Calgary Flames Young Stars Tournament wraps up – Who stood out?

The three games of the Young Stars Tournament have officially wrapped up. What Calgary Flames prospects stood out?

The Young Stars Tournament officially ended Monday. The Calgary Flames went 1-2-0, losing to the Edmonton Oilers and the Winnipeg Jets and having their win against the Vancouver Canucks. However, there were a few players who stood out since game 1, even though it was a 4-2 loss to the Oilers.

One of the players who stood out in game 1 was the Flames first-round draft pick at this year’s NHL draft, D Juuso Valimaki. Who scored the first goal of this tournament for the Flames against the Oilers. This isn’t to say that he will be playing in the NHL this upcoming season or even the following season since it generally takes defensemen longer to develop.

But Stockton Heat head coach Ryan Huska was impressed with Valimaki as well after that first game.

Via Calgaryflames.com:

In my opinion, he was our best player on the ice tonight. When you step back or you’re standing on the bench watching guys play, he was noticeable almost every shift. And we talked about that this morning, that that’s the way you have to play here is you have to make sure people will recognize your name and number on your back. So you have to do something all the time and I thought he played really well in a lot of different areas.

This summer has been quite productive for the 18-year old as well. During the World Junior Summer Showcase, he was named the captain of Team Finland for the upcoming 2018 World Juniors.

Related Story: Juuso Valimaki named captain of Team Finland

Via AMS Hockey:

“It means a lot. It’s a huge honor for my home country and playing with that jersey on and having the C, it’s something special for sure. It’s a really big honor.

Finland head coach Jussi Ahokas also sees those leadership qualities in him.

He has big-time leadership qualitie. He takes charge on the ice, defends well, also can make smart plays with the puck. The big thing is on the team he is a leader, and we need those kind of guys.

However, this isn’t the first time that Valimaki has had some sort of leadership-type role.

Another player who stood out and was fun to watch was newly signed NCAA player Spencer Foo. Last year, Foo had no teams interested in him. This year, he had four who offered him deals. And after growing up in Edmonton and cheering for the Oilers, who had offered him a contract, he decided to sign with the Calgary Flames instead. His rival team growing up. It was a sweet, sweet feeling.

Related Story: NCAA Free Agent Spencer Foo picks the Flames over the Oilers

Spencer Foo, along with Mark Jankowski playing on that first unit, were fun to watch. He would occasionally play with Dillon Dube as well on the powerplay and they were also both fun to watch. It seemed like every time Foo was on the ice, he was making a play. He led all the Flames skaters in points with one goal and three points.

However, he had some that hit the crossbar.

Heat head coach Ryan Huska was impressed with Foo after the second game against the Canucks.

Via Calgaryflames.com:

You can tell he’s a shooter. We talked after the last game that he had a few chances where the puck was bouncing over his stick. I think when he’s probably feeling good about his game, when he has the confidence or that swagger going, I think you’re going to see him score quite a few goals.It’s nice to see a guy on the powerplay that isn’t afraid to shoot because a lot of times you have guys that always feel they like they have to move it or make that perfect pass where he seems to be the type of guy that’s almost the shot first mentality type guy and I think every good powerplay needs to have someone like that.

I have high hopes that Foo could potentially see some time in the Calgary Flames lineup this upcoming season. Imagine him with a struggling Sam Bennett and veteran Kris Versteeg on the same line. It could help Bennett’s game and Bennett’s play-making along with Foo’s scoring abilities could be fun to watch.

And speaking of Foo playing alongside Jankowski, he also impressed. He finally got his shot at an NHL game last season when he finally made his NHL debut. He hasn’t quite been what the Flames have hoped he would develop into, but he was solid last year with the Stockton Heat.

During the tournament, he had two points in three games and he was fun to watch alongside Foo. Jankowski is hoping to get that full-time role with the Flames soon.

Via Calgaryflames.com:

Obviously I want to make the Flames and stay there all year and it starts right here. This is the first impression I get to make so it’s a big one. I thought overall it was a pretty good first game. After coming here last year I’m more familiar this year, I get to take on more of a leadership role with the guys on the ice. I just felt pretty comfortable out there and I’m just trying to make plays and do whatever I can to make the team.”

There was one player who didn’t quite impress as much as I was expecting him to, and that was G Tyler Parsons. However, it was hardly his fault. In the first game against the Oilers, he let in four goals. But they were goals that would be hard to stop by any goaltender.

He didn’t necessarily do bad, but he also didn’t shine, unfortunately. However, the Young Stars tournaments can hardly account for a player’s ability at an NHL level and it isn’t just to only attribute it to how they perform at the Young Stars tourney.

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But maybe, we see some of these faces in the Calgary Flames lineup this upcoming season.