FivE to watch at prospEcts camp
Here are some of the key players to watch at the Calgary Flames Prospects Camp, writes
1.
JUUSO VALIMAKI Position: Left-shot defenceman Age: 19
Worth watching because … he’ll be the best defenceman at the Flames Prospects Camp. The 16th overall pick from the 2017 NHL draft, Valimaki has game. He’s big, skates and moves the puck well, is smart, makes quick decisions and, here’s the kicker, he’s turning professional this fall. In fact, don’t be surprised if the six-foot-two, 210-pounder earns an extended stay with the big club through training camp. Battling through a groin injury through the first part of the Western Hockey League season with the Tri-City Americans, he ended the year scoring 14 goals and 31 assists in 43 games and was a plus-15. Can the Nokia, Finland, native translate his skills on the professional stage? We’ll find out soon enough.
2.
SPENCER FOO Position: Right-wing
Age: 24
Worth watching because … now, officially, property of the Calgary Flames as of last summer, the pressure is on for Foo to find his place in the organization. After playing 62 games and scoring 20 goals and 19 assists with the American Hockey League’s Stockton Heat, the jury is still out on whether or not he’s ready to make the jump to the big league. The six-foot, 190-lb. right-winger had a four-game stint at the end of the season during which he scored twice. But for the former NCAA Union College standout, he’ll likely tell you that it was a small sample size. And with all the added firepower on the right side for the Flames this off-season, it’s going to be a heckuva lot harder to make the team when the fall rolls around. Foo will be one of the older players at camp and should stand out easily.
3.
YASIN EHLIZ
Position: Left-wing
Age: 25
Worth watching because … no one has really seen this guy play. You would be lying if you said you watched every second of Germany’s games at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics (or maybe you did?). But you might remember when the Germans stunning upset of the Canadian team in the semifinals, which vaulted them into the gold-medal game. The Flames certainly took notice of the 25-year-old leftshot winger and inked him to a one year, two-way contract. Ehliz is likely bound for the minors in Stockton, Ca., but it will be interesting to see him in action. The last German to skate for the Flames was David Wolf.
4.
DILLON DUBE Position: Centre
Age: 19
Worth watching because … there’s some thought that he could be NHL ready in a few years. Or, if he had his way, this coming 2018-19 season. However, with the acquisition of James Neal, Elias Lindholm, Austin Czarnik, etc., Dube has fallen on initial depth charts — understandable, considering he only skated six times with the Flames’ American Hockey League affiliate in Stockton (he had four assists, mind you). And the Canadian world junior captain only recently graduated from the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets, with whom he had 38 goals and 46 assists in 53 contests last season. But the speedy centre is a bright spot in the Flames organization, no doubt, and if he doesn’t make the opening night roster, there’s a good chance he could be one of the first call-ups.
5.
DAVID JANKOWSKI Position: Centre
Age: 21
Worth watching because … he’s Mark’s little brother. In all seriousness, it’s a fascinating camp invite considering that his brother went through the process for five straight summers (from 2012 to 2016) and only cracked the team’s NHL roster — finally — this past season. Bound for NCAA’s St. Lawrence University, the same school as Martin Pospisil who was one of the Flames fourth-round selections in the 2018 NHL Draft, Jankowski had 38 goals and 52 assists in 60 games to lead the Central Canada Hockey League in scoring for the Hawkesbury Hawks. The 21-year-old is sixfoot-one and 165 lb., so he likely has some bulking up to do before turning professional. Remember, his brother was a lanky centreman who was late to the party.