Here's the call which ultimately gave a Kings exec "chills":
It was also Faust's sole NHL call last year, a NBCSN game on March 27th. It's funny how things work -- if this random, late-season match doesn't go into overtime and showcase the 28-year-old's ability, who knows if he's such a shoo-in for the job? But a shoo-in he was, as his selection was said to be an unanimous decision.
Hopefully, the youthful Faust is primed for a long, Bob Miller-like run. That seems to be what the Los Angeles organization is envisioning. He does share some of the Hall of Famer's understated eloquence:
"From my perspective, I know what I won't do. I won't give catch-phrases. I won't give gimmicks. I hate shtick. I hate all those things." (LA Kings Insider)
You can hear more of Faust's sure-handed delivery here, in this reel prepared by his management. This reel also features the entire Lightning-Blackhawks OT:
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Good luck, Alex!
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Why would Tampa Bay not sign a 20-year-old power forward who finished sixth in the QMJHL in goals to an entry-level deal?
Re: Boko Imama trade, #tblightning Yzerman says they made a contract offer to him, couldn't agree. Hence got a pick in trade w Kings.
So we can gather that the Kings have a higher opinion of Boko Imama's value than the Lightning, though Yzerman did value him.
Guillaume Gervais, QMJHL scout for Future Considerations, weighs in:
His heaviness helped him play a hard grinding game. Since he's the kind of player that drives the net, he was able to outmuscle younger and smaller competition in junior...
Also, being on a stacked team like STJ helps for production when you play with guys like Chabot, Highmore, Noel, etc...
His skating has improved since his debut in the QMJHL, could be better for the pros. But I don't think he has the offensive skills to reproduce the success he had this season at the next level. He could be a good energy guy, maybe on the 4th line, scoring once in a while and protecting his teammates...
Chris Neil...would be a comp...
Well, he sounds like a prototypical King! Imama even downplays his own offensive expecations in this revealing feature by William Douglas from Color of Hockey:
“To be realistic, when I’m going to pro level, I’ll have to come back to myself, to be more of a grinder, more of a fighter,” he told me. “Right now, as a 20-year-old, I have the chance to play a more offensive dimension. So I’m pretty grateful and I’m having a lot of fun. But once I start playing pro, I have to get back to the old me, if I can say that.”
Jon Rosen has a thorough rundown of Imama's fascinating background -- his parents emigrated from the Democratic Republic of Congo -- at LA Kings Insider.
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Juuso Valimaki has something of an Achilles heel.
A scout wondered about it to The Hockey News:
"His skating at the world juniors was a bit surprising, but that could be the maturation process -- I don't think it will hold him back."
(The Hockey News excerpt from May 29, 2017 Draft Preview issue, available now.)
Justin Froese, Head of Western Canadian scouting for Future Considerations is also concerned:
Skating oppresses him at times, primarily with his edge work and reverse pivots. I see this as a corrective skill, but it's something that may hold him back from being a flashy-type defender. Defensively he needs to learn to anticipate plays on a more proactive basis...
Otherwise, however, Froese is excited about what the 6'2" all-around defender might bring to the table one day:
High-functioning playmaker and great vision from the backend, capable of controlling play and quarterbacking offensive possessions. Plays a steady defensive style and makes strong reads to overturn pucks and weather dicey scenarios. Gets a ton of shots through to the net with his wrist shot...
Valimaki is easily one of the most underrated thinkers on the ice in [my] viewings...
He's an easy guy to spot, thanks to his ability to dictate pace and keep in possession of pucks until the prime opportunity to thread the needle on a pass. He's not a high-flash type player, but he loves to pinch off the line. He had a nice progression season in major offensive categories as a result, finishing over a point per game while being a frontline powerplay quarterback and defender...
Stylistically, Valimaki resembles a player much like Matthias Ekholm. He's got the two-way pedigree and the hockey sense to help elevate his game to a level that will make him a lauded prospect. I believe he has the tools to be a top-four defender and an effective situational player even if he's not producing at an elite level...
(Future Considerations' 2017 NHL Draft guide is out now!)
Valimaki may not have the home run potential of say, a Timothy Liljegren, but Toni Rajamäki from HockeyProspect.com echoes the sentiment that the smart Finnish left-hander can be a a long-time fixture on an NHL blueline.
He's big and mobile all-around d-man with great vision. He doesn't have big flaws, but I think his puck-handling skills need to improve...
He's really reliable in the d-zone and that's the thing people doesn't really talk about...
“I’ve been trying to work on my skating and pivots and my starts and turns and stuff. Also, I’ve been trying to focus on my gaps by myself and with coaches and defending the rush closer. I need to stop making turnovers in the neutral zone and I think I can shoot the puck and find the lanes and get the puck to the net more.”
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Here are some Valimaki highlights with an even better soundtrack:
In my opinion, this clip says a lot about Valimaki right now -- a questionable first step combined with some gorgeous playmaking:
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