Juuso Valimaki: "I really enjoy hockey again"

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by The Cobra

I didn't think they released that info, as to how many teams put in a claim. I thought they only announced the successful claimant?

Brad flat out said one claim...we have the info in this case

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Brad flat out said one claim...we have the info in this case

Thanks. I actually thought that the NHL didn't release that info.

[Buff]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

I think it primarily has to do with Chychrun coming back from injury. We'll see what happens. From my vantage point he hasn't been bad, he's just been used as the 7D.

If he hasn't been bad yet he's being used as the 7th defenseman. Wouldn't being the 7th D suggest he isn't good enough?

[Strange Brew]

I am far from prepared to anoint him an NHLer. Valimaki is talented for sure, but I have heard from enough different people that he doesn't respond well to hard coaching. Loubardias used the word "sensitive".

Absolutely nothing wrong with that on a personal level but going to be hard to persevere through adversity if he doesn't get over that somehow.

[jlh2640]

Sounds like he is a depth defenceman there now also. I would have liked him to stay over Mackey, but clearly this player is nowhere near what everyone hoped.

[Sandman]

Valimaki's TOI in the last 10:

Dec 19 vs MTL: 6:44
Dec 17 vs BUF: 10:38
Dec 16 vs NYI: 9:04
Dec 13 vs SJ: 9:15
Dec 11 vs PHI: 10:32
Dec 9 vs BOS: 8:37
Dec 7 vs EDM: 15:16
Dec 5 vs CGY: 12:19
Dec 3 vs VAN: 11:15
Nov 27 vs MIN: 20:00

Only 1a, and -3 in that span. Arizona has been playing 7 D.

[dino7c]

Its almost as though he isn't very good

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Samonadreau

Maybe he just is what he is; a bottom pairing guy on a bad team and not in the top 6 on a good team. There was a lot of appointing him as a decent NHL defenceman after like 5-10 games in this thread.

Hope for his sakehe has it figured out and can stick in the league.

That's not a fair assessment of Flames fans speaking to his potential in his first year on the Flames. There was clearly two versions of the player.

The pre major injuries and post major injuries player. He absolutely looked to be on a great track to be a top four, possibly top two D-man at the beginning. But he lost way too many critical development months to injury and did a 180 into a tweener.

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by jayswin

That's not a fair assessment of Flames fans speaking to his potential in his first year on the Flames. There was clearly two versions of the player.

The pre major injuries and post major injuries player. He absolutely looked to be on a great track to be a top four, possibly top two D-man at the beginning. But he lost way too many critical development months to injury and did a 180 into a tweener.

Absolutely true, although he looked like he was about to have a breakthrough at the beginning of the 2020-21 season, when he dominated the Liiga in Finland, as the top Defenseman in scoring.

[Jordan!]

More like Who?so Valimaki

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by Sandman

Absolutely true, although he looked like he was about to have a breakthrough at the beginning of the 2020-21 season, when he dominated the Liiga in Finland, as the top Defenseman in scoring.

The highlights in Liiga looks promising but the play looked like some beer league stuff at times. Looked good for his confidence but it seems like the injures took a toll on his and mind and body which he has never recovered from.

It sucks because he seems like a hard working guy who did everything he could.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Sandman

Valimaki's TOI in the last 10:

Dec 19 vs MTL: 6:44
Dec 17 vs BUF: 10:38
Dec 16 vs NYI: 9:04
Dec 13 vs SJ: 9:15
Dec 11 vs PHI: 10:32
Dec 9 vs BOS: 8:37
Dec 7 vs EDM: 15:16
Dec 5 vs CGY: 12:19
Dec 3 vs VAN: 11:15
Nov 27 vs MIN: 20:00

Only 1a, and -3 in that span. Arizona has been playing 7 D.

And an average of 42.3% xGF% in that span. Not a good team so you look into relative xGF% to his teammates and he's -8.75% in his last 8 games (as an average, not a total!)

I honestly wish him well, great guy and a terrible history of injuries, but the over reactions to his new team bounce were palpable.

[MrMike]

So he's going to have a career pretty equal to Tim Erixon

[Paulie Walnuts]

Tim deserved it for bring a entitled loser.

Juuso hasn't done anything wrong he may just suck now due to injuries and covid.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts

Tim deserved it for bring a entitled loser.

Juuso hasn't done anything wrong he may just suck now due to injuries and covid.

Yeah, big difference in attitude. It has been a series of misfortunes for Valimaki, and hopefully he is able to overcome them and become a solid player one day.

But for those who were lamenting (relishing?) Valimaki being yet another good young player that the mean old Flames just wouldn't give a fair chance to, I think we can put that to rest.

[Skyceman]

I wonder if he goes back on waivers soon.

[Major Major]

Hopefully his coach is being nice to him through it all.

[Strange Brew]

Yeah don’t want him to stop enjoying himself or have to deal with some pressure.

[FlamesAddiction]

I think he would still be with the Flames if his cap hit wasn't $1.5 million. He can easily be a 6/7 defenseman on this team, but the difference between him and the other 6/7 guys is so small that the extra cap hit isn't worth it. I think his actual salary this season is over $2 million. Not sure if that factored into the decision to let him go on waivers. For some teams it would be, but I am not sure if the Flames are that thrifty.

[Goriders]

I’m sure it did.