[News] Valimaki on waivers. Update: Clears

[Hells Bells]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

I thought this guy was the next Heiskenen.

He's a year older than Heiskanen.

I was hoping he'd turn into a poor man's Hedman.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts

Pretty sure they said Stone was only going to extend with Vegas.

Missing on Stone is probably why he was aggressive with Toffoli and getting it done early.

I mean things get misconstrued all the time.

Why would Brad go that far down the path of negotiating for Stone if it was a hard no.

Maybe the yes for the Flames was 10 per, Flames didn't think they could fit it, so he comes back saying he'll only extend in Vegas in that case.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

I mean things get misconstrued all the time.

Why would Brad go that far down the path of negotiating for Stone if it was a hard no.

Maybe the yes for the Flames was 10 per, Flames didn't think they could fit it, so he comes back saying he'll only extend in Vegas in that case.

I wouldn't want anyone talking to my player unless we had a deal we agreed on.

I am just going off media reports here at the time. Also Maloney said they went to bed having agreed on a deal and fell apart the next day, so it can either be Stone not engaging, or it could be the ask being too high from his side.

Going into the negotiation they should have known what a contract looks like for him. Don't think Treliving could grind down that deal for Stone like he did with our RFA's.

Just shows you how having space is so important, instead of capping your team out on July 1st signing players like Troy Brouwer or a James Neal. Always annoyed me that as soon as Treliving found a dollar and draft pick he would spend it right away.

[Bourque's Twin]

Valimaki looked awesome right out of the gate, kind of like Baertschi did. He was physical, had good instincts, etc. After his knee injury, he was never the same. Even though he had 1 good year in AZ, it was on a rebuilding team and he got tons of minutes. He could not be an impact player anymore when the stakes are high.

[Reggie Dunlop]

Sutter ruined him!

[flamesgod]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

I always have heard the Flames in the end met Ottawa's ask contingent on coming to terms with Stone.

Stone wanted $10M and the Flames didn't think they could do it within their cap structure with Tkachuk as a pending RFA (probably not wrong about that).

In the end the real problem was signing Neal 6 months earlier - Flames under Trevliving never having the foresight to keep some cap space open for in-season moves was a big part of his failures here. Always had to spend to the cap right away in the first week of July.

I heard the same. Still don’t know where Stone said he’d only sign with Vegas.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Originally Posted by flamesgod

I heard the same. Still don’t know where Stone said he’d only sign with Vegas.

Treliving media apologists?

[Paulie Walnuts]

Vegas got him for a 2nd Branstrom and a cap dump. If he was open to signing with other teams I’m sure Ottawa would have gotten a better return.

Just like that scumbag Hanifin and his agent trying to sabotage trading him last year by eyeing down Tampa.

[musth]

I'd trade Barrie for him

[browna]

Valimaki did get a terrible situation. COVID stunting development as a pro, then a knee injury when he really needed it.

Just like that, two seasons of absolutely critical development, out the window.
It's such a fine line those first few years for very good junior players, to be on the path to be a very good pro. Timing is everything. The right coaching and roster support, right minutes and deployment, right team situation overall.
It's why the Oilers top picks floundered until McDavid, even he had do overcome a lot that the other top picks they had, couldn't
Valimaki instead lost his proper development hindered, and it's very hard to get it back when you're two years behind.

But yeah, rental for Stone should've been done for a player of that caliber. Worry about the re signing in the summer after hopefully a nice playoff run, which that could've been.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by browna

But yeah, rental for Stone should've been done for a player of that caliber. Worry about the re signing in the summer after hopefully a nice playoff run, which that could've been.

Reports cited on this thread are that the price was Valimaki + one of Kylington or Andersson + a 1st-round pick. Still doing that for a rental?

[browna]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

Reports cited on this thread are that the price was Valimaki + one of Kylington or Andersson + a 1st-round pick. Still doing that for a rental?

Unless he told Trelving straight up he wasn't signing in Calgary under any circumstances, then sure. Take the chance the chance that you can re sign him after the season.
If that was the actual rumored return, which Ottawa didn't get from LV.

We would've had our next captain after Gio, too.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by flamesgod

I heard the same. Still don’t know where Stone said he’d only sign with Vegas.

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

Treliving media apologists?

I’ve posted the story at least 5 times and it wasn’t Calgary based. Flames (and a couple other teams including the Jets) wanted to talk to Stone about extending before doing a trade. Stone wouldn’t talk to them - but he did talk to Vegas and was obviously on the same page given he signed immediately after the trade.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

Treliving media apologists?

Pretty sure it was Friedman or someone out east.

Was in the media.

[Paulie Walnuts]

If I recall correctly, Winnipeg bowed out early of the Stone sweepstakes and went with another player for the same reason.

Flames stuck with it, but he was stuck on Vegas, may have also had to do with his relationship with the management in Vegas.

It's a big trade, and would have been a huge financial commitment largest in Flames history at the time so yeah I think it was important for them to know he would sign.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by browna

Unless he told Trelving straight up he wasn't signing in Calgary under any circumstances, then sure. Take the chance the chance that you can re sign him after the season.

By multiple media reports, Stone would not discuss a contract extension with any team except Vegas. I'd say getting his agent to refuse Treliving's calls was a pretty strong indication that he wasn't going to sign here.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts

If I recall correctly, Winnipeg bowed out early of the Stone sweepstakes and went with another player for the same reason.

Flames stuck with it, but he was stuck on Vegas, may have also had to do with his relationship with the management in Vegas.

It's a big trade, and would have been a huge financial commitment largest in Flames history at the time so yeah I think it was important for them to know he would sign.

Yes, Winnipeg went with plan B which was Hayes (a terrible signing).

[sureLoss]

Bad news for Valimaki, out 8-9 months after ACL surgery. Probably puts a big dent in his chances to earn another NHL contract.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1899113052370620786

[Bingo]

Played one game in the AHL, so guessing that's when it happened.

Poor kid.

[Reggie Dunlop]

ACL tear in 2019 which wiped out a season ... same leg or the other? Either way, definitely bad news.

He has a contract for next season, so there's that.