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Pavel Valentenko


franck5890

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This guy will be gold. Give him a few months to adapt to North American hockey and I swear he'll be in the NHL. He's a beast - very solid on his skates, mean, and he can move the puck well. I love him to death.

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Guest 1970 Habs
Did anyone see him in training camp? Was he any good?

Not much was said about him. I do not think he played much in the pre-season either. From what I have read the plan from the get go was to get Valentenko over to North America so that he can play/adjust to the North American game. That is best served if he plays in Hamilton. he will also have to learn english and adjust to the North American culture. Quite a big adjustment.

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Our best defensive prospect, IMO. He'll be miles ahead of O'Byrne after he adapts.

I could see O'Byrne and Valentenko paired together some day. a pairing like Markov and Komisarek. A year in Hamilton will be good for him, plus it seems he has become friends with Sergei Kostistyn who can help with the language barrier.

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Guest 1970 Habs

Everyone need not be concerned as Valentenko played tonight after being hit with a puck in the head (which cracked apparantly cracked his helmet) in the Syracruse game last night.

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Guest TheBlaster

He looked horrible about a week ago when I went to see him. He was the weakest player on the team that night. Maybe he's just adjusting to the North American style.

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Guest RadioGaGa
He looked horrible about a week ago when I went to see him. He was the weakest player on the team that night. Maybe he's just adjusting to the North American style.

I think he gets caught running around his own end looking for hits...something Komi was guilty of early in his career. He's got a canon from the point though...so, if he adjusts in his own end as well as Komi has....he's gonna be another big man on D for years to come.

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I think he gets caught running around his own end looking for hits...something Komi was guilty of early in his career. He's got a canon from the point though...so, if he adjusts in his own end as well as Komi has....he's gonna be another big man on D for years to come.

Excellent point. Anyone who watched Komisarek early in his career knows that he has come a long way to become the player he is today. Great defensemen always take longer to develop than forwards. Valentenko is a project that will continue to evolve over the next few years. Let's be patient, because the rewards could be tremendous for the CH. :)

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Guest 1970 Habs

Much like Lahti Pavel has been adjusting to the smaller ice surface in North America.

Before last night's game he tallied 3 of his 7 points in two games and a +6 (third best on the Team behind Milroy and Locke).

Not bad for his rookie season. :)

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Guest overlords
Pavel tallied another 2 pts in the game against Houston tonight.

He is on fire right now having tallied 10 of his 13 points in his last 16 games.

I always thought he'd be good, just a matter of getting used to the ice, that's all. I don't expect him to be this offensive later on in the NHL but i'm just glad he's been doing well defensively :)

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Guest overlords
He seems to have more offensive upside than O'Byrne or Emelin, which is a welcome sign. Valentenko-O'Byrne could be the 2011 iteration of Markov-Komisarek. ;)

Stop, you're making me too optimistic :P

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Guest Anetéchrist
He seems to have more offensive upside than O'Byrne or Emelin, which is a welcome sign. Valentenko-O'Byrne could be the 2011 iteration of Markov-Komisarek. ;)

Don't be mistaken by his recent offensive explosion. Valentenko is another Mike Komisarek. I follow his career since Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk-2 and he's as tough as a nail but never put up so much points. While it obviously a good thing, I wouldn't ever compare him to Markov.

And yes, Valentenko is a bit more gifted than Emelin offensively (defensively and physically too, but that's another story). O'Byrne is still better than Valty on this side of the coin however.

I'd rather see Valentenko as a third pairing defensive D in place of Francis Bouillon next year or the following whereas O'Byrne would be on the second line and Komisarek on the first.

Three tanks and three more offensive D would be very nice.

I remember when, at midseason, Valentenko was voted the biggest disappointment on RDS, I was shaking my head asking myself : what did they expect ?

11 points in 35 games so far is incredible even for I who followed him rather closely :D

As of me he's first in line for promotion in Hamilton, way before Mathieu Carle who's offensive play is better overall but struggled this year at this level of play. Carle's defensive play is very very limited.

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Guest 1970 Habs
I always thought he'd be good, just a matter of getting used to the ice, that's all. I don't expect him to be this offensive later on in the NHL but i'm just glad he's been doing well defensively :)

Well he has a canon of a shot. He palys with a shorter stick than most players and early in the season he was not getting his shots on net from the point. Now he is and Lever is using him well on the power play.

As of me he's first in line for promotion in Hamilton, way before Mathieu Carle who's offensive play is better overall but struggled this year at this level of play. Carle's defensive play is very very limited.

Well you and I will have to disagree about Carle on this one. Though Mathieu's offensive production has dropped off the last few games he has 3 goals and 10 assists in 26 games. That's pretty good for his rookie season.

As for being limited defensively Mathieu is +5 (2nd best on the team) compared to Pavel's +3 this year.

Both are having good rookie seasons. :)

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