Claimed off Waivers: [ARI] Coyotes claim D Juuso Valimaki off waivers from the Flames

[ManofSteel55]

He's still a fringe NHL'er. It's pretty bad when the Oilers 2nd pair minor league defenseman(Kesselring) was playing on the 'Yotes top four in the NHL

I don't think he is fringe. I think on most teams he is a depth guy. But fringe is a bit harsh.

 

[mattihp]

Best part about following a team while they rebuild is stories like this. Rebuilding teams have so many opportunities for players to take on a bigger role. And some players just absolutely break out, and it's awesome.

Glad for Yotes fans, and super glad for Valimaki.

I loved that about seeing the expansion with Columbus, Minnesota, Nashville and Atlanta. Some used cogs got a tuneup and some other guys got a real look.

 

[DingDongCharlie]

He's still a fringe NHL'er. It's pretty bad when the Oilers 2nd pair minor league defenseman(Kesselring) was playing on the 'Yotes top four in the NHL

Is Kesselring on pace for almost 40 points playing in that top 4? The fact Kesselring got a cup of tea and did nothing with it and Valimaki is making the most out of his opportunity have nothing to do with each other. The spot only opened for Kesselring after they trade Ghost and Chychrun out of the top 4. Valimaki has been playing the top 4 most the season.

Fringe NHL D don't put up almost 40 points playing on one of the lowest scoring clubs in the league. He wasn't even spoon feed most the season as they had Ghost and were clearly usage wise showcasing Chychrun. That's even one of the things many posters pointed out to discredit Chychrun's potential impact after a trade.

Arizona has a dumpster fire roster but has a solid NHLer in Juuso. He's 24, with injury concerns behind him. Cost controlled RFA who's making the most of his opportunity.

 

[Nanuuk]

Jusso is a solid player that is showing what he can do in Az. For whatever reason(s) including injuries, he didn't in Calgary and was surpassed in the depth chart by Kylington and Mackey (who was then passed on the depth chart by Gilbert).

Make no mistake. Calgary was very high on this player for a long time and with good reason. I am happy for him.

 

[DollardStLaurent]

Weegar plays the left side

To date, Weegar has started 51 games on the left side and 24 games on the right side.

 

[elitepete]

I loved that about seeing the expansion with Columbus, Minnesota, Nashville and Atlanta. Some used cogs got a tuneup and some other guys got a real look.

There’s a bunch of players that could be contributers in the NHL but are stuck in the AHL, Europe, or being healthy scratched. If there’s another expansion of 1-2 teams that would be 23 or 46 more players in the NHL.

 

[blankall]

Is Kesselring on pace for almost 40 points playing in that top 4? The fact Kesselring got a cup of tea and did nothing with it and Valimaki is making the most out of his opportunity have nothing to do with each other. I can't even understand what you're attempting here. The spot only opened for Kesselring after they trade Ghost and Chychrun out of the top 4. Valimaki has been playing the top 4 most the season.

Fringe NHL D don't put up almost 40 points playing on one of the lowest scoring clubs in the league. He wasn't even spoon feed most the season as they had Ghost and were clearly usage wise showcasing Chychrun. That's even one of the things many posters pointed out to discredit Chychrun's potential impact after a trade.

Arizona has a dumpster fire roster but has a solid NHLer in Juuso. He's 24, with injury concerns behind him. Cost controlled RFA who's making the most of his opportunity.

Valimaki always had offensive flair. He got benched in Calgary because he would continually make rookie mistakes.

If he were playing on the flames, he'd still be behind Andersson, Hanifin, Tanev, Kylington (who the Flames expected to play), Zadorov, and Weegar.

In hindsight with Kylington unable to play, keeping Valimaki would have been a great idea. Or trading Valimaki before his injury would have also been great. Once again, no one saw that coming.

Every Flames fan I've seen post about it is happy for Valimaki. However, at age with the timing of his injury and so many competing defencemen coming through the flames system, it just didn't work out here.

He's definitely a talent. I still don't think he's ready to be a top four guy on a playoff team (which is what Calgary is trying to be).

 

[Sergei Shirokov]

Good for Jusso, always seemed like a guy with legitimate top 4 upside.

A little surprised when Calgary waived him but when your gunning to be a top team I suppose you prioritize the present. I remember us throwing Grabner away only for him to score 30 goals the next year, it happens.

 

[stardog]

He's still a fringe NHL'er. It's pretty bad when the Oilers 2nd pair minor league defenseman(Kesselring) was playing on the 'Yotes top four in the NHL

Well that has what exactly to do with this thread or Jusso? He's fringe because he plays on the same roster as a fringe player? Great logic.
You might have a case for comparison (even though still weak) if Kesselring was beating Jusso out in minutes, stats, overall play but since Jusso is ahead of him on the depth chart and in every other measurable way then your point lacks logic.
It's like comparing any top line player to whoever the most recent call up is and acting as if their value is comparable 1

 

[stardog]

Good for Jusso, always seemed like a guy with legitimate top 4 upside.

A little surprised when Calgary waived him but when your gunning to be a top team I suppose you prioritize the present. I remember us throwing Grabner away only for him to score 30 goals the next year, it happens.

Or how Jared McCann finally had his breakout year on the Penguins to where it was noticable that he'd be a factor so of course they traded him for Jack squat and he's now on the verge of 40 goals this year.
By this time next season I'm guessing that the media will be discussing who will break Gretzky's goal record first, Ovechkin or McCann during his first 600 goal season

Hecks, there's a few Seattle players whom you could mention in the same kinda way. Sprong (another Sullivan/Penguins cast-off) hit 20 goals and 42 pts in 60 games making league minimum, Tolvanen and his 15 goals, 25 pts in 42 games with the Kraks-in and even team leading Vince Dunn on defense with his 63 points.

Jusso is a bit different because the Flames didn't exactly "miss" so to speak on him as far as talent goes. It seems like they planned for him to be in their future though changed that plan due to injuries. One of the cool things about waivers and parody is the 2nd or 3rd chance stories being able to redeem themselves, restore a once promising career or find a better fit when given more exposure on a less talented team and being able to show that they can play in this league and even make a big impact at times.
Good for Jusso the Goose-o!

 

[The Nuge]

I don't think he is fringe. I think on most teams he is a depth guy. But fringe is a bit harsh.

Ya I think it’s too early to call him a top 4 dman still, but this is the first year he’s actually looked like he belongs in the NHL, so it’s not fair to call him a fringe dman/AHLer anymore

 

[Double Dion]

Ya I think it’s too early to call him a top 4 dman still, but this is the first year he’s actually looked like he belongs in the NHL, so it’s not fair to call him a fringe dman/AHLer anymore

I still don't think it was a mistake letting him go. I think Mackey is the one we will regret. Dutter hated him.

 

[BB88]

I still don't think it was a mistake letting him go. I think Mackey is the one we will regret. Dutter hated him.

He’s playing +20mins a game and has over 30 points.

Old team like Calgary sure wouldn’t have a use for a younger player…

 

[Double Dion]

He’s playing +20mins a game and has over 30 points.

Old team like Calgary sure wouldn’t have a use for a younger player…

He needed a team like Arizona, Anaheim, Chicago ect. that could just play him through his mistakes. Dutter is the wrong coach. If you get outplayed by Michael Stone to the extent he did its not a good thing for your future with the organization. Kylington being out this year have him a chance. He didn't make the most of it. He got another one in AZ and has made the most of it. I'm happy for him. But he didn't fit here and the notion he's a top 4 guy is kind of silly. He's a bottom pairing guy with some upside.

 

[BKarchitect]

Would Juuso still be in some sort of marginal role in Calgary right now?

I think it's pretty likely. To suggest Calgary made a grievous error here is stretching it.

Does that mean what he's doing is a fluke?

Not at all. Sometimes guys just need a change of scenery.

For Calgary fans to suggest he's "only a bottom pairing guy thriving because his team sucks" is also, in an opposite way, just as silly - when the eye test and literally every data point both confirm he's been flat out a top 4 defenseman this year with room to grow still.

It is very much likely in this case that the Coyotes have a really good young top 4 defender with room for growth on their team while at the same time Calgary didn't "throw away" that same dude. Both things can be true.

He needed a team like Arizona, Anaheim, Chicago ect. that could just play him through his mistakes. Dutter is the wrong coach. If you get outplayed by Michael Stone to the extent he did its not a good thing for your future with the organization. Kylington being out this year have him a chance. He didn't make the most of it. He got another one in AZ and has made the most of it. I'm happy for him. But he didn't fit here and the notion he's a top 4 guy is kind of silly. He's a bottom pairing guy with some upside.

It's not silly at all.

 

[Double Dion]

Would Juuso still be in some sort of marginal role in Calgary right now?

I think it's pretty likely. To suggest Calgary made a grievous error here is stretching it.

Does that mean what he's doing is a fluke?

Not at all. Sometimes guys just need a change of scenery.

For Calgary fans to suggest he's "only a bottom pairing guy thriving because his team sucks" is also, in an opposite way, just as silly - when the eye test and literally every data point both confirm he's been flat out a top 4 defenseman this year with room to grow still.

It is very much likely in this case that the Coyotes have a really good young top 4 defender with room for growth on their team while at the same time Calgary didn't "throw away" that same dude. Both things can be true.



It's not silly at all.

He's not a flat out top 4 guy. Not even close. He's a #1 for AZ. He doesn't even make the roster of a healthy Flames/Rangers type blueline.

 

[Kahvi]

Start of 22-23 season version of Välimäki would not make the Flames roster. Whether he should have is another question.

Surprisingly, give him playing time and a coach that lets him play even if he makes some mistakes, you get April 2023 version of Välimäki who for sure would be playing for Flames top-6.

A lot of things didn't work for him with Flames, but I'm happy to see him get some success.

 

[Double Dion]

Start of 22-23 season version of Välimäki would not make the Flames roster. Whether he should have is another question.

Surprisingly, give him playing time and a coach that lets him play even if he makes some mistakes, you get April 2023 version of Välimäki who for sure would be playing for Flames top-6.

A lot of things didn't work for him with Flames, but I'm happy to see him get some success.

He was our 9th best defenseman in camp with Kylington not there. He was handled terribly, got injured a lot and didn't mesh with the style of play. That said, for anyone who watched camp I'm sure you agree he didn't deserve to make the roster.

 

[Kahvi]

He was our 9th best defenseman in camp with Kylington not there. He was handled terribly, got injured a lot and didn't mesh with the style of play. That said, for anyone who watched camp I'm sure you agree he didn't deserve to make the roster.

Yeah, I'm thinking it more from player development point of view. Not good enough but potential so give him time. Of course Flames were not re-building so

 

[Double Dion]

Yeah, I'm thinking it more from player development point of view. Not good enough but potential so give him time. Of course Flames were not re-building so

Yup agreed. The potential was always there. Just no results and needed time to acclimate to NHL decision making speed. We didn't have the ability to just let him do that.

 

[ManofSteel55]

Ya I think it’s too early to call him a top 4 dman still, but this is the first year he’s actually looked like he belongs in the NHL, so it’s not fair to call him a fringe dman/AHLer anymore

In all fairness, he looked pretty good in Calgary until Sutter took the helm. Sutter just doesn't like his style of play, so he didn't play him and it tanked everyone's perception of him. I mean, he's not a star player, he's a soft depth offensive defenseman, which in the grand scheme of things isn't much to get excited over, but he's looked NHL caliber for most of his run, unless you want your depth defensemen to have some bite. And Sutter has no time for players with no jam in their game, especially depth players.

Would Juuso still be in some sort of marginal role in Calgary right now?

I think it's pretty likely. To suggest Calgary made a grievous error here is stretching it.

Does that mean what he's doing is a fluke?

Not at all. Sometimes guys just need a change of scenery.

For Calgary fans to suggest he's "only a bottom pairing guy thriving because his team sucks" is also, in an opposite way, just as silly - when the eye test and literally every data point both confirm he's been flat out a top 4 defenseman this year with room to grow still.

It is very much likely in this case that the Coyotes have a really good young top 4 defender with room for growth on their team while at the same time Calgary didn't "throw away" that same dude. Both things can be true.



It's not silly at all.

He wouldn't get playing time until Sutter isn't coaching anymore. It was a Sutter thing, he just doesn't play the game the way Sutter likes.

 

[Nanuuk]

I still don't think it was a mistake letting him go. I think Mackey is the one we will regret. Dutter hated him.

Sutter did not hate MacKey. Gilbert showed more when he got in and simply surpassed the guy. They couldn't send him down to get more ice time either for fear of losing him to waivers.

 

[blankall]

I still don't think it was a mistake letting him go. I think Mackey is the one we will regret. Dutter hated him.

Stetcher looks solid in Calgary. Seems to fit in great. Whenever I see him playing, it's like he is just filing whatever hole on the ice needs to be filed. I think they just threw in the Ritchie brothers swap into that deal to be cute.

I just wish Stetcher's headshots weren't so offputting:

 

[Double Dion]

Sutter did not hate MacKey. Gilbert showed more when he got in and simply surpassed the guy. They couldn't send him down to get more ice time either for fear of losing him to waivers.

There's truth in this post. I just really see things I like in Mackeys game and make up. I always liked him and Kylington more than Valimaki.

 

[Nanuuk]

There's truth in this post. I just really see things I like in Mackeys game and make up. I always liked him and Kylington more than Valimaki.

Yeah, Kylington really upset the apple cart when he seized the moment due to Valimaki's injury. Until then the depth chart was Valimaki, then Kylington, then whoever.

Kylington's elite skating brought an element to the game that Valimaki couldn't hope to match, particularly after his injury. The rest, as they say, is history.