's underrated. Guy is a legit blue chipper with incredible numbers in NCAA.

What a cringy fanbase we have sometimes.

I watched a few of Harvards games in the bean pot. The guy is legit. He was as good as anyone on BU or BC. And he's a freshmen...

 

[BurnEmUp]

Fox is similar to Gaudreau in that he wasn't a high pick because he has obvious deficiencies and so no matter what he does he will have doubters and retractors until he actually makes the NHL and proves himself there.

People still doubted Johnny's ability to be an NHLer right up until he made the team and contended for the ROY.

Fox will be the same. If he was 6'2 200lbs right now, people would talk about him possibly being the best D prospect not playing in the NHL.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

Fox is a good prospect and I don't think he defends any worse than an 18 year old should, but he also doesn't defend much better. Offense however will get his foot in the door, it's not like he is Tyler Wotherspoon who needs to be elite defensively to leave a dent.

My only reservation is that his skating is still raw, if he can get his skating to prime Giordano-ish levels he'll be an NHLer.

 

[Volica]

Fox is similar to Gaudreau in that he wasn't a high pick because he has obvious deficiencies and so no matter what he does he will have doubters and retractors until he actually makes the NHL and proves himself there.

People still doubted Johnny's ability to be an NHLer right up until he made the team and contended for the ROY.

Fox will be the same. If he was 6'2 200lbs right now, people would talk about him possibly being the best D prospect not playing in the NHL.

FCS, Gaudreau still gets doubted by every other fan group today. And the guy went damn near PPG

 

[Mr Snrub]

FCS, Gaudreau still gets doubted by every other fan group today. And the guy went damn near PPG

More to do with him being a Calgary Flame than to do with his skill level.

 

[JurassicTunga]

Calgary Flames @NHLFlames
Hamonic will wear #24 - "with Conny's blessing!"

Thought it would be #3 for sure.
weird.

 

[Lunatik]

Calgary Flames @NHLFlames
Hamonic will wear #24 - "with Conny's blessing!"

Thought it would be #3 for sure.
weird.

I was expecting it to be 3 as well. He was 3 with the Isles and with the Sound Tigers. In junior he did wear number 12 though.

 

[Lunatik]

 

[Lunatik]

 

[Mobiandi]

I really hate that mesh looking stuff on the shoulders

 

[Lunatik]

I love the way the numbers and name plates look without italics

 

[Unlimited Chequing]

I really hate that mesh looking stuff on the shoulders

I think it's the only saving grace, actually.

 

[Ace Rimmer]

What does he have to do to be considered a blue chipper? PPG + as a freshman in NCAA for a defenseman is pretty spectacular. Just because we didn't get him in the first round? lol.

Grow four inches and put on 30 lbs of muscle.

Saying he's "blue chip" is equivalent of saying he's a sure thing. I don't think he is, mainly due to his size.

 

[herashak]

I need a Hamonic sound tigers jersey, those jerseys are nice

 

[JurassicTunga]

Good interview with Hammer

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

I'd say he is one of the prospects that has the best chances at becoming a blue chipper.

Valimaki is a bluechip prospect IMO. He's that good, he's more polished than Andersson, a better skater, better defender and equal offensive ability and Andersson is a great prospect. He's going to be minimum a bottom 4.

Fox isn't a bluechip prospect yet, but totally agree he could be.

 

[Lunatik]

I didn't realize this before but Hamonic and Ferland were teammates for a bit in Brandon. Hamonic was a deadline acquisition and only played 10 regular season and 15 playoff games with the club.

 

[InfinityIggy]

Good interview with Hammer

He is already one of my favorite Flames and he hasn't even played yet.

Also, he totally screams 'future captain' to me.

 

[Mr Snrub]

Love how young he is, I really like the idea of him playing here for a decade.

 

[Unlimited Chequing]

He's very well spoken for such a young guy.

 

[Volica]

Valimaki is a bluechip prospect IMO. He's that good, he's more polished than Andersson, a better skater, better defender and equal offensive ability and Andersson is a great prospect. He's going to be minimum a bottom 4.

Fox isn't a bluechip prospect yet, but totally agree he could be.

I'd give it one more season of development to see where he ends up, but I like the potential there. Smart players end up going a lot further than dumb ones; and Juuso's a smart hockey player.

I think on HF we get mesmerized by guys like Liljegren (doesn't help he just became the most overrated prospect in the league) because there's the thought he could really boom... Meanwhile I really think that steady, smart play by Valimaki will get him to the NHL and into a top 4 role in his career. But who knows, there are no certain drafts.

 

[Mr Snrub]

I'd give it one more season of development to see where he ends up, but I like the potential there. Smart players end up going a lot further than dumb ones; and Juuso's a smart hockey player.

I think on HF we get mesmerized by guys like Liljegren (doesn't help he just became the most overrated prospect in the league) because there's the thought he could really boom... Meanwhile I really think that steady, smart play by Valimaki will get him to the NHL and into a top 4 role in his career. But who knows, there are no certain drafts.

Valimaki is really more of an offensive d-man, even he admits he needs to work on his defence. This was also Brad and co's opinion in all their post-draft interviews.

 

[Volica]

Valimaki is really more of an offensive d-man, even he admits he needs to work on his defence. This was also Brad and co's opinion in all their post-draft interviews.

Absolutely, but it's not like his defensive game is non-existent.
I.E he's not a forward playing defence like let's say Kylington.

 

[King In The North]

I agree if anyone is a blue chip prospect it's got to be Valimaki

 

[Mr Snrub]

I think Valimaki needs to put together one more exceptional season to be considered a blue chip. At this point I wouldn't even put him in the top five in our prospect pool given the success some of our draftees have shown at a higher level.

I'd really like to see what he could do in Finland because that would be a hell of a lot harder than just eating 17 year olds alive in the WHL, might force him to actually build his game instead of just progressing naturally via being bigger, stronger and more experienced than the other kids. I'm not really sure what Treliving wants out of him playing for the Americans again; there's little for him to accomplish outside of the responsibilities of being a #1 d-man, which is a marginal step up from what he was doing last year.

Guy has a lot of talent and the size and frame to play against adults. Overall, next year is going to be easier for him in the Tri-Cities than last, regardless of whether he's playing a few more minutes a night, and it will not really force him to improve the parts of his game that need improvement/would make one consider him a real blue chip prospect.