RALEIGH, N.C. - Eric Tulsky, General Manager of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has acquired defenseman Juuso Valimaki from the Utah Mammoth in exchange for future considerations. Valimaki has been assigned to the American Hockey League’s Chicago Wolves.
Valimaki, 27, has posted three points (1g, 2a) in three American Hockey League (AHL) games with Tucson this season. The Tampere, Finland native has appeared in 271 career NHL games with Calgary, Arizona and Utah, totaling 72 points (11g, 61a). He has also registered 35 points (7g, 28a) in 59 career AHL games with Stockton and Tucson. The 6’2”, 201-pound blueliner appeared in 19 games with Ilves of Finland’s professional league Liiga, recording 19 points (2g, 17a). Valimaki also played three seasons in the Western Hockey League (WHL) with Tri-City, tallying 138 points (40g, 98a) and 92 penalty minutes in 159 games. He was named to the WHL West Second All-Star Team in 2017 and 2018.
Valimaki has represented Finland at the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off, the 2018 IIHF U20 World Championship, the 2017 IIHF U20 World Championship, the 2016 IIHF U18 World Championship (gold) and the 2015 IIHF U18 World Championship (silver). He was originally selected by the Calgary Flames in the first round, 16th overall at the 2017 NHL Draft.
