Valimaki VS Bouchard

Who has the better career


  • Total voters
    166

WhiskeyYerTheDevils

yer leadin me astray
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Apr 27, 2005
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Valimaki by a fair margin. I have concerns over Bouchard being able to defend at the NHL level, though his offensive upside is higher.
 
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TheKrebsCycle

Throwing Confetti for Perfetti
Jun 1, 2011
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Valimaki doesn't wow you but Bouchard has skating and defensive limitations that limit his upside for me personally. Valimaki seems like he'll be a 2 way minutes muncher.
 

CaptainCrunch67

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Aug 23, 2005
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To me Valimaki will be better overall. With Bouchards defensive problems and skating questions, he'll be more of a powerplay specialist.
 

Bounces R Way

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Nov 18, 2013
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My problem with Bouchard is the same as his draft year. He has cement boots. If he can fix that issue and be able to be more engaged defensively he could pan out nicely. If not I think he'll really struggle at this level. Some great offensive tools to build on though.

Valimaki has some things to work on as well but he's already pretty well polished for a rookie that has missed a ton of development time.
 

McVespa99

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May 13, 2007
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My problem with Bouchard is the same as his draft year. He has cement boots. If he can fix that issue and be able to be more engaged defensively he could pan out nicely. If not I think he'll really struggle at this level. Some great offensive tools to build on though.

Valimaki has some things to work on as well but he's already pretty well polished for a rookie that has missed a ton of development time.

Interesting take. Im curious. When is the last time you watched Bouchard play a game?
 

Skolman

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Feb 16, 2018
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My problem with Bouchard is the same as his draft year. He has cement boots. If he can fix that issue and be able to be more engaged defensively he could pan out nicely. If not I think he'll really struggle at this level. Some great offensive tools to build on though.

Valimaki has some things to work on as well but he's already pretty well polished for a rookie that has missed a ton of development time.
When you begin a post with this, you lose all credibility
 

BACKDOORSPECIALIST

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Jan 21, 2021
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I played against Bouchard in minor midget. Guy was so nonchalant, barely did any off ice training and still tore it up on a nightly basis. Seems like he never really cared in the defensive end, and this has been showing. If he can get on a team with decent defensive skill and mindset development, I think he has the pure skill to outmatch Valamaki.
 
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Bounces R Way

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Nov 18, 2013
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A lot can change over an off season. Apparently he is in better shape. A little lighter and faster. He will never be a burner but players can improve areas of weakness.
Sure it can. It would be a major red flag if it hadn't. It's still in my viewings his primary problem. I don't even think it's necessarily speed that's the big hindrance skating wise, it's his footwork in the defensive zone.

Side note: how the hell did he manage 76 PIM in 23 games in the Swedish Junior league?

When you begin a post with this, you lose all credibility

I'm just shit posting on the internet, not providing expert testimony in the trial of Evan Bouchard. That's also been the main criticism of Bouchard from much more credible sources than me since before he was drafted.
 

YMCMBYOLO

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Mar 30, 2009
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I'm just shit posting on the internet, not providing expert testimony in the trial of Evan Bouchard. That's also been the main criticism of Bouchard from much more credible sources than me since before he was drafted.

You can't please this poster, anything negative about the Oilers is losing credibility in his eyes. Don't worry, your analysis was correct and objective. I've heard the same complaints about his skating, Valimaki also has his flaws, albeit I've heard a lot less than Bouchard's apparent flaws.
 
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Pucklington

Registered User
Mar 24, 2008
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I played against Bouchard in minor midget. Guy was so nonchalant, barely did any off ice training and still tore it up on a nightly basis. Seems like he never really cared in the defensive end, and this has been showing. If he can get on a team with decent defensive skill and mindset development, I think he has the pure skill to outmatch Valamaki.

That was a long time ago...
 

Rubi

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Jan 9, 2009
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One is playing 15-1/2 minutes a night while playing for a good NHL team with a good d corp. The other... isn't.
One also, prior to the start of the 2020-21 NHL season, played 19 games in the Finnish Elite league scoring 19 pts and was rated the best defenseman in the league all while playing on his off side (RD).

Edit: My post originally said Swedish Elite league. That was incorrect. Valimaki played in the Finnish elite league (Liiga) this past fall. I have corrected my post.
 
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Ctrain2k

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Dec 3, 2016
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One is playing 15-1/2 minutes a night while playing for a good NHL team with a good d corp. The other... isn't.
One also, prior to the start of the 2020-21 NHL season, played 19 games in the Swedish Elite league scoring 19 pts and was rated the best defenseman in the league all while playing on his off side (RD).

I’m not sure why you’re bragging? none of those things are very impressive.
 

Rubi

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I’m not sure why you’re bragging? none of those things are very impressive.
Sure are when compared to what Bouchard is doing... and after all that's the question... Valimaki vs Bouchard.
Those are just the facts.

 
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Tkachuk Norris

Registered User
Jun 22, 2012
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LMAO What?? I think you might want to delete this one bro.

look at the Valimaki threads. There is a bunch of statements in there from NHL scouts/Finnish coaches and GMs about how he’s the best player to play in Finland since then.
Maybe you should be the one to shut up as you are clearly clueless.
 

Fig

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Dec 15, 2014
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LMAO What?? I think you might want to delete this one bro.

He's not saying Valimaki = Karlsson, but apparently there haven't been any dmen other than Valimaki to truly stand out since Karlsson.

Juuso Valimaki is torching the Liiga in an unprecedented way

I think he's referencing this... 14 game sample size though...

Valimaki currently has a 1.00 points per game as a 22-year-old. The next 22-year-old Liiga defender is Jakob Stenqvist, a sixth round pick of the Dallas Stars in 2016, who has 10 points in 16 games, good for 0.67 P/GP. This season, Valimaki is in a tier all by himself.

Looking back through Liiga history, the list of defenders who have hit that 1.00 P/GP mark is extremely small. The last defenseman to score at that rate also happened to be 22 years old though, and it was all the way back in 2012-13.

Erik Karlsson put up 34 points in 31 games (1.13 P/GP).

In the Valimaki thread in CFHF, there were a few Finnish viewers who enjoyed what they saw of Valimaki and remarked that Valimaki was the best Dman they'd seen in quite a few years.


I voted Valimaki. I just feel like as a package, he is already well put together. Bouchard has some excellent skills, but he seems quite a few steps behind in putting everything together than Valimaki. It's not to say that Bouchard might not have a better career, but IMO if he does, he has to make some big leaps and he'd only edge out Valimaki vs leaving him in the dust.
 
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Skolman

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Feb 16, 2018
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You can't please this poster, anything negative about the Oilers is losing credibility in his eyes. Don't worry, your analysis was correct and objective. I've heard the same complaints about his skating, Valimaki also has his flaws, albeit I've heard a lot less than Bouchard's apparent flaws.
You're still upset over my Lucic comment, eh?

You got mad because you and other Flames fans stated the Oilers have terrible depth, I commented on the Flames and their depth since you have Lucic on your PP.

Can you provide some specific posts I've made in regards to getting defensive about the Oilers?

I'll wait, I fully expect a response from you.
 

YMCMBYOLO

WEDABEST
Mar 30, 2009
11,227
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You're still upset over my Lucic comment, eh?

You got mad because you and other Flames fans stated the Oilers have terrible depth, I commented on the Flames and their depth since you have Lucic on your PP.

Can you provide some specific posts I've made in regards to getting defensive about the Oilers?

I'll wait, I fully expect a response from you.

sure, I’d love to, but 1) your profile is locked so I cannot even go back to posts that I remember your blatant bias and 2) your one post in this thread says it all, to the person I was quoting. Didn’t you see that? I can quote my original quote again if it helps your navigation skills.

You’re quite easy to spot, I can tell you that.

thanks in advance.
 
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