HF Article
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- Nov 16, 2005
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As well as acting as the hub for the Kootenay Ice, Cranbrook, BC is widely regarded for its rich railway history which dates back to the turn of the twentieth century. So it’s almost poetic that Rinat Valiev landed there in an effort to get a potential NHL career back on track.
The 18-year-old Russian defenseman was draft-eligible last season and was thought by some to be a mid-round selection – he was ranked as the 141st North American skater by Central Scouting – but went unclaimed. While the “Russian factor†often plays a role in the slight of a seemingly talented enough Russian prospect, as much can not be said about Valiev, who left the motherland midway through the 2012-13 campaign to join the Indiana Ice of the USHL.… read more
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