Juuso Valimaki

Juuso Valimaki

26-Year-Old DefensemanD
Utah Hockey Club
2024 Fantasy Outlook
Despite a disappointing 2023-24 campaign, Utah HC decided to give Valimaki a two-year, $4 million contract this offseason. The club will be banking on the defenseman returning to being the player who notched 34 points in 78 games during his first year with Arizona rather than last season's 17-point performer. A significant factor in Valimaki's decreased offensive numbers was his productivity with the man advantage -- he went from 12 power-play points in 2022-23 to just four in 2023-24. Even if he does rediscover his scoring touch, Valimaki doesn't offer enough in other categories to make him more than a deep-league fantasy target. Read Past Outlooks
$Signed a two-year, $4 million contract with Utah HC in June of 2024.
Healthy scratch Saturday
DUtah Hockey Club
October 26, 2024
Valimaki was a healthy scratch Saturday against the Kings.
ANALYSIS
Valimaki has no points in eight games so far, and he's seen his ice time drop from 22:30 to 17:43 over his last four games. He's minus-7 in that span. Valimaki had seemingly turned around his queasy defensive play last season, but he's struggled out of the gate. The view from the press box will give him a different perspective on what he needs to do when he returns to the lineup. Valimaki has a 34-point season under his belt from 2022-23, but he must step up significantly to make a fantasy impact this year.
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NHL Stats
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2024–25 Time On Ice Stats
  • Average Time On Ice:
    17:16
  • Average Power Play TOI:
    0:35
  • Average Short-Handed TOI:
    1:06
 
Ice Time
Power Play
Short-Handed
2022–23
18:11
1:45
0:36
2023–24
19:06
1:05
0:43
2024–25
17:16
0:35
1:06
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Past Fantasy Outlooks
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
After struggling to find a regular role with the Flames, Valimaki was impressive during his first season in Arizona. He tallied four goals and 30 assists, including 11 power-play assists, while averaging 18:11 of ice time through 78 games. Prior to the 2022-23 campaign, he averaged just 15:29 of ice time with 16 points in 82 games with Calgary. Valimaki finished seventh on the Coyotes in points and led all blueliners. Most of his production came later in the season; he scored 22 points while averging 22:35 of ice time over his final 32 contests. He's not very physical, be he did block 98 shots while adding 59 PIM. It wouldn't be unreasonable to think Valimaki can maintain roughly a half-point-per-game pace in his age-25 campaign as he's seemingly cemented himself in Arizona's top-four.
Valimaki looked like a potential top-four defenseman for the Flames early in his professional career, but injuries have derailed his development and he's never been able to get back on track. He played just nine games with Calgary (two assists) last season, instead playing most of the year (35 games) with the team's AHL affiliate in Stockton. The Finn will play the entirety of this upcoming season at age 24, so time is still on his side, but as it stands it appears Valimaki will serve as Calgary's No. 7 defenseman, meaning he's going to find himself in the press box most nights unless a teammate suffers an injury.
Valimaki finally remained (mostly) healthy a season ago, dressing in 49 of Calgary's 56 regular-season games. He posted 11 points during that span in addition to a minus-2 rating while averaging just 15:26 of ice time per game, including just 0:14 per night with the man advantage. The good news for Valimaki is he's expected to see a significant bump in ice time following the departure of Flames captain Mark Giordano to the Kraken in the expansion draft. Rasmus Andersson ran Calgary's top power-play unit most of last season and struggled in that role, so it'll be interesting to see if Valimaki gets a shot in that spot at some point during the upcoming campaign.
Valimaki's recovery from an ACL injury kept him off the ice for all of the 2019-20 season. The Finn has struggled with health since he was drafted in the first round in 2017 by the Flames. However, he's picked up playing time in his native Finland while awaiting the start of the 2020-21 season in North America. All signs point to Valimaki filling an NHL role this year, although how much playing time the 22-year-old will receive is uncertain. He's certainly an intriguing name to keep an eye on in dynasty formats, but Valimaki may still be a year or two away from widespread fantasy relevance. A positive year would see him produce at a 20-point pace or better.
Valimaki got his first taste of NHL action last season, notching a goal and two helpers in 24 regular-season contests before adding one assist in two playoff games. The 20-year-old may have spent even more time with the big club had he not dealt with an ankle injury which ended up costing him a significant portion of the campaign. In the minors, the Finn recorded four goals and 10 assists in 20 games, exhibiting why the Flames were willing to spend the 16th overall pick on him in 2017. Unfortunately, Valimaki suffered an ACL injury during offseason training and will miss nearly all of the 2019-20 campaign as a result. However, he's still viewed as a potential top-pairing defenseman, making him worth a stash in deeper dynasty leagues.
More Fantasy News
Re-ups with two-year deal
DUtah Hockey Club
June 29, 2024
Valimaki signed a two-year contract with Utah on Saturday.
ANALYSIS
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Contributes assist in win
DArizona Coyotes
April 17, 2024
Valimaki supplied an assist, two hits and three blocked shots in Wednesday's 5-2 win over the Oilers.
ANALYSIS
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Chips in with helper
DArizona Coyotes
March 30, 2024
Valimaki provided an assist, two blocked shots and a plus-2 rating in Saturday's 8-5 loss to the Rangers.
ANALYSIS
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Produces assist in Friday's win
DArizona Coyotes
March 9, 2024
Valimaki recorded an assist, three shots on goal and a plus-3 rating in Friday's 4-0 win over the Red Wings.
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Puts up helper Sunday
DArizona Coyotes
March 4, 2024
Valimaki notched an assist and two hits in Sunday's 5-2 win over the Capitals on Sunday.
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Might be scratched Thursday
DArizona Coyotes
December 21, 2023
Valimaki is projected to be a healthy scratch Thursday against San Jose, per Craig Morgan of PHNX Sports.
ANALYSIS
Valimaki has appeared in Arizona's last 10 contests, including the Coyotes' 4-3 win over Ottawa on Tuesday in which he logged 20:56 of ice time. He has six assists, 12 hits and 30 blocks in 25 outings this year.
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