Calgary Flames: The Valimaki Conundrum, Part I

Jusso Valimaki had nothing but promise when he was drafted.  He has not, however, found success in the Calgary Flames lineup.  This article is the first in a series of two on Valimaki.  Here we examine his lack of success in 2021 thus far and explore some reasons why.

The Calgary Flames, along with the rest of the league, are dealing with an expanding list of players, coaches and staff members in the NHL’s COVID protocol.  Nearly every Calgary roster player has tested positive for the virus, and has been forced to isolate.  Not currently an active Flames roster player, Juuso Valimaki remains unaffected by the virus running rampant through the team.

This shouldn’t be a surprise. Only having to started 8 games, he’s been scratched more times than a mosquito bite. So, Valimaki is currently stockpiling minutes with the Stockton Heat.

Articles have been written detailing his up-and-down (mostly down) journey with the Flames this year. The highlights include 8 starts (7 of which were wins), 2 points, a back-and-forth of assignments to Stockton, recalls to the Flames and then subsequent re-assignments to Stockton (where he currently finds himself). Add to that some frustrated comments made to Finnish media, and we’ve rounded out the tale of an under-utilized and fairly disgruntled hockey player.

Not getting COVID is actually one of the better things that happened to him this year. But more on that later.

Right now, rather than detail HOW Valimaki’s season is going, I’m much more interested in WHY it is going this way. Why is a Calgary Flames’ 16th overall draft pick, who had nothing but potential, sitting on sidelines? Why are older players like Erik Gudbranson and Nikita Zadorov (also a left-handed shooter) allowed to round out the top-6 defense corps at the expense of the younger, arguably more skilled, Valimaki?

Some immediate thoughts come to mind.

There is, firstly, the fact that he has really not been a statistical standout in any category. In his first 7 games played, the first of the season, he had one Point (a secondary assist), 7 Hits and was a -1. Compare that to other lefties during the same time frame. Oliver Kylington had more Points and Zadorov had more Hits, both in fewer starts.

The unfortunate stat Valimaki did dominate in was Penalty Minutes. Only Milan Lucic was penalized more during those opening games, but that is mostly due to the fact that he fought twice. This, too, is likely the most telling reason why Valimaki disappeared.

You’ll need to forgive the following as speculative extrapolation. But a look at Valimaki’s penalties in those first 7 Calgary Flames games were what some might define as ‘lazy’ ones. His first two were for closing his hand over the puck and hooking. Darryl Sutter, a coach who demanded fitness at the start of training camp, would have been more than somewhat displeased with penalties like these. His final two were coincidental minors in New Jersey for holding the stick (another lazy move) and unsportsmanlike conduct. As he got the extra penalty on the play, the Flames went short-handed and were subsequently scored on. This seems as likely a spot as any for Sutter to decide to look at his other options.

Indeed, to my (albeit untrained) eye, it’s difficult to justify keeping Valimaki around.  This season, he has looked to be a step behind everyone.  He’s been behind the play, reacting instead of moving the action forward.

Finally, as reported in May of 2021, Sutter used ‘entitlement’ in a description of Valimaki (and forward Dillon Dube). Sutter’s message was clear. Young players such as Dube and Valimaki were not going to earn ice time based only on the skills they were drafted on. Work needed to be done.
Dube seems to have received the message. He hasn’t been an offensive standout, but he at least makes regular appearances in the roster. Valimaki, on the other hand, has not. And his comments to a Finnish news outlet suggesting that it was “stupid” that he wasn’t being played would suggest that he still feels entitled.

So, we have a player committing lazy penalties and telling the world just how dumb it is that he’s not playing. Contrast that a coach who demands his players be fit and free from entitlement. No wonder there is…disharmony.

What, then, are the Calgary Flames to do? That is the subject of Part 2 of this series. For now, Valimaki is in an advantageous position. He has, so far, dodged the COVID bullet. Thus, his banishment to Stockton makes him one of few NHL-level players who can work out and has played professional games. Meaning that, when the team returns, he should have higher value.
What will GM Brad Treliving do with that value? Stay tuned for Part 2.