2017 NHL Draft Player Profile: Juuso Valimaki

*These are not players we think the Flames will draft, but players that could be available when the Flames come to the podium with the 16th pick*

Juuso Valimaki could very well be on the board when the Flames come to the podium with the 16th pick. The 18 year old Finnish defenceman played in 60 games with the Tri-City Americans in his second WHL season. He tallied 19 goals and 42 assists and had 1 assist in 4 playoffs games in 2016-17. While +/- isn’t the stat it used to be, Valimaki was on the plus side of the ledger in the regular season (+2) and was a -4 during the Americans’ playoff run.

He also spent time with Finland’s U20 teams in the WC and the International Juniors. There he skated in 21 games and scored 6 goals and had 1 assist.

The Flames do need help on the blue line, but at 18 years old Juuso Valimaki would be a project player that could continue to grow his game in the minors. He’s got the size, but will he be a player the Flames deem worthy enough to be taken in the middle of the first round?

by Mark Parkinson