Eric Tarski seems to be tirelessly active, as evidenced by a late-night trade the Carolina Hurricanes made on Monday. They acquired Finnish defenseman Juuso Valimaki from the Utah Mammoths in exchange for future considerations, essentially nothing. Valimaki, 27, was a first-round pick by the Calgary Flames in 2017. Over his NHL career, he has played 271 games, recording 11 goals and 72 points. Currently, he is playing in the AHL, where he has appeared in 59 games, scoring 7 goals and tallying 35 points.
Valimaki has been assigned to the Chicago Wolves in the AHL, so he will start the season in Carolina’s American League affiliate. The 6-foot-2 Finn has played only three AHL games this year as he recovers from ACL surgery. Throughout his career, Valimaki has shared the ice with players like Mark Jankowski and Shai Gostisbehere in the NHL, as well as having previous youth-level experience with Sebastian Aho and Hurricanes forward Juha Jerska.
Statistically, Valimaki has been solid, maintaining control over around half of his scoring chances and expected goals. Defensively, his impact is strong and he could provide crucial depth for a Hurricanes team currently faced with numerous injuries on their blueline. A few years back, with the Arizona Coyotes in 2022-23, he had an impressive season, posting four goals, 34 points, 98 blocks, and 53 hits over 78 games. Although his production dipped in 2023-24, he still stood out among his peers despite the decline.
Valimaki is in the final year of a two-year contract worth $4 million, with $850,000 of his salary buried in the AHL, leaving Carolina with about $1.15 million in cap space. Adding defensive depth seems to be the goal here for the Hurricanes.
Fan Take: This acquisition reflects the Hurricanes’ strategic move to strengthen their defense while managing salary cap constraints, which is critical for maintaining competitiveness in the NHL. Hockey fans should watch how Valimaki’s recovery and performance could influence not only Carolina’s season but also the dynamic of defensive play in the league.
