The Utah Mammoth knew that it was time for a fresh start for one of their struggling defensemen. Juuso Valimaki was a former first-round pick in 2016 by the Calgary Flames, but his NHL career never fully flourished, which made him a perfect option for the Carolina Hurricanes. Carolina's front office thoroughly enjoys buying low and selling high, which makes the Valimaki acquisition make a ton of sense.
The Hurricanes announced via social media on Monday night that they acquired Valimaki from the Mammoth for future considerations. It's a risk that costs Eric Tulsky and Tom Dundon nothing, which is precisely how they like it.
Valimaki had just five points in 43 games last season, which is an abysmal year for a thought-to-be offensive defenseman. His first season in the organization in 2022-23, when they were still the Arizona Coyotes, saw the Finnish defenseman record 34 points in 78 games.
Valimaki's struggles last season were a significant drop-off from two years prior, and his issues compounded even further when he suffered an ACL injury in March. The injury cost him the rest of his season and kept him out until December 31. He returned to the Tucson Roadrunners in the AHL and played three games before the Hurricanes acquired him.
Tulsky and his staff saw enough to take the small risk of acquiring him. Valimaki recorded three points in three games, giving hope about his offensive future. While contributing in the NHL and the AHL are two entirely different things, it's worth the risk for future considerations.
