Toronto Maple Leafs 2017 NHL Draft Preview: No. 16 Juuso Valimaki
By Austin Owens
As the Toronto Maple Leafs and the rest of the NHL prepare for next month, we look at Juuso Valimaki, who has proven he is one of the best two-way defenders in this draft.
The 2016 draft had several headlining players that controlled the main portion of the coverage in North America. This was particularly true north of the border, as the Toronto Maple Leafs and every other Canadian team failed to reach the playoffs.
This summer will be a different story. Further, there has been a lot of movement in the draft rankings over the course of the season.
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On Thursday, we looked at Klim Kostin. Today, we profile Juuso Valimaki, who is the 16th-ranked prospect on our board.
Valimaki was taken 14th overall by the Tri-City Americans in the 2015 CHL Import Draft. In his rookie season, he finished eighth in team scoring with 32 points.
This season, Valimaki’s offensive production went up. He improved his point total by 29 and had 27 points on the power play, (he only had nine PP points in 2015-16). His best game this season came against the Vancouver Giants, where he had a hat trick.
Here’s what Future Considerations had to say about Valimaki:
"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"
Tri-City finished the season in third in the U.S. Division. They made it into the WHL playoffs but were quickly swept by the eventual Ed Chynoweth Cup winners in Seattle. Valimaki finished with one point in the series.
He will provide a great option for a team picking in the first round. He’s likely set to play in the AHL but could see another year with Tri-City depending on a teams situation.
Next: Toronto Maple Leafs: The Goaltending Problem
What’s your take on Valimaki? Do you agree with the current projection that he will be drafted 16th overall, or is this too high or low? Further, what kind of career are you predicting for him in the NHL? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.