VALIMAKI EXCITED TO SHOW FLAMES HIS FIRE
Finnish defenceman will play pro this season, either in NHL or AHL
If there is one thing for certain as Juuso Valimaki approaches this summer, the Calgary Flames firstround draft pick from 2017 will be playing professional hockey. The only question is where. The 19-year-old will turn 20 on Oct. 6, and at 6-foot-2, 210 pounds, the defender is already a few strides ahead in the blue line fight in Calgary.
Valimaki is physically mature and plays as such, skating for the Tri-City Americans last season in the Western Hockey League, where the club lost 4-2 in the Western Conference final series.
The step up to the NHL is a big one, and it’s a step the Flames are not willing to rush. Developing in the American Hockey League for a year or two is nothing to scoff at.
But reporting for physicals on Thursday at the annual Flames Development Camp and hitting the ice through the weekend are the first steps to defining exactly where he is at.
“That’s my plan, and that’s my goal — to make the team,” said Valimaki, a left-shot defender who played 43 games in his third season with the Americans, recording 14 goals and 31 assists.
“I’m going to try to come into camp and show everybody what I have and how good I can be. I think I had a pretty good season last year, and especially towards the end, I played better and better.
“I felt good, and now I’ve had about two months in Finland, training and getting better physically. It’ll obviously be a big part of making the team and playing against big men and the best players in the world. All I’m focusing on is making the roster in the fall.”
Valimaki is among 10 defencemen and 41 prospects total who will be at WinSport for development camp this week and the only drafted defender who will be at the prospects camp.
With the Flames adding blue-line prospect Adam Fox to the Carolina Hurricanes deal at the 2018 NHL Draft and moving on from Stepan Falkovsky (their seventh-round pick in 2016), Valimaki is the lone remaining defenceman from the 2018, 2017, and 2016 draft classes.
And there’s a lot to like about Valimaki, who was captain of Finland’s junior team at the 2018 IIHF world junior championships.
“We liked the player in his draft year, and we like the player this year. It’s one more year of his development path,” said Flames assistant general manager Brad Pascall. “We like his size, we like how he skates, we like how he moves the puck ... He can play in all different situations. He’s a very versatile player. There’s a lot to be excited about. He’s such a smart player.
“We’re really happy and looking forward to having him at development camp.”
Looking beyond development camp, which is one important step, Valimaki has a serious shot to crack the Flames roster this fall as the team’s seventh defenceman.
There’s competition, of course, and he’ll be directly up against prospects such as Rasmus Andersson, who the Flames believe is on the brink, and Oliver Kylington, both second-round selections from the 2015 NHL Draft.
“I feel like there’s a chance,” said Valimaki, who trains in Tampere, Finland, but calls Nokia home. “And I feel good. But it’s just about how I’m going to play and what they want me to do and where they want to play me.
“I’ve loved my time in Tri-City, and everything was good there, but playing pro is different. Whether it’s in the AHL or NHL, it’s still pro and it’s definitely exciting. The first decision (the Flames make) won’t be the last, and there might be some injuries during the year. So I’m going to just try to stay positive, and I’m excited for the opportunity.”
And ultimately, Valimaki’s play will dictate where he starts the 2018-19 season.
“It’ll be up to him,” Pascall said. “It’s up to him to come in and impress the coaching staff. Anyone that comes to camp, that’s their ultimate objective.
“We like this player a lot, but he needs to have a good summer of training. Like all 19-year-olds, you have to get stronger. But time will tell.”
NOTES
The Flames announced on Wednesday that they ’ve hired Joe Cirella to join the AHL’s Stockton Heat staff as an assistant coach. The former NHLer will join head coach Cail MacLean, assistant Domenic Pittis and goaltending coach Colin Zulianello ... The on-ice portion of Prospects Camp begins at 9 a.m. on Friday at WinSport and goes until 11:45 a.m. The camp wraps up with a scrimmage at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday. All sessions are open to the public.