[News] With the 16th OA pick, the Flames select D Juuso Valimaki

[Itse]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

I wonder if that changes the calculus on things when it comes to UFA.

Obviously, we are going to need a #4 like Stone, but with the #5 it might make more sense to run with a more veteran guy like Oduya or Brian Campbell who might be willing to take a 1-2 year deal. That way you can have Kulak/Andersson take #6 this year, and then bump them up the roster and have Valimaki push for the #6 spot the year after.

You can always trade defensemen if you end up with too many. (Unless they have completely ridiculous contracts.)

[AC]

Originally Posted by zukes

I didn't realize he was a point per game player. That is an amazing feat in junior for a defenseman these days, especially the WHL which is seen as the lowest scoring, most defensive league.

Man, the more I read on this pick the happier I get.

Definitely really good offensive numbers. Here are other first round Dmen drafted out of the CHL and their point productions their draft years:

2017:
#14 Foote (WHL) 0.80 PPG
#16 Valimaki (WHL) 1.02 PPG
#23 Joseph (QMJHL) 0.63 PPG
#29 Jokiharju (WHL) 0.68 PPG

2016:
#5 Juolevi (OHL) 0.74 PPG
#9 Sergachev (OHL) 0.85 PPG
#13 Bean (WHL) 0.94 PPG
#16 Chychrun (OHL) 0.79 PPG
#18 Stanley (OHL) 0.27 PPG
#28 Johansen (WHL) 0.71 PPG

2015:
#7 Provorov (WHL) 1.02 PPG (61 pts in 60 games just like Valimaki!)
#13 Zboril (QMJHL) 0.75 PPG
#18 Chabot (QMJHL) 0.62 PPG
#26 Juulsen (WHL) 0.76 PPG

2014:
#1 Ekblad (OHL) 0.91 PPG
#7 Fleury (WHL) 0.66 PPG
#14 Honka (WHL) 0.90 PPG
#17 Sanheim (WHL) 0.43 PPG (then 65 in 67 games the following season)
#19 DeAngelo (OHL) 1.39 PPG

2013:
#4 Seth Jones (WHL) 0.92 PPG
#7 Nurse (OHL) 0.60 PPG
#11 Morin (QMJHL) 0.35 PPG
#13 Morrissey (WHL) 0.67 PPG
#15 Pulock (WHL) 0.74 PPG
#16 Zadorov (OHL) 0.40 PPG
#18 Mueller (WHL) 0.49 PPG
#26 Shea Theodore (WHL) 0.70 PPG

2012:
#2 Murray (WHL) 0.67 PPG
#4 Reinhart (WHL) 0.62 PPG
#5 Rielly (WHL) 1.00 PPG (18 pts in 18 games)
#7 Dumba (WHL) 0.83 PPG
#8 Pouliot (WHL) 0.82 PPG
#10 Koekkoek (OHL) 0.69 PPG
#15 Ceci (OHL) 0.94 PPG
#22 Maatta (OHL) 0.55 PPG

[Calgary4LIfe]

Love the pick.

Flames are building a fairly nice stable of defensive prospects, even with the loss of Hickey. I was hoping that they wouldn't trade the pick. Can't wait to see how he continues developing. He doesn't seem to have any real weaknesses, and is chock full of a lot of good qualities. Maybe not that top pairing type, but you never know either.

To me, he is the epitome of what the new breed of NHL defencemen are all about - great in all zones, great at everything (shooting, passing, skating with the puck), physical, smart and a strong skater. Really high floor by the sounds of it, and a fairly high ceiling.

One thing that stood out for me is how motivated he is. Guys who are super-motivated and want to be difference makers to help their team win (they types that actually make sacrifices and ensure they round-out there games) are the types that I would say can out-develop their ceilings. Still, a solid #4 guy is nothing to sneeze at, and NYI was trying to get 2 firsts for one. Great value, lower risk pick.

I love this pick much more than Liljegren (I thought Brannstrom was the better defencemen as well, and he also went before Liljegren). Will be interesting to see how these Finnish defencemen compare with one another down the road.

[jg13]

The more I hear about this guy the more I like the pick and I really liked it the second it was made.

Both Valimaki and Button said he's most likely one year away with a chance to crack the roster out of training camp this season.

Easily our most NHL ready defensive prospect out of the draft since Phaneuf in 2003, 14 years ago. Great stuff by Treliving and co.

GFG

[icarus]

Originally Posted by Flames Fan, Ph.D.

He looks like Tom Yates from House of Cards. That's all I know about the kid.

Amazing saucer passes!

[Roof-Daddy]

I am also glad they ended up with a D. Been too long since we took a D in round one and although I was hoping more for Foote or Liljegren (righty bias), Valimaki looks to be a real solid pick.

Hopefully some of our other D prospects start to turn into strong NHLers so we end up with more than we can handle and have to start recycling them for more picks or pieces to fill holes in the roster, instead of tossing them on the scrap heap like usual.

[robaur]

I'm very disappointed after having a chance to reflect on this pick. It's not anything to do with Valimaki but moreso to do with Liljegren being available. A lot of material out there calling Liljegren the next Erik Karlsson.

Toronto fans are ecstatic with their pick and the mood/discussion on this board is much more split.

I think if we picked Liljegren, the mood on this board would be extremely positive as well.

That's why we play the games right....Valimaki seems to have size and has put up the points in the WHL - his team seems to have been a high-scoring team though. I don't know how much he benefited from that.

In the end, I think the Flames went with the dman they thought was most NHL-ready and would definitely play in the NHL at some point.

[Gaudfather]

Originally Posted by robaur

I'm very disappointed after having a chance to reflect on this pick. It's not anything to do with Valimaki but moreso to do with Liljegren being available. A lot of material out there calling Liljegren the next Erik Karlsson.

Toronto fans are ecstatic with their pick and the mood/discussion on this board is much more split.

I think if we picked Liljegren, the mood on this board would be extremely positive as well.

That's why we play the games right....Valimaki seems to have size and has put up the points in the WHL - his team seems to have been a high-scoring team though. I don't know how much he benefited from that.

In the end, I think the Flames went with the dman they thought was most NHL-ready and would definitely play in the NHL at some point.

Valimaki has 96 points in 116 games in his first two seasons in the WHL. A guy who is a strong skater, thinks the game at a high level and likes to jump into the rush and be a difference maker. And by all appearances more NHL ready than Liljegren. Can't fault the Flames for this pick at all!

[Erick Estrada]

If there was a consensus that Liljegren was going to be the next Karlsson he would have been picked first overall in this draft.

[Kybb79]

Liljegren played 44 games the last three years putting up 2g 9A.Im not sure how tough that leauge is but that don't look like Karlson numbers.

[Sandman]

Gosh, looking at his numbers and how people here are breaking them down, it's hard not to think that he has a very underrated offensive upside. Great pick!

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

FWIW only 21% of comparable prospects to Liljegren actually make the NHL and play ~100 games. Although in his case, his path to draft day is so unconventional it's pretty hard to take that number at face value. I probably would have taken him before Valimaki, personally, just because of his skill set... but that doesn't make Valimaki a bad pick.

Valimaki is a solid, low risk selection (recognizing that even low risk selections are still nowhere near a sure thing). Liljegren is a swing for the fences, and if it connects, holy cow.

I would also note that the Flames already have a poor man's Liljegren in their prospect pool and he only cost them a 60th overall pick to get.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by Kybb79

Liljegren played 44 games the last three years putting up 2g 9A.Im not sure how tough that leauge is but that don't look like Karlson numbers.

Karlsson had 10 points in 45 games in the SHL in his draft year.

I would have preferred a forward as a result of our organizational dearth in that area, but clearly in our pick range that wasn't a great option and it's not like we have a ton of surefire D prospects either. Happy with this pick from what I've read about him.

[ClubFlames]

Originally Posted by robaur

That's why we play the games right....Valimaki seems to have size and has put up the points in the WHL - his team seems to have been a high-scoring team though. I don't know how much he benefited from that.

Maybe the teams benefited from an offensive dman like Valimaki.

In the end, I think the Flames went with the dman they thought was most NHL-ready and would definitely play in the NHL at some point.

..And that has you disappointed? Yeesh.

[Beninho]

https://twitter.com/coreypronman/sta...13320662986752

Ya he can skate just fine

[Roof-Daddy]

Is he eligible for the AHL next season? If yes and they put him there, what a promising young blue line they might have.

Kylington (20) - Andersson (21)
Valimaki (19)
Healey (22)
Falkovsky (20)
AOM (20)

[Anduril]

Valimaki isn't the sexy pick but it's by no means a bad one. Time will tell obviously.

[iloveicedhockey]

I'm absolutely surprised by his offensive numbers and the comparison above. A lot of the radio bits were saying how he wasn't particularly at a high level offensively.

What time does the fourth round start?

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Has anyone posted this yet? Possibly the most thorough pre-draft profile on him.

https://canucksarmy.com/2017/06/10/n...uuso-valimaki/

Adding qualitative scouting to the quantitative, Valimaki offers a lot of intrigue. He carries an outstanding set of tools, with above average size, mobility, acceleration, and IQ and solid puck handling skills. He distributes well and can man the power play. He is one of the best zonal transition draft eligible defenders in major junior. These things have combined together garnering him elite-level production.

Valimaki is not all offence either. While not overly aggressive (which can be a pro or con depending on who you talk to), he defends well enough. He has a lot of strength for an 18-year-old and plays well enough along the boards and in front of the net. His best defensive asset comes from his gap control, combining his thinking and speed. He won’t destroy players with a bone-shaking checks left, right, and centre, but he can be physical when needed.

[TheScorpion]

Leafs fans are probably the fanbase most prone to excessively overhyping their prospects in the league. After decades of always failing with their picks, seeing guys like Nylander, Marner, and Matthews come out of the pipeline has filled them with reckless delusion. Combine that with the fact that they think that they "deserve" to win since they play in a huge market, and, well, you get fans saying that Liljegren "is the best player outside of the NHL" and "is the next Karlsson".