All our dreams have come true! Bill Peters announced early Monday afternoon that Dillon Dube and Juuso Valimaki will make the Calgary Flames opening-night roster.
Am I dreaming? Somebody pinch me. Calgary Flames head coach Bill Peters announced Monday afternoon that forward Dillon Dube and defenceman Juuso Valimaki have made the opening-night roster on Wednesday night against the Vancouver Canucks.
Both players have easily been the most impressive prospects during the preseason for the Flames. Dube, who was taken in the second round of the 2016 draft, put up four goals and six points in seven games, along with a 58.39% CF% along with 11 scoring chances.
Valimaki, the Flames’ first-round pick in 2017, put up two goals and five points in seven games and averaged 10:32 TOI per game. The team also had the most amount of shot attempts with him on the ice (5on5) with 102 (125 all strengths), however, he did play more than anybody else, so that’s understandable. Individually, he still had 24 shot-attempts (28 all strengths) and had eight scoring chances.
Last season, Valimaki spent most of his time with the Tri-City Americans of the WHL where he had 14 goals and 45 points in 43 games, along with 17 points in the playoffs. He also took a break in the middle of that to captain Team Finland at the World Juniors, where he had four points in five games.
Dube last season spent most of his time with the Kelowna Rockets of the WHL where he had 38 goals and 84 points in 53 games. He also took a break in between that to also captain his respective country at the World Juniors, Canada, where they won a gold medal. Two captains joining the roster? This team is filled with leaders.
Dube finished the year off with the Flames’ farm team, the Stockton Heat, where he had four assists in six games and for the most part, looked like he fit in with the pros.
Now, both players will have even more of a chance to prove just how much they belong at the NHL level.