Vancouver Canucks: Top 5 Draft Targets in Playoff Scenario
D Juuso Valimaki — Tri-City Americans (WHL)
Ranked #11 by ISS Hockey
Ranked #13 by Future Considerations
Ranked #20 by McKeen’s Hockey
Next up is another defenceman from Canadian major junior: Juuso Valimaki of the WHL’s Tri-City Americans. A native of Nokia, Finland, Valimaki was selected 14th overall at the 2015 CHL Import Draft and could end up getting drafted to the NHL in a similar position.
ISS Hockey have Valimaki ranked 11th, McKeen’s Hockey have him 20th, Hockeyprospect.com have him outside of their top 31.
From Future Considerations:
"A strong, minute-munching, two-way, dependable blueliner…not a lot of high-end offensive flash or dash to his game, but just makes the right play consistently…good vision and puck moving ability, has no panic to his game and waits for his options…can sling the puck around with strong accurate passes…his hockey sense allows him to read and react to the play well in advance…very committed to blocking shots…big, rangy and covers a lot of ice, but his pivots and transitions are a little bit choppy…solid lateral mobility, especially carrying the puck and keeping it out of range of the opposition…plays with a good mix of aggression and poise, stepping into lanes to take the puck away from the opposition…just a good, poised, smart player who is not flashy, but consistently makes the right play and helps his team win games."
Like Hague, Valimaki is a strong two-way defenceman. In 40 games this season, he has 13 goals and 40 points.
While Hague looks like the more mobile and defensively sound player, Valimaki is putting up more points. But, there are some concerns about his skating.
Overall, Valimaki and Hague likely have similar potential regarding their future roles in the NHL. Both can be top-four players who eat up minutes on even strength as well as the power play and penalty kill.