GDT: U-20 WJC

[Johnny Hoxville]

I think he’s ready next season.

 

[Kahvi]

Just like watching Flames play

 

[Kahvi]

Valimaki might need a few more years. 3 goals against today so far.

Was he on ice on that PP goal? anyway that stat is meaningless when you analyze Välimäki's game tonight.

Tuulola looked strong in puck battles, good at protecting puck and driving to the net. One Tkachuk style battle behind the net and a nice pass in from of goal. Two good shots at goal. Skating looked slow but I don't think this is news to anyone.

 

[Dack]

Valimaki didn't have a good game today I don't know why that would point to him being less NHL ready that's just dumb.

He was excellent earlier in the tournament and he spent a large portion of this game playing RD (His off side). He's also the best player on his WHL team.

Plus that poster is the opposite of unbiased seeing as he's trolling in the game thread currently and complained the entire tournament about how they cut his boy Old Lead boots (Rasanen).

He also said this about Rasanen after Valimaki had already been named Captain "I bet he beats out Valimaki and get more ice time #hottake".

It seems to me someone might have an agenda.

FTR I think Valimaki will spend next season and maybe the one after that in the AHL but I don't base it on a couple games in the 10 or so games I've seen he needs more time to refine his game. He's smart, has good instincts and has the physical tools he just needs time to put it all together.

Around the draft Garrett Hohl tweeted that he was a NZ beast in his draft year in the WHL I want to see him bring that level to preseason next year.

 

[Kipper933]

One issue could be finding space for Valamaki next season, because I'm thinking Fox is going to jump right into our lineup when the NCAA season ends. And, at some point, we have to give Andersson and/or Kylington a real look, no?

 

[MonyontheMoney]

Valimaki was a disappointment for me all tournament.

His game isn’t supposed to be flashy. He’s just a guy that’s usually good at getting the puck up ice and is relatively good defensively, which is a style of play that I like from defencemen.

However, he really didn’t even do that very well for most of the tournament. How many soft cross ice backhand passes either got picked off or weren’t even in the vicinity of the target? He generally took too long to make outlets, which won’t fly at a higher level.

Defensively he was okay. Definitely failed to identify his man on numerous occasions and he could use his stick to defend a fair bit better.

Is some of this nitpicking? Sure, but these are things that will determine his readiness to play in the NHL next year. This isn’t just based on this tournament either, it goes back to things I saw going into the draft last year.

I think he gets attached to the “NHL ready” tag because he plays a relatively safe game, but I see him playing at least one year in the AHL.

 

[Critical13]

Valimaki didn't have a good game today I don't know why that would point to him being less NHL ready that's just dumb.

He was excellent earlier in the tournament and he spent a large portion of this game playing RD (His off side). He's also the best player on his WHL team.

Plus that poster is the opposite of unbiased seeing as he's trolling in the game thread currently and complained the entire tournament about how they cut his boy Old Lead boots (Rasanen).

He also said this about Rasanen after Valimaki had already been named Captain "I bet he beats out Valimaki and get more ice time #hottake".

It seems to me someone might have an agenda.

FTR I think Valimaki will spend next season and maybe the one after that in the AHL but I don't base it on a couple games in the 10 or so games I've seen he needs more time to refine his game. He's smart, has good instincts and has the physical tools he just needs time to put it all together.

Around the draft Garrett Hohl tweeted that he was a NZ beast in his draft year in the WHL I want to see him bring that level to preseason next year.

What's the agenda? What about all the times I've pumped Fox's tires? Just because Valimaki dissapointed me all tournament doesn't mean I dislike the Flames.

At least you still have a high profile defenceman in the tournament, more than a lot fanbases can say.

 

[Dack]

Valimaki was a disappointment for me all tournament.

His game isn’t supposed to be flashy. He’s just a guy that’s usually good at getting the puck up ice and is relatively good defensively, which is a style of play that I like from defencemen.

However, he really didn’t even do that very well for most of the tournament. How many soft cross ice backhand passes either got picked off or weren’t even in the vicinity of the target? He generally took too long to make outlets, which won’t fly at a higher level.

Defensively he was okay. Definitely failed to identify his man on numerous occasions and he could use his stick to defend a fair bit better.

Is some of this nitpicking? Sure, but these are things that will determine his readiness to play in the NHL next year. This isn’t just based on this tournament either, it goes back to things I saw going into the draft last year.

I think he gets attached to the “NHL ready” tag because he plays a relatively safe game, but I see him playing at least one year in the AHL.

Not a great stretch of games for him but I thought he was good early in the tourney.

Also I think that the not flashy tag is incorrectly applied to him; Juolevi isn't flashy neither is Heiskanen really but Valimaki kind of is. He's always going for the big play and looks like he wants to be the guy to make that play.

I do agree on one thing though he needs to improve his breakout passing it's my biggest worry with him.

What's the agenda? What about all the times I've pumped Fox's tires? Just because Valimaki dissapointed me all tournament doesn't mean I dislike the Flames.

At least you still have a high profile defenceman in the tournament, more than a lot fanbases can say.

I didn't say you disliked the Flames I meant you picked out Valimaki as a disappointment before the tournament even started. Conformation bias you know?

A lot of people liked his play prior to the last game on the prospects board, some people like you and Mony didn't like his play all tourney it's a matter of opinion.

Also liking Fox doesn't prove anything. Everyone likes Fox he's god. Except one specific contrarian that is.

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

I really liked Valimaki. Wish he would have got to play on the PP. He’s physical in a modern way. Understated what he did. Finland was getting hemmed because their forwards were pretty useless outside the top line.

Fox I haven’t liked as much until about halfway through last game where he went bonkers in the second half. The fact Quinn Hughes was QBing the first pp was laughable. That guy has tons of skill but he’s a puck hog right now. As soon as Fox was switched the PP clicked. I envision him as our 3rd pair PP QB for a long time.

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

Kyrou broke his stick. Went to the bench. Grabbed Batherson’s stick (who had already scored 2) and went back out and scored a goal. Amazing.

 

[FerklundCGY]

Valimaki played on his off side the whole tournament, didn't get a second of PP time, and still finished with 5 points (should get credited with an assist on Vesalainen's goal today).

He finished tied for 3rd (1st among D-men) on his team in points and had more 5v5 points than anyone on his team.

His exit numbers out of his own zone were also excellent for the most part. Especially in today's game where his exit % was 100%.

Yes, he made a few questionable decisions but overall, considering he was playing on his off side, how can you possibly complain about his tournament?

 

[MonyontheMoney]

Because we watch more than just the stats?

 

[Mr Snrub]

Guy had a bad game today and suddenly that's a terrible tournament. Okay.

 

[MonyontheMoney]

Disappointing does not mean terrible. Those words should be very easily differentiated, but I guess everyone has their struggles.

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

Guy had a bad game today and suddenly that's a terrible tournament. Okay.

I only watched half of today’s game and he looked good. But I did see the highlight of the goal he was behind the play on.

Overall though I watched almost every minute of Finland and thought he was a rock 5-on-5 and on the PK.

 

[Baxterman]

One issue could be finding space for Valamaki next season, because I'm thinking Fox is going to jump right into our lineup when the NCAA season ends. And, at some point, we have to give Andersson and/or Kylington a real look, no?

Fox is struggling with juniors aged guys defensively and he is going to jump into our line-up this year?

I have to think that the team isn't going to regress so badly that Fox and/or Valimaki can make the team by next season. They may want to retool but I can't seeing anyone tanking this team that early.

 

[FerklundCGY]

Because we watch more than just the stats?

Watching for things creates unwanted biases. If you're looking for him to make mistakes, the smallest mistake will catch your eye.

You're talking about a guy, again, who played on his off side the whole tournament and still finished with the most points among D-men and most 5v5 points among all his teammates.

Of course he was gonna make a few mistakes

 

[MonyontheMoney]

Watching for things creates unwanted biases. If you're looking for him to make mistakes, the smallest mistake will catch your eye.

You're talking about a guy, again, who played on his off side the whole tournament and still finished with the most points among D-men and most 5v5 points among all his teammates.

Of course he was gonna make a few mistakes

Hardly. Watching tells you what skills are there and which aren’t. There’s a reason teams employ scouts instead of just looking up who scored the most on hockeydb.

Again, I like Juuso. I think he’s the style a modern shutdown D should be. But I’m not going to sit here and hush about how good his tournament was because he had 5 points. That’s not productive at all.

Does that mean that Valimaki was better than Heiskanen because Heiskanen only had 2(?) points?

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

Leave it to CFHF to make 90% of evaluation on goal events, which are essentially 10% of the events in games.

 

[Mobiandi]

Dube just sniped one on the PP

 

[FerklundCGY]

Hardly. Watching tells you what skills are there and which aren’t. There’s a reason teams employ scouts instead of just looking up who scored the most on hockeydb.

Again, I like Juuso. I think he’s the style a modern shutdown D should be. But I’m not going to sit here and hush about how good his tournament was because he had 5 points. That’s not productive at all.

Does that mean that Valimaki was better than Heiskanen because Heiskanen only had 2(?) points?

Considering I'm one of the biggest advanced stats nerds on here, I think it's safe to say points is one of the last things I look at but 5v5 points is a very telling stat

Also, now you're saying Valimaki is a modern shutdown defenseman?

 

[MonyontheMoney]

Considering I'm one of the biggest advanced stats nerds on here, I think it's safe to say points is one of the last things I look at but 5v5 points is a very telling stat

Also, now you're saying Valimaki is a modern shutdown defenseman?

I’m saying he has the potential to be. That really isn’t a controversial statement either.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

Valimaki, IS what I’d call a flashy defenceman, and I wouldn’t classify him as an defensive dman whatsoever.

To me, he’s a great skating offensive dman who’s an excellent passer and is quite good in his own end. I didn’t see today’s game, but in the 4 other games I saw, Valimaki was their teams best all around dman. He’s such a good skater, moves the puck up the ice with ease, generates chances better than anyone else on his team, and he played pretty darn good in his own end. I did see some of th mistakes he made, but I’ll take it considering the way he plays. I’d call it more “growing pains”.

Honestly, his style reminds me the most of Hedman when I watch him play. Kid is an excellent talent.

 

[Bounces R Way]

Really like Fox's game. Not a lot of guys his age control the game and the puck like he does. If he can improve his skating and maybe put on some weight I could see this guy being a quality top 4 in a couple years.

Valimaki, IS what I’d call a flashy defenceman, and I wouldn’t classify him as an defensive dman whatsoever.

I get the same vibe honestly. Somewhere between Kylington and Andersson stylistically. Still leaves a lot to be desired on his own end but most D his age do.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

MotM, I’m curious, often in his own end Valimaki plays a very steady and calm game. I think this can come across as being conservative, is that why you think he’s more defensive? I just think that when I see him get the puck, he becomes very dynamic. This may sound found funny, but Finland drew very small crowds this tourney so the games came across as fairly dull. In Tri-City, his style just seems more entertaining. I dunno, maybe I’m crazy but it’s just a thought.