Confirmed with Link: Flames sign Johannes Kinnvall

[Sparky93]

I’ve seen multiple people say his game resembles Heiskanen. I can go quote them if you’d like.

Its fine to be excited about a prospect but with no North American experience, you have to take the numbers with a gain of salt. While there's Heiskanen comparisons, there's also MA Bergeron talk as well. I've never seen a scouting report or article question his offensive abilities but many suggest that his all round game has to take some huge strides, in order to become a full time NHLer. That being said, I think the Valimaki hype is a bit overblown as well. I saw a guy compare him to Ekholm and I think that's a fair evaluation. Both kids are extremely talented but penciling in either on the top pairing, might be premature.

 

[Mazatt]

24 games... wow. And not hating, but saying he’s not legit.

Are you acting surprised that the European signing none of us have seen play live isn't going to be seen as the next big thing based off of his numbers in a foreign league, where as Valimaki was already seen as a legit thing in Calgary based on those 24 games and his pedigree coming in, and now that we have highlights and information of him dominating a league (Beyond the stats) people can say "yes, he is legit."

This shouldn't be that hard to understand

 

[User1996]

I’ve seen multiple people say his game resembles Heiskanen. I can go quote them if you’d like.

If that’s how they were worded seems more like a stylistic comparison than anything else

 

[Flamesfan62]

Its fine to be excited about a prospect but with no North American experience, you have to take the numbers with a gain of salt. While there's Heiskanen comparisons, there's also MA Bergeron talk as well. I've never seen a scouting report or article question his offensive abilities but many suggest that his all round game has to take some huge strides, in order to become a full time NHLer. That being said, I think the Valimaki hype is a bit overblown as well. I saw a guy compare him to Ekholm and I think that's a fair evaluation. Both kids are extremely talented but penciling in either on the top pairing, might be premature.

Sure, you can take it with a grain of salt but that doesn’t mean just because you’re uninformed you mark him as not legit which most of the board is doing. And of course Valimaki is overhyped by our fan base, it’s what they do.

 

[Flamesfan62]

Are you acting surprised that the European signing none of us have seen play live isn't going to be seen as the next big thing based off of his numbers in a foreign league, where as Valimaki was already seen as a legit thing in Calgary based on those 24 games and his pedigree coming in, and now that we have highlights and information of him dominating a league (Beyond the stats) people can say "yes, he is legit."

This shouldn't be that hard to understand

Just because you haven’t watched him doesn’t mean others haven’t, so you’re saying the top drafted guys playing in “foreign leagues” aren’t as valuable as the ones in NA? And this foreign league you mention is the 3rd best in the world. And 24 games isn’t a big enough sample size no matter the circumstances. Yes, I think Valimaki will be the better player, no I don’t think it’s fair to hype one up over the moon and one 6 feet under. There’s no evidence to support either claim.

 

[Flamesfan62]

If that’s how they were worded seems more like a stylistic comparison than anything else

Well perhaps, but they play nothing alike from what I’ve seen.

 

[Mazatt]

Just because you haven’t watched him doesn’t mean others haven’t, so you’re saying the top drafted guys playing in “foreign leagues” aren’t as valuable as the ones in NA? And this foreign league you mention is the 3rd best in the world. And 24 games isn’t a big enough sample size no matter the circumstances. Yes, I think Valimaki will be the better player, no I don’t think it’s fair to hype one up over the moon and one 6 feet under. There’s no evidence to support either claim.

I'm not saying that? I'm saying from the layman perspective we are wary of the prospect we haven't seen compared to the one we have. I don't think you understand. We aren't pundits able to watch and judge the games, so outside of seeing Valimaki or Kinnvall highlights or hearing scouting reports we're SOL as far as knowledge goes for the most part (outside of the Flames fans in Finland who have gone to see Valimaki and reported back in here). Me suggesting that fans have reason to not jump on a hype train immediately isn't saying Kinnvall is bad and I don't see why you jump to that conclusion, I'm just giving reasons why the fans in here, who can't see him play abroad, aren't able to judge his talent accurately and are therefore not getting super hyped on him.

 

[Sparky93]

Sure, you can take it with a grain of salt but that doesn’t mean just because you’re uninformed you mark him as not legit which most of the board is doing. And of course Valimaki is overhyped by our fan base, it’s what they do.

I don't think anyone anyone is saying he isn't a legit prospect. I mean we signed him, so obviously the organization sees something they like. All I'm saying, like most by the looks of it, is that starting the parade for a 23 year old, coming to take the NHL by storm, based solely on advanced stats, might be premature. Theres plenty of advanced stat darlings that never get a sniff of the NHL and if it was even close to the hard science, that some suggest, we wouldn't see draft misfires around the league every year. That being said, the kid appears to have some talent and definitely worth keeping an eye on. I'm really sure what there could be to take offense to, in that, and it appears to be a view most share.

 

[Flamesfan62]

I'm not saying that? I'm saying from the layman perspective we are wary of the prospect we haven't seen compared to the one we have. I don't think you understand. We aren't pundits able to watch and judge the games, so outside of seeing Valimaki or Kinnvall highlights or hearing scouting reports we're SOL as far as knowledge goes for the most part (outside of the Flames fans in Finland who have gone to see Valimaki and reported back in here). Me suggesting that fans have reason to not jump on a hype train immediately isn't saying Kinnvall is bad and I don't see why you jump to that conclusion, I'm just giving reasons why the fans in here, who can't see him play abroad, aren't able to judge his talent accurately and are therefore not getting super hyped on him.

I’m not saying for everyone to jump on his hype train, but they should at least give him some credit.

 

[Flamesfan62]

I don't think anyone anyone is saying he isn't a legit prospect. I mean we signed him, so obviously the organization sees something they like. All I'm saying, like most by the looks of it, is that starting the parade for a 23 year old, coming to take the NHL by storm, based solely on advanced stats, might be premature. Theres plenty of advanced stat darlings that never get a sniff of the NHL and if it was even close to the hard science, that some suggest, we wouldn't see draft misfires around the league every year. That being said, the kid appears to have some talent and definitely worth keeping an eye on. I'm really sure what there could be to take offense to, in that, and it appears to be a view most share.

When did I say he’s going to take the league by storm? I just think he deserves a little more respect than we’ve shown towards him.

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

Kinvall is on the same team as Lias Andersson who has 7 points in 11 games and is only a year older than him. He’s also only a year older than Juuso.

My guess if he does carve out a career it’s as a 3rd pair PP guy, which wouldn’t be the worst thing.

 

[Mazatt]

Rn I'm hearing he's around a Gustafsson tier with how much he produces on the pp and his weak defensive game. Having someone like that in the system is nothing to complain about tbh

 

[Flamesfan62]

Rn I'm hearing he's around a Gustafsson tier with how much he produces on the pp and his weak defensive game. Having someone like that in the system is nothing to complain about tbh

I’d say his offensive capabilities are stronger than Gustafsson and he won’t hurt you nearly as bad 5v5, so would a better Gustafsson be fair? That’s what I’ve been hearing

 

[Flames Fanatic]

I’d say his offensive capabilities are stronger than Gustafsson and he won’t hurt you nearly as bad 5v5, so would a better Gustafsson be fair? That’s what I’ve been hearing

Depends on what level of Gustafsson you mean, the version that put up silly points, or the version we had that was good on the PP and below average 5 on 5 as a 3rd pairing guy.

 

[Flamesfan62]

Depends on what level of Gustafsson you mean, the version that put up silly points, or the version we had that was good on the PP and below average 5 on 5 as a 3rd pairing guy.

There’s only ever been one version of Gustafsson.

 

[Flames Fanatic]

There’s only ever been one version of Gustafsson.

There's the one that put up 60 points, and there's the one that puts up 30. There's still two.