The Young Stars Classic gets underway tonight as the Calgary Flames take on the Edmonton Oilers in Penticton.
The Flames are carrying 26 players on their roster (15 forwards, eight defensemen, three goaltenders) and the expectation is all of them will see at least some game action over the course of the tournament.
Let's take a look at four players to keep your eyes on:
Center - Mark Jankowski
Jankowski is coming off a spectacular season in the AHL where, as a rookie, he scored 27 goals, tallied 56 points, and led the league in WAR. He appears to be NHL-ready so he should have no problem dominating any game he plays in this weekend.
Winger - Spencer Foo
If Foo is anywhere close to as good as he's hyped up to be, he should be making an NHL roster this fall. The perception is he's a young player who has plenty of time to figure things out but the reality is he's a 23-year-old and should be nearing his prime. Last season, 12 players 23 or younger played at least a game with the Flames and seven played at least 20. The goal should be for him to become a regular this season. If he's ready to do that, he should really stand out this weekend.
Defenseman - Rasmus Andersson
Andersson was one of the best young defensemen in the AHL last season and he's entering camp a lot leaner than he's been in years prior. The Flames kind of blocked him when they re-signed Michael Stone but I wouldn't be surprised if Andersson impresses to the point where he pushes his way onto the roster -- or at least is one of the final cuts.
Defenseman - Juuso Valimaki
Valimaki's goal of making the Flames out of camp may be a bit lofty, but I think he could make things interesting. He really impressed while suiting up for Finland at the World Junior Summer Showcase and defensemen who put up similar junior numbers have made the jump before. This kid is legit and it'll be fun to see him play competitive hockey wearing Flames colors.
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Puck drop is at 7:00 p.m. Eastern, 4:00 p.m. Pacific and the game can be seen via stream on both team's official websites.
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