[News Roundup] September 8, 2017

[MissTeeks]

Flames hopeful Spencer Foo anxious to make impression at rookie tournament

http://calgaryherald.com/sports/hock...kie-tournament

Like many of the other up-and-comers at the 2017 Young Stars Classic, Calgary Flames hopeful Spencer Foo will have his own cheering section.

His proud parents, John and Diane, wouldn’t miss this.

“That will be the first time they see me in a Flames jersey,” Foo said. “I’m just excited to go out there and show what I can do.”

Mr. and Mrs. Foo already know what he can do.

They’ve watched their boy — now a 23-year-old top prospect — buzz around on behalf of the AAA-level Edmonton CAC Canadians, the Alberta Junior Hockey League’s Bonnyville Pontiacs and most recently, the NCAA’s Union College Dutchmen.

The invites for main camp will be doled out afterward.

“The message is you’re here for a reason, so whatever it is that your asset is, make sure you show it,” stressed Flames general manager Brad Treliving. “It’s a short camp. You have to differentiate yourself. You have to find a way to distinguish yourself from the crowd. The coaches will work on some real basic systems stuff, but as much as we want to see them play together and we want to see them play as a team and look after and stick up for each other, show us something. There are people here that are preparing for main camp, but there are also people here trying to earn a spot for main camp.

“So it’s like every other camp at every other level … Don’t blend in. You have to find a way to distinguish yourself.”

“Even though it’s a rookie camp, all eyes are on us and you have to play your best,” he said. “You just have to bring forward the best you and really play your heart out. And hopefully they notice.”

Foo amassed 26 goals and 62 points in 38 outings during his junior campaign at Union.

In the process, he noticed another former collegiate standout piling up points for the Pittsburgh Penguins in his first season of professional puck.

Foo must be aware that Jake Guentzel’s ascent from relative unknown to clutch playoff performer and Stanley Cup champion started in London, Ont., where he represented the Penguins at another prospect tournament. Guentzel didn’t crack the lineup on opening night, spending a chunk of time at AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton , but his meteoric rise is proof that NHL rookie-campers are not far from the big stage.

“You just see that as an example that if a guy like that can do it, why can’t I?” Foo said. “He’s a fast player that had a lot of success with just going into the corners and the dirty areas and getting to the front of the net. You see the puck just kind of lands on his stick all the time, and it’s because he’s willing to, I think, do things that some guys aren’t.

“And that’s going to be a big thing for me if I want to make this team.”

Flames prospect Juuso Valimaki hopes he's done with junior hockey

http://calgaryherald.com/sports/hock...-junior-hockey

Juuso Valimaki doesn’t even want to think about playing another season with the Tri-City Americans in the Western Hockey League.

He has set his sights on a much bigger goal.

“It’s nice to be back here and I’m here to do everything I can to play with the Calgary Flames this year,” said Valimaki at Winsport’s Markin MacPhail Centre on Thursday after going through medicals and fitness testing with a group of other Flames’ prospects. “That’s my goal.”

After the Flames selected Valimaki 16th overall at last June’s 2017 NHL Draft in Chicago, the 6-foot-2, 204-pound defenceman attended development camp in Calgary.


“It was a fun time here in July to be here and meet some of the rookies in development camp,” said Valimaki, who’s looking forward to suiting up for the Flames at the 2017 Young Stars Classic in Penticton from Friday to Monday. “Now, it’s exciting to get some games with the younger guys and I just can’t wait for the games and I can’t wait for training camp to start and see all the other guys, too.”

Valimaki served as captain for his home country’s national junior team this summer at both the 2017 World Junior Summer Showcase in Plymouth, Mich., and for three more games against the Czech Republic, Russia and Sweden in Lahti, Finland.

“I want to be a leader and I’ll try to be a good guy in the room and obviously show an example on the ice, so that’s one of my goals,” said Valimaki, who will likely be a big part of Finland’s bid to return to respectability at the 2018 World Junior Hockey Championship in Buffalo.

Flames general manager Brad Treliving has been impressed with Valimaki’s play on the international stage thus far.

“We saw him in Plymouth and he was exceptional,” said Treliving, who’s anxious to see how Valimaki performs in Penticton as well. “He’s big. He moves the puck well. His instincts are great. You want to see how he fits in. You want to see him against a real high level of competition to see how he fares, but I expect him to do well.”

PARSONS MAKING THE PUSH TO TURN PRO

https://www.nhl.com/flames/news/pars...ro/c-290914932

Blocking the incessant white noise, reckons Brad Treliving, ranks just behind blocking those often spiteful black disks of vulcanized rubber.

"With Tyler,'' sighs the Calgary Flames' general manager, "everybody's got questions or an opinion, right?

"'Where are you going to play?'

"'Where do you want to play?'

"'How's it going to go?'

"'What do you hope to achieve?'

"We've amassed what I consider a pretty good stable of goaltenders. Meaning you've got to get everybody nets. But that's our job. So don't sweat it.

"You'll get your net.

"The good news is, 95 per cent of the stuff he has no control over and we're not going to ask an opinion on certain things anyway.

"So why worry? No sense burning calories over it.

"Go out and stop pucks. Compete like crazy."

Out at WinSport for testing Thursday before shuttling off to his second Young Stars tournament in Penticton, B.C., the 19-year-old puck-stopping prodigy's October destination remains one of the bones being most chewed over as the hockey season begins to close in fast.

"Not sure where I'm playing yet. Hopefully somewhere pro,'' says Parsons, taking his turn in the media assembly line at WinSport. "I'm ready for that. I'm ready to put the work in this weekend in Penticton, moving on to main camp and finally find out where I'm playing.

"As a hockey player, sometimes you get into these kinds of situations and it just comes down to how hard you work.

"So that's what I've been doing. Hopefully it turns out well for me.

"I think the biggest thing for me is controlling my speed and not being in the splits all the time. Just saving those for when I need to use them.

"Controlling my game. You look at a guy like Carey Price, you see how composed he is in the net. That's what I've been working on this summer."

"Wherever it turns out to be, just don't get ahead of yourself,'' says Trelviing. "Sounds cliché-ish, I know. But for Tyler, the routine should be the same: Every morning jump out of bed, think about that day, game or practice, work like crazy, let your natural ability shine and eventually things will look after themselves.

"Don't get caught up in all the outside stuff.

"Obviously our plan for him, as with any young goaltender, is to find somewhere he can face shots and make saves.

"That usually does wonders for any guy's confidence."

And a couple Bennett articles from yesterday:

BENNETT A CORE PIECE FOR THE FLAMES

https://www.nhl.com/flames/news/benn...es/c-290889424

That Sam Bennett playoff model is what they see up ahead on the horizon and what he aspires to.

Abrasive, incisive, defining.

About as much fun to run into as a 6-foot-1,185-pound hunk of pink asbestos insulation.

"Sam Bennett," lauded Flames' GM Brad Treliving following the first-round post-season ouster by the Anaheim Ducks, "had a real impact on the series. At the hardest time of the year.

"You look at that Anaheim team down the middle of the ice, pick your poison. He was playing against (Ryan) Kesler a lot.

"To me, he set the tone for us.

"He was a snarly SOB to play against. He has no problem with that type of game, on the road, in a hostile setting.

"To me that's a big step. It's a real building block for him."

The Bennett building blocks will continue to rise here through 2019, and hopefully beyond.

"I felt really good in those playoffs,'' acknowledged the 21-year-old centreman on Wednesday night, hours after agreeing to a two-year contract that allows everyone involved with, or rooting for, the Flames to sit back and exhale.

"I put a lot of pressure on myself and last (regular) season (13 goals, 26 points) wasn't what I wanted, or expected,'' acknowledged Bennett.

"It's obviously a new year now. But whatever confidence from that playoff I can use, I'll use. I'll take it into training camp and then the beginning of the year.

"I'm just really looking forward to the opportunity to show over the next two years what I'm worth."

"This is the first time going to through (contact negotiations) for me,'' said Bennett, who celebrated the pay increase with a family dinner - parents, sister, grandparents - back home in Holland Landing, Ont. "So I wasn't sure about how it would go.

"I'm just a hockey player. That's what I do. My agent took care of most of the business side. It was interesting to go through the process. Nerve-wracking? A little bit.

"But the goal was always for me to be there for training camp."

Flames ink Bennett to two-year deal worth nearly $4 million

http://calgaryherald.com/sports/hock...arly-4-million

Brad Treliving answered one of the only questions left before the Flames kick off their training camp next week by inking Sam Bennett to a two-year deal on Wednesday.

Then the general manager answered another million dollar question: do the Flames start the 21-year-old at centre?

“That’s the plan,” Treliving said. “That’s where he played last year and that’s where we plan on starting him this year. At the end of the day, Gully (Flames head coach Glen Gulutzan) will make all those calls . . . but he’ll start there and we’ll go from there.

“He’s a centre. That’s what he is.”

As for the player, he was happy to get the deal done before training camp starts.

“It’s a big relief,” Bennett said. “It was a long summer of not knowing what was going to happen. I’m just really excited to finally get it done and I can’t wait to get back to Calgary and skate with all the guys.

“Everyone from Toronto has left and gone back to their teams so I was starting to worry a little bit and it’s just nice to know I’ll be back there before training camp so I can get settled. It’ll be nice to get there and get that in and get ready for the season.”

The Holland Landing, Ont., native saw his production dip, with 13 goals and 13 assists in 81 games, but rebounded in the post-season to score a pair of goals in four games versus the Ducks. Prior to that — 2015-16, which was his first full season in the NHL — he scored 18 goals and 18 assists in 77 games.

“It was a short stay for us in the playoffs last year, but in those hard meaningful games, you saw what kind of impact Sam can have,” Treliving said. “Now, it’s like every young player . . . they need to do that on a consistent basis on both sides of the puck. But I really believe in this kid and I think he’s going to have a big year for us.

“I’m a huge Sam Bennett fan.”

Heading into next week’s scene setter, which begins Thursday with the team’s physicals, Bennett is behind Sean Monahan and Mikael Backlund, respectively, on the Flames’ centre depth chart.

That depth, however, is being challenged by up-and-comers Mark Jankowski and Curtis Lazar (another potential option at centre), while Freddie Hamilton and veteran Matt Stajan are also in the mix.

“We had a long talk after (signing),” Treliving said. “Sam’s a player and he’s eager to get back playing. That’s where his focus is and that’s where our focus is. Business is a part of the game and I think this gets him stabilized for the next two years and allows him to not worry about the business side and focused on the playing side.

“He’s had a terrific summer and he’s in great spirits. The message to Sam is the same message to all of the players. We’re eager to get going and let’s get on with it and get it started next week.”

[Coach]

<3 MissTeeks

[dash_pinched]

I for one love the News Roundup posts from MissTeeks as it signals that NHL hockey is on the horizon.

[Locke]

Really? Theres a hockey team called 'The Dutchmen?'

Because the Dutch are renowned players of the game?

[bdubbs]

Originally Posted by Locke

Really? Theres a hockey team called 'The Dutchmen?'

Because the Dutch are renowned players of the game?

As renowned as Sharks and Coyotes, I'm certain.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by Locke

Really? Theres a hockey team called 'The Dutchmen?'

Because the Dutch are renowned players of the game?

Dutchmen is the name of all University teams at that University. Has nothing to do with hockey because no names of University teams are related to specific sports. Dinos aren't renowned at sports. Thunderbirds aren't. Golden Bears aren't. We could go on and on

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Locke

Really? Theres a hockey team called 'The Dutchmen?'

Because the Dutch are renowned players of the game?

Because Union College is in Schenectady, and Schenectady was founded by the Dutch in the days when New York state was still the Dutch colony of New Netherland.

Moving on…

[FireGilbert]

[KootenayFlamesFan]

The Dutch are phenomenal skaters, though.