Dahlin, Heiskanen, Hughes, Makar - next Generation of great D

Mitts

Registered User
Jun 29, 2011
3,592
1,869
Calgary
Haven't ever seen Valimaki play. Is he really that good? I haven't heard much about him at all.
He is not in their class as of yet, I expect big year from him next year, he made our team coming out of camp, straight from WHL to NHL, and was playing a regular shift this year until suffering a high ankle sprain, that sidelined him for over half the year, when he came back he spent 20 games in the AHL, racking up 14 points. He got called up for last 2 regular season games, and then games 4 and 5 of the first round where he looked very good, he has ice water in his veins, does not panic at all. Coach Bill Peters was asked about Valimaki after the Flames were eliminated, he mentioned how when Juuso came back from his injury he was stronger and leaner that before it, and how they actually did tests on him that showed that. Basically said Juuso is a workhorse who constantly tries to improve his game, and that Juuso mentioned in his exit meeting how he expects to be getting PP and PK time next year, that was Juuso's expectations of himself. My impressions was Peters is very impressed with Juuso and his ambitions. I've heard several times now, from both the Stockton coach (AHL) and Bill Peters how Juuso is one of those players you have to tell to take a break, he goes all out all the time trying to improve. It's those reasons I expect a lot from him, he passes the eye test and his attitude is what coaches wish all players had. We'll see how far that takes him.

Just to give you an idea of his skating/style, this was from young stars game i believe, couple years ago.

iheIhA4.gif
 
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Yung Rotini

6 Summers
May 18, 2013
18,333
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Penticton, BC
He is not in their class as of yet, I expect big year from him next year, he made our team coming out of camp, straight from WHL to NHL, and was playing a regular shift this year until suffering a high ankle sprain, that sidelined him for over half the year, when he came back he spent 20 games in the AHL, racking up 14 points. He got called up for last 2 regular season games, and then games 4 and 5 of the first round where he looked very good, he has ice water in his veins, does not panic at all. Coach Bill Peters was asked about Valimaki after the Flames were eliminated, he mentioned how when Juuso came back from his injury he was stronger and leaner that before it, and how they actually did tests on him that showed that. Basically said Juuso is a workhorse who constantly tries to improve his game, and that Juuso mentioned in his exit meeting how he expects to be getting PP and PK time next year, that was Juuso's expectations of himself. My impressions was Peters is very impressed with Juuso and his ambitions. I've heard several times now, from both the Stockton coach (AHL) and Bill Peters how Juuso is one of those players you have to tell to take a break, he goes all out all the time trying to improve. It's those reasons I expect a lot from him, he passes the eye test and his attitude is what coaches wish all players had. We'll see how far that takes him.

Just to give you an idea of his skating/style, this was from young stars game i believe, couple years ago.

iheIhA4.gif
So much this. He’s not in the same tier as the other guys currently but he looks like an absolute beauty. Same with Andersson.
 
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Kingsfan1

Registered User
Oct 1, 2006
4,057
907
Staples Center
Heiskanen
Makar
Dahlin
Hughes
Chabot
Jones
McAvoy
Dumba
Byram?

Probably forgetting someone


Werenski for sure . 2015 draft will go down as the most deepest draft ever . It’s already ahead of 2003 for me . That is one ridiculous draft . Unfortunately my dumbass Kings didn’t have many picks that year and ended up trading a top 4 beast of a dman like Cernak for Bishop . We need a dman like Cernak now. Kids special .
 

hairylikebear

///////////////
Apr 30, 2009
4,168
1,798
Houston
I think this thread was made to highlight rookies and prospects. A lot of names mentioned in this thread (Jones, McAvoy, Werenski, Sergachev, etc) are already established as good or great defensemen.
 

LuckyBoeser

Registered User
Oct 8, 2018
1,354
1,706
Id love to hear how Hughes and his 5 NHL games and a good but not amazing draft +1 season puts him higher than Chabot/McAvoy who are #1D at the age of 21?
I completely understand that you wouldn't rank Hughes over Chabot and McAvoy with their trajectory. However Hughes certainly had an amazing draft year +1 season.
 

Tage2Tuch

Because TheJackAttack is in Black
May 10, 2004
9,048
2,658
CAN
I don't remember the last time a defenseman was hyped as much as Dahlin. I'm eager to see how he pans out. I'm sure he'll be a solid NHL defensemen - but i wonder if he lives up to the hype.

It's so much easier to hype forwards. McDavid, Crosby, Ovechkin....they can score a zillion points or goals in juniors and people say "wow they'll be good". It's generally rarer to see defensemen hyped so much.

I agree that there are a lot of young defensemen that look great. Which is exciting because as recently as 2 years ago there didn't seem to be that many top end guys in sight.


He at 18 having to get used to the ice and being on awful team that isn’t great defensively had amazing numbers with corsi and the guy didn’t get top power play time a lot of the year due to risto and my god the guy got 44 pts..and 18...on a low scoring team, and this is a position you don’t really know god good you are until your 25, says pronger and many else... He broke defensive records for 18 year olds quite a few times and sure he plays a high risk game but when he’s on it looks like a video game.

He’s gonna be the real deal. I mean he already is. Whether he’s a lidstrom well that’s tough to know not many are


Other dahlin tidbits


Only 18 year old to play a full 82 games

Averaged over 21 minutes of ice time (unreal)

On BUFFALO had CF% over 57%!

And 2nd all time in scoring among 18 year olds ahead of Bobby Orr
 
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rocketdan9

Registered User
Feb 5, 2009
20,411
13,210
After Lidstrom, Niedermayer, Zubov, Pronger ecc in the late 90's and the beginning of the new millenium and the current stars like Karlsson, Doughty, Hedman ecc. it looks like the players mentioned above will be the future on the blue line.

That's a fantastic new generation of elite defensmen.

What are your thoughts about them?

You are missing McAvoy and Carlo from the list
 

nbwingsfan

Registered User
Dec 13, 2009
20,842
14,549
I completely understand that you wouldn't rank Hughes over Chabot and McAvoy with their trajectory. However Hughes certainly had an amazing draft year +1 season.

You’re right, but it wasn’t some out of the worst type D + the that would place him over 21 yo -#1D
 

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