Confirmed with Link: Leafs Sign D Rinat Valiev To ELC

[Razorwing]

He's drafted this year.. that's a bit quick of a signing?

 

[Liminality]

He's drafted this year.. that's a bit quick of a signing?

He was passed over at last years draft so he's a year older than the other drafted players. He progressed pretty well throughout the year.

Another draft pick that was apparently passed over not once but twice was Gunnarsson in the 2007 draft.

 

[Tyler Biggs*]

Two things that seem to always be mentioned with this guy. Smooth skating and smarts. In today's game, those are qualities that will take you a long way.

 

[Number13]

Two things that seem to always be mentioned with this guy. Smooth skating and smarts. In today's game, those are qualities that will take you a long way.

Especially when you add his willingness to stick up for teammates in physical confrontations.

 

[Drew311]

Two things that seem to always be mentioned with this guy. Smooth skating and smarts. In today's game, those are qualities that will take you a long way.

Mark my words, after this season this kid is going to rocket up the prospect rankings. He should have a huge year in junior considering his age and the ice time he'll be given.

 

[Prominence]

Hmmm.....there's a high chance he is going to get top pp time judging from the roster.

 

[Number13]

Hmmm.....there's a high chance he is going to get top pp time judging from the roster.

And judging from his coach saying he'll never come off the ice.

 

[Pholus]

Hmmm.....there's a high chance he is going to get top pp time judging from the roster.

Judging from their roster, he should be their #1 dman.

 

[Bluelines]

Good signing. As been alteady said, the kid probably need the signing bonus and the salary seeing as he is a foreign player.

Can the kids in the CHL take money from a pro team and still play in the CHL? I always thought the money does not get dispursed till they hit the AHL/NHL.

 

[SprDaVE]

Can the kids in the CHL take money from a pro team and still play in the CHL? I always thought the money does not get dispursed till they hit the AHL/NHL.

They get a signing bonus, so yes, they get money upfront.

But they don't get the salary from it until they are in the AHL/NHL.

At least that's how I think it works from what I remember.

 

[Cor]

They get a signing bonus, so yes, they get money upfront.

But they don't get the salary from it until they are in the AHL/NHL.

At least that's how I think it works from what I remember.

Correct. Signing Bonus is money they get right away for signing the contract, but the salary isn't paid out until the contract actually takes affect (so when they are in the NHL, or for Valiev, next season when he is with the Marlies)

 

[leafsfuture]

Basically, Valiev is on a 3 year ELC worth $809k per year. As we know the contract wont kick in until he plays pro hockey, which means either making the Leafs, or playing in the AHL in 1 years time.

The signing bonus is paid out immediately though (hence the "signing bonus" tag) and can be a max of 10% of the annual salary. Thus, by signing a deal even though hes not making the team next year, the rich NHL team gives a junior player $81 000. And while that is chump change in NHL terms, as most of us who work full-time jobs know, thats a good sum of pocket change.

 

[Menzinger]

I'm pretty intrigued by him; hoping for a later round steal.

 

[TheCLAM]

Basically, Valiev is on a 3 year ELC worth $809k per year. As we know the contract wont kick in until he plays pro hockey, which means either making the Leafs, or playing in the AHL in 1 years time.

The signing bonus is paid out immediately though (hence the "signing bonus" tag) and can be a max of 10% of the annual salary. Thus, by signing a deal even though hes not making the team next year, the rich NHL team gives a junior player $81 000. And while that is chump change in NHL terms, as most of us who work full-time jobs know, thats a good sum of pocket change.

It's more or less a token of faith in signing the kid. I've read nothing, but solid information on this kid. There seems to be no glaring weaknesses in his game and there may be some potential for him to have a 40+ point season for Kootenay.

 

[Number13]

It's more or less a token of faith in signing the kid. I've read nothing, but solid information on this kid. There seems to be no glaring weaknesses in his game and there may be some potential for him to have a 40+ point season for Kootenay.

Also, it keeps an import player enticed to stay in North America.

 

[Cap'n Flavour]

It's more or less a token of faith in signing the kid. I've read nothing, but solid information on this kid. There seems to be no glaring weaknesses in his game and there may be some potential for him to have a 40+ point season for Kootenay.

Well a weakness would be only putting up .5 ppg in his draft+1 year. That's really not that impressive for a kid who already had a year in the USHL to adjust. His defensive game must be good to have him drafted fairly early after being passed on. For comparison, Percy had about .5 ppg in his draft year, and he certainly wasn't picked for his offensive prowess.

 

[dimi78]

Well a weakness would be only putting up .5 ppg in his draft+1 year. That's really not that impressive for a kid who already had a year in the USHL to adjust. His defensive game must be good to have him drafted fairly early after being passed on. For comparison, Percy had about .5 ppg in his draft year, and he certainly wasn't picked for his offensive prowess.

You don't draft on jr point production. It has next to zero baring when in the pro game. You draft attributes and this kid is strong on just about all of them.... That's how you end up with gems.

FYI it was in fact the offensive tools that Percy has in why the Leafs drafted him in the 1st round. Percy has one rather big issue in that he doesn't believe in his own skills which will limit him. He doesn't know just how skilled he is that will continue in keeping him in the AHL developing with the Leafs brass pushing more from him into cracking out of his shell. If or when that happens you will see the real upside to Stu Percy in why he was a 1st round pick. There's way more to him than the Gunnarsson comparison that gets talked about.

For me I see a lot of a past Leaf Daniel Markov in Valiev and that's just gravy in my books.

 

[7even]

You don't draft on jr point production. It has next to zero baring when in the pro game. You draft attributes and this kid is strong on just about all of them.... That's how you end up with gems.

FYI it was in fact the offensive tools that Percy has in why the Leafs drafted him in the 1st round. Percy has one rather big issue in that he doesn't believe in his own skills which will limit him. He doesn't know just how skilled he is that will continue in keeping him in the AHL developing with the Leafs brass pushing more from him into cracking out of his shell. If or when that happens you will see the real upside to Stu Percy in why he was a 1st round pick. There's way more to him than the Gunnarsson comparison that gets talked about.

For me I see a lot of a past Leaf Daniel Markov in Valiev and that's just gravy in my books.

That's not exactly true. If you don't score in junior, you probably won't score at higher levels.

 

[Menzinger]

You don't draft on jr point production. It has next to zero baring when in the pro game. You draft attributes and this kid is strong on just about all of them.... That's how you end up with gems.

Would have to generally disagree with you here.

If you can't score at high rates in lower levels, it is highly unlikely that your scoring will somehow kickstart once you hit the NHL. There are a handful of exceptions to this of course, and being able to score in junior doesn't automatically mean you'll score in the pros either. But in terms of probability - scoring rates are a decent (though obviously not the only) indicator of future success.

 

[Pholus]

That's not exactly true. If you don't score in junior, you probably won't score at higher levels.

Would have to generally disagree with you here.

If you can't score at high rates in lower levels, it is highly unlikely that your scoring will somehow kickstart once you hit the NHL. There are a handful of exceptions to this of course, and being able to score in junior doesn't automatically mean you'll score in the pros either. But in terms of probability - scoring rates are a decent (though obviously not the only) indicator of future success.

While it's true that most players who aren't big scorers in junior won't be big scorers as pros, it's more of a direct correlation for forwards, whereas d scoring can be attributed to the team a bit more.

 

[highslot]

we don't need percy nor valiev to be scoring threats on the pp; we have gardiner and rielly. we need complementary top 4d who have great puck possession, can move the puck, are smooth skaters, positionally solid and can win the boards. also, ideally, physical and can clear people from the net.

valiev, granberg and potentially nilsson might fit the physical bill more than percy, but percy has all but the pure physicality. he thinks at nhl speed and is a very smooth skater with anticipation above the level of an ahler.

if valiev is similar and scrappy, then our future core could look something like:

rielly-granberg
gardiner-valiev
percy-finn

nilsson, macwilliam, knodel, loov on the bubble.

the only two average skaters would be finn and granberg (and macwilliam), and both have the smarts to make up for it if they don't improve their skating.

if finn, who has the most upside of d prospects not playing regularly in the nhl doesn't make it (because of his skating), then nilsson and loov might have a top 4 chance, aside from percy who could be a d4.

i have to watch more of valiev, but he sounds like he could make the nhl and maybe be top 4. nilsson, knodel and loov intrigue me as well.

 

[FifthLine]

Yeah I'm pretty pumped about this guy. I think he could be another Leivo type pick.

 

[91Stammer*]

I see a good amount of upside in him, but no way he is passing up on Loov and Nilsson. They might not be well advertised but they are one hell of a defensive juggernauts with tons of physicality.

Leafs have invested a lot of time in them grooming them to become effective and we are seeing the result in Granberg. Loov and Nilsson might be the ones who will catch serious fire like Granberg did last year.

 

[Hocks95*]

To put it in simple terms, honestly Phaneuf is a poor man's Valiev.....

 

[WhatASaveDave]

Every time I see Rinat Valiev play, I can't help but think "Future Olympian". This kid is a real beauty