Prospect Info: Rinat Valiev

[WeThreeKings]

If he hits his potential, he'd be a serviceable bottom pairing guy that can play your 2nd PP unit in a pinch.

 

[Fazkovsky]

maybe

Valiev-Petry
Alzner-Juulsen

 

[Locks]

I just quickly watched a Marlies vs the Rocket game I had recorded and liked what I saw from Valiev. He is a big dude with good mobility, solid puck skills and ability to move the puck. He read the play well and made a number of solid defensive plays. Was a fixture on PK and very steady all game long save for one turnover. While he played rather conservatively, he did join the rush at least once and looked comfortable doing it.

I think I agree with the scouts Bob Mac cites that he is very close to the NHL and hopefully can become part of the defense remodeling process together with Mete and Juulsen. This acquisition as well as the last game where Benn and Morrow were moved to the third pair and the great Schlemko to the press box is a clear indication of the direction the brass is moving as far as the defense goes.

 

[TennisMenace]

Again, I am all in favor of giving him a shot too. The remainder of this year should be all about checking out guys. So let’s check them out. I’ve read enough to also feel there is hope here and we all know admen take longer to finally get it.

 

[montreal]

maybe

Valiev-Petry
Alzner-Juulsen

since we are going to suck it doesn't matter who they put there. I really hate the idea of rushing Juulsen though and I hope Petry is traded and Alzner-Benn is the top pairing since if we are going to suck, might as well do it right.

 

[Tyson]

This player improves our D prospects pool for sure. The next wave are still in junior.
Only Lernout has an inkling of NHL upside that is playing in Laval now that Juulsen has made it up. Valiev is needed

 

[le_sean]

Dahlin/Mete/Valiev on the left side is great moving forward.

 

[googlymoogly]

since we are going to suck it doesn't matter who they put there. I really hate the idea of rushing Juulsen though and I hope Petry is bought out and Alzner-Benn is the top pairing since if we are going to suck, might as well do it right.

Why would you buyout Petry, he is trade able.

 

[montreal]

Dahlin/Mete/Valiev on the left side is great moving forward.

you must have a very lose definition of great.

Why would you buyout Petry, he is trade able.

whoops meant to say traded, went back and fixed it. Was going to put buy out Alzner but that won't happen and he's great to have in the lineup if we are hoping for a top pick again next year.

 

[Adam Michaels]

Dahlin/Mete/Valiev on the left side is great moving forward.

Brook/Juulsen/Fleury on the right could be great, too. And there's a Lernout available there, too.

 

[montreal]

Brook/Juulsen/Fleury on the right could be great, too. And there's a Lernout available there, too.

I would say far from great and I think I'm Brook's biggest fan.

If we had Dahlin which is a big if, that certainly fixes one major hole on this team by giving us a highly skilled young future #1 D.

Brook if he takes a few steps forward offensively, if everything in his development goes right I think he could possibly be a decent #2 but more likely is in the 3-4 range although it's so early in his development we need a few years to see how much can he progress.

Mete/Juulsen I like but have big question marks about their offensive upside, so to me they are more bottom pairing D's if you are talking about a cup contender or if they show more in the way of offense. That said it's also still early in both of their developments and each has something to really like a lot. Mete with his skating and Juulsen with his defensive game.

Fleury it remains to be seen what they have in him, next year in Laval will be very interesting to see how he does. Lernout I see as a possible 7th D. He moves well, is physical and has a big shot. Not sure if he can make it as I just don't see enough improvement in his own end but guess we'll see. Valiev I just don't know enough about to say what he can be, guess we'll see what happens to him next year, if he's on the Habs, Laval or in the KHL.

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

 

[Habs100]

He looks like Gonchar in his prime against these rookies. But the know I've heard on him is his ability to read the play. Let's hope he's not another Morrow: great skills, no ability to read the play and thus often has trouble defending.

 

[Scott Malkinson]

I have yet to read any Toronto fans badmouth Valiev as a possible depth defenceman. Most of us know he has the tools to play in the league. Valiev has good size, pretty good skater and he can move the puck up the ice. He is limited offensively but he's far from an embarrassment with the puck.

A couple years ago he had a great camp but battled with injuries and really struggled when he returned to the AHL. Some in the fan base basically wrote him off because of how bad his season was with the Marlies.

But this year he has been a lot better but that stumble allowed the other defenceman to either catch up or surpass him on the depth chart. Toronto also went out and signed a couple European free agents (Borgman, Rosen). Both of whom seem to have been ahead of Valiev.

If Rinat continues with how he's improved this season, you guys acquired a young defenceman who can play everyday minutes for your team through this re-tool/rebuild.

Good player and also a really nice young man.

No Russian factor with him. He loves living in Canada and unless he's stuck in the AHL forever, I can't see him getting up and going to the KHL.

+ Really close friends with Nikita Scherbak

 

[Scott Malkinson]

This was before his injuries and struggles. If he can get back to playing with the same confidence, he'll be a pretty decent player to have.

 

[Scott Malkinson]

If he hits his potential, he'd be a serviceable bottom pairing guy that can play your 2nd PP unit in a pinch.

Valiev is not a PP guy at the NHL level. Unless you're having injury issues or all your D are Roman Polak, Valiev will likely not see PP minutes. It depends on team depth.

Valiev has a pretty good shot from the point but he's not a powerplay QB. Distribution of the puck is not a strength in the offensive zone but he can move the puck up the ice with outlet passes.

I don't see why he couldn't develop that skill but I think it's tough to work on decision making or vision in pressure situations.

He just doesn't have much upside for production but not all D have to produce to be effective.

 

[Adam Michaels]

Thanks @Scott Malkinson for the info.

If Valiev becomes a serviceable 3rd pairing guy, this is a bonus for Habs in this trade. He doesn't have to be a point producer, but as long as his overall game on both ends of the defensive are good, then Habs fans will be happy. He's still young and has room to continue to grow. Unlike the likes of Benn and Schlemko and Alzner, underwhelming as they are, what you see is what you get as they are 29-30 years old.

 

[Stephen23]

Hey Guys, Leaf fan respectfully wanted to chime in. I really like Valiev and think he definitely has an NHL future. He was a bit of a reach/unknown (at least for me) at the time when we drafted him in the 3rd round of 2014 but has developed nicely. He was just buried in our depth chart with Dermott, Rosen, Borgman, Nielsen and eventually Liljegren ahead of him. I predict him as a 5-7 defender, but could also fill in as a #4. Hate to lose him, but he unfortunately really had no future here so I am happy he gets a true shot at the NHL. Rychel on the other hand.... Has been a disappointment. He still has NHL skill and works hard/is a hard hitter. Could be a good 3rd or 4th line guy, but doesn't seem to have the highest hockey IQ. He kept disappointing at training camps but you can see the potential is there. Maybe if he keeps working close with Claude he can become a serviceable player for you guys. He definitely tries hard when he's on the ice from my viewings. But have no heartbreak on my end here and was really hoping Vegas would take him over Leipsic in the expansion draft. So I think you guys got 2 guys who can play in the NHL. Rychel has yet to meet his potential and Valiev is a good, young steady defenseman who hopefully gets his shot and sticks. Cheers!

 

[Adam Michaels]

Hey Guys, Leaf fan respectfully wanted to chime in. I really like Valiev and think he definitely has an NHL future. He was a bit of a reach/unknown (at least for me) at the time when we drafted him in the 3rd round of 2014 but has developed nicely. He was just buried in our depth chart with Dermott, Rosen, Borgman, Nielsen and eventually Liljegren ahead of him. I predict him as a 5-7 defender, but could also fill in as a #4. Hate to lose him, but he unfortunately really had no future here so I am happy he gets a true shot at the NHL. Rychel on the other hand.... Has been a disappointment. He still has NHL skill and works hard/is a hard hitter. Could be a good 3rd or 4th line guy, but doesn't seem to have the highest hockey IQ. He kept disappointing at training camps but you can see the potential is there. Maybe is he keeps working close with Claude he can become a serviceable player for you guys. He definitely tries hard when he's on the ice from my viewings. But have no heartbreak on my end here and was really hoping Vegas would take him over Leipsic in the expansion draft. So I think you guys got 2 guys who can play in the NHL. Rychel has yet to meet him potential and Valiev is a good, young steady defenseman who hopefully gets his shot and sticks. Cheers!

Thanks for that.

Even Bob McKenzie, in some tweets yesterday after the trade, said that some scouts are convinced Valiev is close to the NHL. Not much was shared on Rychel. Most feel Valiev is the better acquisition from the two.

Being an RFA at the end of this year, I believe both will get called up to the Canadiens so they can evaluate them. But I get the sense it will be Valiev that will impress between the two.

However, for Rychel, he was the Marlies' top scorer last season. And this year, after having only 5 points in his first 18 games, he's had 25 in 37, much more on par with his pace from last season. Even if he ends up a 3rd or 4th line guy, it's still a plus for Habs. They need young players and to deepen the prospect pool. Both Rychel and Valiev accomplish that. And the 2nd round pick being in the deal in addition, it's a return Habs fans should be happy with.

 

[Stephen23]

Thanks for that.

Even Bob McKenzie, in some tweets yesterday after the trade, said that some scouts are convinced Valiev is close to the NHL. Not much was shared on Rychel. Most feel Valiev is the better acquisition from the two.

Being an RFA at the end of this year, I believe both will get called up to the Canadiens so they can evaluate them. But I get the sense it will be Valiev that will impress between the two.

However, for Rychel, he was the Marlies' top scorer last season. And this year, after having only 5 points in his first 18 games, he's had 25 in 37, much more on par with his pace from last season. Even if he ends up a 3rd or 4th line guy, it's still a plus for Habs. They need young players and to deepen the prospect pool. Both Rychel and Valiev accomplish that. And the 2nd round pick being in the deal in addition, it's a return Habs fans should be happy with.

I think it's definitely a good trade for you guys. From Toronto perspective, Mark Hunter has loaded the prospect pool with some real high end quality kids and seems to (for the most part) keep hitting, so they don't mind losing (hopefully) a late pick in the 2nd round, when they still have the Sharks 2nd pick (No 3rd pick as that goes to the Devils for Lou). But yeah, Rychel has all the tools to succeed, just needs to put it together. Has never really been given a fair shot at the NHL either so that should be interesting to see how he does after a couple of games adjusting to NHL speed, etc. But Valiev, don't expect him to be a free-skating skilled defender. But more of a steady stay at home with a decent frame. Reminds me a bit of a Carl Gunnarsson type. Just a quiet/unnoticeable defender, but that's usually a good thing. And Bob's tweet is right. He wasn't going to crack the lineup but was constantly one of our top 3 choices (especially after Dermott has now stuck with the team) to be a callup in the event of an injury.

For Toronto, Plekanec is perfect for what they need. They really needed an upgrade of Moore as a #4 Center, who seems as age is catching up with him. I can see Tomas having good chemistry defensively with the very speedy and tenacious Kapanen and Komarov and should form a top shutdown line. Will give the Leafs 2 shutdown lines with skill, as Kadri (with Marleau) has been groomed with Babcock's guidance as a shutdown player but will allow him to play some easier matchups and allow his skill to come out more especially since he has partnered with Marner. Another plus, this will also help limit Bozak's minutes as he is usually the Leafs dead weight and the line most likely to get scored on.

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

you must have a very lose definition of great.

Really? Dahlin is Dahlin so yeah great there. Mete in a predefined 2nd pairing role should be very good. Still has tons of time to get better and has already acquitted himself quite well as a 19 year old. Valiev is an unknown but seems intriguing. Good tools. hasn't had a real shot.

I mean great isn't fricking amazing. You really can't get much better than Dahlin (from what I hear). Mete was a WJC stand out where even 1st pairing upside isn't out of the question for him (though somewhat unlikely).

 

[montreal]

Really? Dahlin is Dahlin so yeah great there. Mete in a predefined 2nd pairing role should be very good. Still has tons of time to get better and has already acquitted himself quite well as a 19 year old. Valiev is an unknown but seems intriguing. Good tools. hasn't had a real shot.

I mean great isn't fricking amazing. You really can't get much better than Dahlin (from what I hear). Mete was a WJC stand out where even 1st pairing upside isn't out of the question for him (though somewhat unlikely).

It all depends on how Mete's offensive game translates. I said I have him more as a bottom pairing D on a cup contending team unless he can develop his offensive game a good bit to a around a 30 pt a year guy. The WJC's don't mean much to me, it's all about the kind of production you are going to get from him as he doesn't have much of a shot and we are going to need guys that can produce offense from the blueline if our defense is going to be anything close to great. There are a lot of question marks even if we were lucky enough to get Dahlin which of course would be huge but just shows how far we have to go if we don't get him.

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

It all depends on how Mete's offensive game translates. I said I have him more as a bottom pairing D on a cup contending team unless he can develop his offensive game a good bit to a around a 30 pt a year guy. The WJC's don't mean much to me, it's all about the kind of production you are going to get from him as he doesn't have much of a shot and we are going to need guys that can produce offense from the blueline if our defense is going to be anything close to great. There are a lot of question marks even if we were lucky enough to get Dahlin which of course would be huge but just shows how far we have to go if we don't get him.

oh yeah he very well could top out as a bottom pairing guy on a REAL contender but I don't even think his offensive game has to translate for him to be a 2nd pairing guy. He could very well be paired with an offensive guy, I don't think he HAS to be one. I just think it's logical to think that top 4 is a very real possibility when you crack the NHL as a 19 year old regardless of how bad the D corps is. Tons of time/room to still improve.

I also think he can help our offense even without developing much of a shot. All that aside though on a real contender he might not be a top 4. I think it's like 60/40 for me that he could be. More to the point though I'd still think Dahlin and Mete would be great going forward on the left. Can't say about Valiev but I'm sure we could find a suitable bottom pairing LD one way or another.

 

[Habs Icing]

Dahlin/Mete/Valiev on the left side is great moving forward.

I missed the lottery?

 

[montreal]

oh yeah he very well could top out as a bottom pairing guy on a REAL contender but I don't even think his offensive game has to translate for him to be a 2nd pairing guy. He could very well be paired with an offensive guy, I don't think he HAS to be one. I just think it's logical to think that top 4 is a very real possibility when you crack the NHL as a 19 year old regardless of how bad the D corps is. Tons of time/room to still improve.

I also think he can help our offense even without developing much of a shot. All that aside though on a real contender he might not be a top 4. I think it's like 60/40 for me that he could be. More to the point though I'd still think Dahlin and Mete would be great going forward on the left. Can't say about Valiev but I'm sure we could find a suitable bottom pairing LD one way or another.

yea it depends on how much his partner could produce. In the past we had it where just Subban/Markov were the only real threats and imo that was a big concern. With Mete I just don't know what he's going to be, I kind of hate that he's in the NHL and I just have big questions on his offensive upside so for me there's no way I'm calling a left side of Dahlin, Mete, Valiev great if that's what we ended up with.

If Mete turns into a very solid 2nd pairing D for us clearly that would be great news just have to see what happens there.