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Valiev and Kerby Rychel were traded from Toronto to Montreal on Saturday in exchange for Tomas Plekanec and Kyle Baun, TSN reports.
Valiev is cashing out the balance of a three-year, entry-level contract that includes performance incentives, and he'll be a restricted free agent this summer. Born in Russia, the 22-year-old defenseman tallied 15 points (five goals, 10 assists) with an impressive plus-14 rating over 40 games with AHL Toronto during this 2017-18 campaign. Shea Weber is out for the season with foot surgery on tap, so perhaps Valiev will be able to crack an NHL lineup for the first time this season.
