[News] Valimaki with a torn ACL *[UPDATE 1 Feb] Back skating*

[Enoch Root]

Too much risk of drama and distraction with Phaneuf.

There are replacement-level defensemen all over the place that don't come with baggage.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

Sure, but from a logistical standpoint, the Flames currently have three AHL goalies and only two nets for them. Putting Parsons back in the ECHL would be ill-advised IMO and Gillies cannot go to the E without his consent. Gillies is going to be 26 soon and at a certain point, they're going to have to cut ties, especially if he continuess having bad seasons.

That’s only the case while every goalie at the NHL and AHL level is healthy.

You have depth because of injuries. You don’t get rid of depth because you’re healthy, you need it for when the injuries hit. Imagine 1-2 goalies are injured in the organization, that’s why we have that depth.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by kurwamac

team gets knocked out 1st round for being too small and none of you have a problem with having a toothpick on the blue line who thinks he's better than he is. can't stand the guy.

Sounds like your opinion isn’t worth listening to. Bye

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by dustygoon

Strange that tre would say they will consider a trade. Kylington should be the first option until he whiffs. Ya he is young but he should be given first shot.

Kylington will get his shot.

People are still making the classic summer mistake of assuming everybody not Valimaki will be healthy.

Treliving has to try and build depth to survive multiple injuries in the top 4. How comfortable are you with our defense if Gio, Hamonic AND Valimaki are out? Treliving has to acquire depth for all possibilities and contingencies.

[cowtown75]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

No thanks to Dion. Only reason he is being brought up is name recognition and fan service.

Prefer looking for a younger player trying to make it in the league. More coachable with at least some upside.

I agree, and I am interested in seeing how Yelesin does in camp. I'm not seeing a lot of conversation about him. Right hand shot on the right side I believe. Second in the KHL in hits, was a KHL all star last year and won the hardest shot competition. Also, as Yakupov found out, has a nasty mean streak.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Kylington will get his shot.

People are still making the classic summer mistake of assuming everybody not Valimaki will be healthy.

Treliving has to try and build depth to survive multiple injuries in the top 4. How comfortable are you with our defense if Gio, Hamonic AND Valimaki are out? Treliving has to acquire depth for all possibilities and contingencies.

There is no realistic contingency for a Giordano injury. No one - not Hanifin, Valimaki, or Kylington, can fill that void yet so of course I wouldn't be comfortable.

That said, if it came down to it and we had to roll something like

Hanifin - Brodie
Kylington - Andersson
Davidson - Yelesin

Then I think it'd work out fine for a while. The biggest question mark here is Yelesin ans clearly the org felt comfortable enough buying Stone out and letting Prout walk that they think Yelesin can step in as a #6 and not embarass himself. That left side still looks perfectly competent and you would probably expect both Brodie and Andersson to be over the 25 minutes a game mark for a while.

[neo45]

There definitely is a contingency plan for Gio going down. It’s happened before. Brodie will shift to the left and Andersson will play top pair.

It’s awful to think about but they won a playoff round last time it happened. Engelland and Brodie just had to step up big time.

[kurwamac]

Valimaki 212 lbs 6'2
Carl Gunnarsson 198 lbs 6'2 (rumoured)
Kylington 183 lbs 6'0

LOL - and you could visually see how small Kylington is without stats. That's enough of a pattern to show they want a D-man with size back there!

[dino7c]

Dion can still play physical and has a rocket shot...I'm still in for a league min or PTO

He was useful on a Sens team that almost went to the final. Kings were terrible all around

[Mass_nerder]

Originally Posted by kurwamac

Valimaki 212 lbs 6'2
Carl Gunnarsson 198 lbs 6'2 (rumoured)
Kylington 183 lbs 6'0

LOL - and you could visually see how small Kylington is without stats. That's enough of a pattern to show they want a D-man with size back there!

Erik Karlsson 190 lbs, 6'0
Too small, what a scrub.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Mass_nerder

Erik Karlsson 190 lbs, 6'0
Too small, what a scrub.

The point was in the bottom pair you might want some size/physical play...I tend to agree

[kurwamac]

Originally Posted by dino7c

The point was in the bottom pair you might want some size/physical play...I tend to agree

Lack of size is a general weakness of the team that lead to another 1st round exit.

[Mass_nerder]

Originally Posted by kurwamac

Lack of size is a general weakness of the team that lead to another 1st round exit.

We lost because Colorado made our defensemen look like they were standing still; being more physical wasn't going to win the series.
I agree that it's helpful to have a few guys that can be stronger in front of the net, but I don't think that should supersede overall talent/skating ability of of defense.

[Heavy Jack]

It’s not like Kylington is tiny which is what you continue to infer; but just looking at Kylington now and the training he’s put himself through I feel like 183 lbs isn’t quite that accurate. To add to that he listed at 6’0 185 lbs at his draft and he clearly visually looks to have added at least 10 lbs of muscle to his frame since his 2015 draft year.

Size hasn’t been Kylington’s biggest issue it’s been his consistency in having discipline to a 200 ft game that has held him back most but ultimately time down in the AHL has helped grow his overall game. Ryan Huska likes his guys and Oliver is one of them, he spent a lot of time helping grow his game.

Huska on Kylington’s first years with the org:

"Most nights, you see him as a quiet, confident guy. He doesn't try to do too much," Huska explained. "There's nights where he's off … he tries to do way too much on his own.

"I think he's learned over the course of a year and a half now, the game is about moving it quick, jumping into the play and not try to play through people. He's starting to understand that.

"There's still nights where he gets back into his old habits but he's 19-years-old. There's a lot of times we forget that, even as coaches. He's a young guy and our expectations for what he'll bring to the table are high.

"We're hard on him at times but we're hopeful he'll continue to improve and really figure out the consistency he needs to have."

Looking back on the past year and the work he has put in, Kylington sees plenty of gains in his game.

The Dman we bring in is going to be battling with Kylington for the 3rd pair left D which is perfectly fine to me as internal competition is healthy for any successful franchise but to sit here and say that 10 lbs and an inch or two in height is going to be what holds Kylington out of the starting lineup is foolishly narrow sighted.

[Heavy Jack]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Dion can still play physical and has a rocket shot...I'm still in for a league min or PTO

He was useful on a Sens team that almost went to the final. Kings were terrible all around

I agree; he averaged 15 mins a night last year but the previous 4 was averaging close to 21 a night. I still think he has game in him and with a bit of stability and a good club in front of him he could play some meaningful minutes while also pushing young guys like Kylington to take their spots on the team rather than being given them.

Phaneuf 1 x 750k

Giordano - Brodie
Hanifin - Hamonic
Phaneuf - Andersson
Kylington

To start the season that’s a very solid D corps to be able to deploy and can offer many different looks depending on the team we are facing. Time will tell but I’d be happy to take Phaneuf on a PTO/League min contract.

[kurwamac]

Originally Posted by Mass_nerder

We lost because Colorado made our defensemen look like they were standing still; being more physical wasn't going to win the series.
I agree that it's helpful to have a few guys that can be stronger in front of the net, but I don't think that should supersede overall talent/skating ability of of defense.

We can only get clues as to what Treliving's working assumptions are, one of the things he mentioned was having a good mix in the line up. They might want to be able to throw on a defensive pairing that has size and can be more physical. Also the longer we can pay Kylington less - the better. Let him develop in the AHL, then he'll at least be able to slide into the line up at a lower price or be used as trade bait.

[Heavy Jack]

Kylington is currently sitting at 187 games played in the AHL; that’s 87 more than Andersson and 167 more than Valimaki. At some point there will be a need to let him go in the NHL and see what we have with him I mean Kylington is highly regarded in this org as a potential core piece, the team and coaching staff have high expectations for him as eluded to by Huska in the quote I provided. You can’t keep pushing a guy like Kylington into the AHL who by all accounts has enough talent to play in the NHL for selfish team reasons you have to do what’s best for the player. I think the best thing for Kylington right now is to start eating NHL minutes and I’m hoping he sees Valimaki’s injury as nothing other then a big opportunity to show this team what he’s got at the NHL level as we already know we have a top pairing guy in Kylington at the AHL level.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Kylington will get his shot.

People are still making the classic summer mistake of assuming everybody not Valimaki will be healthy.

Treliving has to try and build depth to survive multiple injuries in the top 4. How comfortable are you with our defense if Gio, Hamonic AND Valimaki are out? Treliving has to acquire depth for all possibilities and contingencies.

Sure, build depth for a catastrophic string of injuries through value signings. Guy like Prout is a good example. Trading away picks for this kind of insurance is how you deplete your prospect pool over the long run.

[dammage79]

Well, this sucks a massive amount of balloons for Calimaki. And while no one wants to see a team mate go down, Kylingtons door just opened.

I hope they dont sign any more D except for farm platoon. Really want Kylington to get a tone of games this year.

[Reggie Dunlop]

Yelesin, I think is the one to watch in camp. If he can slot in and play a regular role, that's a bonus.