Calgary Flames: Recapping the 2017 NHL Entry Draft Weekend

A lot went down for the Calgary Flames during the weekend of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. We recapped it all for all of you.

Calgary Flames GM Brad Treliving has been having quite the busy week. First, he acquires Mike Smith from the Arizona Coyotes in a trade about a week ago. That fixed the goaltending issue that Flames fans were getting anxious about. I mean, they’re still anxious about this choice. But we’ll just have to wait and see what happens.

Then we have the 2017 NHL Entry Draft which is one of the most exciting days as a hockey fan. The Flames had the 16th overall pick this year, along with four other picks in later rounds. So we knew Flames management and scouts would be plenty busy this entire weekend. People were also wondering if the Flames would make some sort of blockbuster type trade with that 16th overall selection. Well I kept refreshing Twitter since usually the guys over at TSN and Sportsnet know some sort of trade is about to happen before you hear the words “We have a trade to announce” coming from Gary Bettman’s mouth.

Well, they didn’t do any blockbuster type trade that first day. Let’s see what happened this weekend.

Related Story: Twitter Reacts to the Mike Smith Trade

Day One – Round 1

Like I said, the Calgary Flames didn’t make any sort of blockbuster type trade for that 16th overall pick. Let’s see who they drafted!

16th Overall – D Juuso Valimaki

The Flames drafted Finnish defenceman Juuso Valimaki with that 16th overall pick. At first, I was a little surprised since defenceman Timothy Liljegren was still available at 16th overall, but I’m happy with the overall selection.

Valimaki was playing with the Tri-City Americans of the WHL where he was seventh among all defencemen in points with 61 in 60 games. Some good things about him is that he had a solid season last year and is a pretty big guy being 6’2″ and 212 lbs. Scouts say that he has great assertiveness in his game with little panic and he knows when to jump up on the play and when to go to the net. A very smart player.

For more stats on him and scouting reports, go here.

Related Story: Flames Select D Juuso Valimaki at 16th Overall

Via Calgary Flames:

“Not a ton there (trade-wise). We went through all the discussions and there was nothing that made sense. We’re really pleased with the guy we got,” said GM Brad Treliving afterwards.“The names kept coming off the board and we were excited when the player we took was still there. He’s a high-end thinker. Moves really well. There’s not a lot of holes in his game. He’s not dynamic dynamic. He just makes good play after good play after good play.”“It’s a dream that I’ve always had. My goal is to play in the NHL. I felt, with my family and my agent, that the best way to get there, to reach that dream, was to play in the WHL.” Said Valimaki.“What I want to do is play hockey.”“You just get a feeling. I thought the interview at the Combine went well. Then then I went home from the Combine, I had lunch with Ari.“He told me they really liked me.”A draft-day smile.“Turns out, they did.”

A teammate and good friend of Valimaki, Michael Rasmussen, who was selected by the Detroit Red Wings at the 9th overall selection had some things to say about him too.

“Not many guys deserve it more than him. Great teammate. Leader. Someone they’ll really enjoy having in their organization,” he said.Any quirks Flames’ fans should know about?“Actually, he’s a pretty open book for the most part,” Rasmussen replied. “I’ll tell you this, though: Sometimes he does like to sing. And, you know what, he’s a pretty good singer. I won’t go any further than that. It’s an inside thing.”

Welcome to the C of Red, Juuso! Let’s move on to the next rounds, shall we?

Day Two

Before we get into any other draft selection, something else happened that excited Flames fans quite a bit…

We have a trade to announce

After days of analysts mentioning how Treliving and New York Islanders GM Garth Snow had been talking about a deal with D Travis Hamonic, it finally happened. The Calgary Flames acquired Travis Hamonic from the New York Islanders and a fourth-round pick in 2019 or 2020 in exchange for their 2018 first round pick, 2018 second round pick, and a second round pick in 2019 or 2020. This comes off as somewhat confusing, so here helps break down the picks.

Hamonic is a 26 year old defenceman who still has three years left of his salary of $3.857 million. An awesome price for a top-four defenceman.

Related Story: Trade Alert - Flames Get Hamonic from Islanders

Via Calgary Flames:

“I can’t,” he concedes Hamonic, “wipe the smile off my face.“I couldn’t be more excited when I got the news. Obviously you need that moment it let it set in. But then you ask where and you hear ‘Calgary.’“You jump out of bed and you’re excited, your wife is excited, your family’s excited.“When that happens, just a great feeling.”

Welcome to the team, Travis! With him winning this year’s NHL Foundation Award and the things he likes to do with the community, he’s going to fit in just fine.

Now let’s get on to some draftees!

Round 4

With the 109th overall pick in the fourth round, the Calgary Flames selected center Adam Ruzicka who was actually ranked by scouts to go in the second or third round. But nonetheless, the big 6’4″, 209 lbs player from Slovakia who played with the Sarnia Sting of the OHL was finally taken in the fourth round.

Ruzicka racked up 25 goals and 46 points in 61 games with the Sarnia Sting last season. He also was on the world junior’s team for Slovakia, but he only played two games.

Calgary Flames

Via Calgary Flames:

“Everybody’s different,” reasoned Adam Ruzicka. “But I’m looking at (Evgeni) Malkin.“He’s a big guy, like me.“He’s good. But I want to play my hockey. I never want to be like someone different. I’m a power forward. I want to play what the coaches want.”“I’m not looking at which round, I’m looking at being the second pick for the Calgary Flames.“I’m so happy. I can’t wait to get there.“Hopefully it’s going to be soon.”

Here’s what a Flames scout had to say about him:

“Adam’s a big, strong kid with some skill who struggled for a while trying to figure out the North American game,” says Flames’ scout Fred Parker. “Once he got going, he went on a bit of a roll for. He got a little tired towards the end of the year but then went back to represent his country and played great again.“There was an adjustment period, no question. He was a leader on his team in (Slovakia).“Physically, he can handle anything thrown at him. It’s a question of whether he can develop consistency to his game in a small rink.”

Round 5

The Calgary Flames selected RW Zach Fischer with the 140th overall selection. Another big guy, 6’2″ and 205 lbs. He’s an Alberta native, from Lloydminster, and has been playing with the Medicine Hat Tigers of the WHL for the last three seasons. This past season, he racked up 34 goals and 63 points in 62 games to help his team finish first in the Central division and second overall in the WHL. He also helped them reach a playoff berth where he registered seven goals and 10 points in 11 playoff games.

He was sixth on the Tigers for points, however something to note is that he played less games than everyone ahead of him in points.

Via Calgary Flames:

“It’s an exciting thing,” Fischer said. “You work your whole life to get to this position to play in the NHL and to see my name up on the board and to celebrate it with my family is amazing.”

It is quite surprising to me that he went as late as he did. A big, two-way winger who isn’t afraid to get physical who can get goals and spent the majority of the season as a top-six forward, it’s a little baffling.

But he’s finally been drafted! Everyone welcome Zach to the Flames family!

Round 6

Another tall guy (the team likes them tall this year, hey?), D’Artagnan Joly was taken at 171st overall in the sixth round by the Calgary Flames. Now, you don’t normally see fans of teams go crazy and exciting over a sixth round draft selection of a player they don’t quite know yet. However, this guy made Flames Twitter go nuts with excitement! Why, you may ask?

Well, just look at his name! What an AWESOME name. Even if he has had the worst stats in the league, I’d call this a win for the Flames. From Gatineau, Quebec, he’s been playing with the Baie-Comeau Drakkar of the QMJHL where he racked up 16 goals and 48 points in 66 games.

And this guy has a BIG family. He has six brothers, two of which are hockey players as well.

Via Calgary Flames:

“I’m the baby of seven brothers,” he stated.“We all played hockey but now only three of us remain (playing).“We had a backyard rink and that’s where I started to play, at two years old. They put skates on me and decided to make me a hockey player.“They (taught me) how to skate and be a hockey player.”“I’m a big guy with good offensive potential,” was the 6-foot-3 forward’s self-assessment. “I can give a lot of offensive tools to this team. I’ve got work to do and I’m going to do all it takes to be part of this team.”“I know it’s a young team and they’ve got good prospects. They’re looking to rebuild for the future and they’re looking to win a Cup in the next couple of years.”

Lots of Flames fans on Twitter changed their name to add an apostrophe after the first letter of their names because of this guy. And where did his name come from?

Round 7

Last, but certainly not least, we have Swedish LW Filip Sveningsson taken at 202 overall by the Calgary Flames. Playing with the HV71 J20 of the SuperElit where he registered 15 goals and 29 points in 37 games. And finally the Flames didn’t select someone huge. He’s 6’0″ and 181 lbs. Which I mean is still above average in normal people height, but in athlete height, it’s quite average.

Via Calgary Flames:

“I was out of the room when it happened and then my family were telling me to hurry back to come look that I was drafted,” Sveningsson said. “I got pretty nervous when I realized I was drafted and when I saw that it was Calgary it was such an honour. It’s such a great organization and I’m really excited.”

Sveningsson tries to model his game after fellow Swede and Hockey Hall of Famer, Peter Forsberg.

“It’s not so easy, but I try to be like him. He’s just so skilled and a great passer that can really do it all. The skill and delivery he has with the puck is just so special that really makes for being a great hockey player and I want to have that.”

Next: Flashback Friday - Gaudreau Taken at 104th Overall

And that comprises your draft picks, Flames fans! Let’s all give these kids a warm welcome and good luck in rookie training camp.