Flames’ Dube stoked for NHL debut
Former Rockets forward projected to play on a line with veterans Neal, Ryan tonight against Canucks
CALGARY — Dillon Dube’s choice of number drew a few comments from his Calgary Flames teammates. But he didn’t care. The directive from Flames general manager Brad Treliving for Dube to trade his training-camp number for new digits meant the 20-year-old forward from Cochrane, Alta., will play in tonight’s regular-season opener in Vancouver. “I don’t even know if 29 is that great of a number, but just to have a number that’s mine is awesome,” Dube said Tuesday at Scotiabank Saddledome.
“Guys are chirping me that it’s a backup goalie number, but I like it.”
Dube and 19-year-old Finnish defenceman Juuso Valimaki both cracked Calgary’s roster and will suit up against the Canucks. Dube and Valimaki were captains of Canada and Finland respectively at this year’s world junior hockey championships.
Valimaki, Calgary’s first-round pick in the 2017 draft, said there weren’t a lot of numbers available, but had a compelling reason to select No. 8.
“It’s kind of a big number back in Finland when (Teemu) Selanne wore it for a long, long time,” Valimaki explained. “I thought it would be cool to kind of honour him.”
He’s partnered with Michael Stone on Calgary’s third defensive pairing. Dube has been playing on left wing with centre Derek Ryan and right-winger James Neal.
“Dillon brings speed to whatever line he’s on,” Flames head coach Bill Peters said. “He knows how to play. He plays responsible and he’s hard on the puck. He gets pucks back to those guys.
“Juuso moves the puck and he is solid defensively.”
Dube, who stands 5-foot-11 and 183 pounds, was a second-round pick by the Flames in 2016 and enjoyed a stellar junior career with the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets. He was born in Golden but grew up and played his minor hockey in Cochrane, just outside of Calgary.
Valimaki, at 6-foot-2 and 204 pounds, spent the last three seasons as an import for the Tri-City Americans, who swept Dube’s Rockets from the WHL playoffs this past spring.
“What they’re going to face (tonight) is the hardest competition they’ve ever faced,” Treliving said. “This is a real NHL game. The last two pre-season games were closer to NHL lineups, but it wasn’t full NHL pace, it wasn’t NHL intensity. They’re going to see that (tonight).”
Dube is embracing and relishing everything that comes with making his NHL debut.
“In Calgary, there’s lots of attention here. It’s a big-market team,” he said. “Especially for me, being from here, there’s going to be a lot of pressure.”