As the Calgary Flames inch towards the end of an already-lost season, just one game remaining on their schedule before they can fully turn their attention to 2021-22, head coach Darryl Sutter is making clear the work a couple young Flames need to put in before that new season arrives.
Speaking with Sportsnet 960 Tuesday ahead of the club's game against the Vancouver Canucks — an eventual 4-2 loss — Sutter was asked if he likes the progress he's seen from the young players on the roster this season, particularly Dillon Dube.
"Well, I think, if you're talking about Dillon Dube, I think him and (Juuso) Valimaki would be identical players, in terms of where they're at. I mean, their minutes don't go up unless they become better players. And if they become better players, then this team becomes better," Sutter said.
"There's a little bit of entitlement that's went on here and that impacts your team in a negative way, for sure. You don't play guys more to help them get better — they have to help themselves get better based on their training, based on their preparation, based on their compete level, not just the skills that they were drafted on. And those are two classic players that, for this team to get better, they have to improve — not based on how much they've played."
Dube, a second-round pick back in 2016, debuted with the Flames two seasons ago. After posting five points through 25 games in his first go-round, and 16 points through 45 games last season — followed by five points through four playoff games — the 22-year-old put up 10 goals and 20 points in 49 games this season.
Valimaki, drafted 16th overall a year after Dube, has suited up for Calgary this season and last, putting up 10 points in 48 games in 2020-21.
But while progress has come, Sutter said he needs to see more from the young skaters.
"I sat him out games, just based on his inconsistency in terms of when the other team has the puck," the coach said of Dube in particular. "If you look at the last game we played, Dillon played on a line with Mikael Backlund and Andrew Mangiapane, so he played every shift the other night against (Brock) Boeser.
"One guy had 10 shots and the other guy had two penalties. Lots of growing up to do."
Dube, along with teammate Mangiapane, will suit up for Team Canada at the 2021 IIHF World Championship in Riga, Latvia later this month. The young winger heads into the off-season as a restricted free agent, his entry-level deal expiring after the Flames' final game of the season on Wednesday.
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