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Rinat Valiev will be the 41st player to suit up for the Toronto Maple Leafs if included in the lineup for Saturday evening’s tilt in Ottawa.

With all the offensive forward power on the Marlies, added to another storming season from T.J Brennan, Valiev has flown under the radar to a certain degree.

It’s not such a bad thing for a rookie in Toronto to fly under the radar. Under the guidance of Toronto Marlies Captain, Andrew Campbell, the young Russian has flourished. Paired together since the beginning of the season, Valiev has born the fruit of playing alongside a very experienced AHL defenseman and the two of them have been good at both ends of the ice.

Valiev was guilty of taking too many penalties earlier in the season; bar the last game where he took two silly minors, he’s generally tidied up that aspect of his game well. He’s stronger and quicker than he looks at first glance, and with the emphasis the organization places in strength and conditioning Valiev can only improve in that regard. While not expected to set the world on fire offensively, Valiev has 21 points this season, of which eleven have been accrued in the last twenty games—very good offensive production for an AHL rookie defenceman.

He shows no fear in possession of the puck, equally happy to wheel or find an outlet pass, and that’s partly due to increased confidence in what’s been en excellent first season in the professional game.

Based on today’s practice lines, Valiev will be paired with Frankie Corrado for his first NHL game.

It’s not much of a stat, but at extreme ends of the scale it always catches one’s eye: Valiev has the third best plus/minus in the entire AHL behind the Grand Rapids Griffins’ Robbie Russo at +42 and his defence partner, Andrew Campbell (+35).


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