Juuso
Välimäki
D · CAR · Balanced · Around average
- PAL
- 50
- WAR
- 0.6
- Value
- 53
- PTS
- 5
2024-25№ 89 / 314
Juuso Välimäki (Carolina Hurricanes) stats and profile: offensive production, ice time, advanced stats, WAR and PAL rating.
Juuso Välimäki
HEIGHT : 188 cm · WEIGHT : 91 kg · SHOOTS : L
Born : October 5, 1998 · Tampere, Finland
Drafted : 2017 · CGY · round 1, pick #16
Contract : $900,000 · 2026-27 → 2026-27 · Standard Contract (Extension) · UFA
NHL record
| Year | Team | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | Carolina Hurricanes | 8 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 12 |
| 2024-25 | Utah Hockey Club | 43 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 14 |
| 2023-24 | Arizona Coyotes | 68 | 2 | 15 | 17 | 12 |
| 2022-23 | Arizona Coyotes | 78 | 4 | 30 | 34 | 59 |
| 2021-22 | Calgary Flames | 9 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 10 |
| 2020-21 | Calgary Flames | 49 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 26 |
| 2018-19 | Calgary Flames | 24 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 12 |
| NHL totals | 279 | 13 | 62 | 75 | 145 | |
Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 | Calgary Flames | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Playoff totals | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
Juuso Välimäki: our analysis
2024-25 season: 43 GP, 2 G, 3 A, 5 PTS, -5 +/-, 16:33 TOI. WAR 0.6 (89th of 314) · PAL 50, around average.
In 2024-25, Juuso Välimäki, 28, posts a PAL Rating of 50 out of 100 (around average), and his WAR of 0.6 ranks 89th among 314 regulars, in the top half.
His strengths: discipline (99, among the best in the league), creation (79, well above average) and penalty kill (66, above average). On the other hand, offense (17, well below average) and power play (24, well below average) hold him back.
Breaking down his WAR (goals above average), his biggest contribution: EV offense (+0.8); his biggest cost: finishing (-0.7).
A marked decline: his PAL was 69 in 2023-24, against 50 now; his WAR went from 1.3 to 0.6.
Contract-wise, his Value score of 53 (fair value) weighs his output against what he costs: 50 is what that salary should buy.
Juuso Välimäki's story
Raised in Nokia after being born in Tampere, Välimäki moved to North America as a teenager and established himself through junior hockey. Following a season with Ilves’ U20 squad, he was taken 14th overall in the 2015 CHL Import Draft by the Tri‑City Americans, a move that exposed him to the WHL’s faster, more physical game.
His production with Tri‑City rose quickly: 32 points in 2015–16 and then a breakout 61‑point campaign in 2016–17 that earned him a spot on the WHL Western Conference Second All‑Star Team. He repeated that all‑star recognition in 2017–18 while serving as a key contributor during Tri‑City’s deep playoff run, finishing his junior tenure as a steady two-way presence on the blueline.
Selected 16th overall by the Calgary Flames in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, Välimäki signed a three‑year entry‑level contract on 21 July 2017 and made his NHL debut on 3 October 2018. His early pro years have alternated between the NHL and AHL, disrupted by a high ankle sprain and later an ACL tear that cost him the 2019–20 season. He returned to form on loan with Ilves in 2020–21, then split time between Stockton and Calgary before being claimed off waivers by the Arizona Coyotes on 9 October 2022.
With Arizona he secured a regular role, notching 34 points in 78 games in 2022–23 and earning a one‑year, US$1 million extension. A facial injury in November 2023 required surgery and an investigation into treatment delays, but he returned to play later that month and finished the season with 17 points in 68 games. After the Coyotes’ franchise suspension, his rights transferred to Utah; he later moved to Carolina via trade on 5 January 2026.
On the ice Välimäki is a puck‑moving defenceman who supports the attack from the blue line while handling defensive duties. His game blends controlled breakout passing with the willingness to jump into the play, producing secondary scoring while anchoring partner minutes when called upon.
Facts drawn from Wikipédia, told in our own words.
Advanced stats
- TOI/GP
- 14:22
- PP TOI/GP
- 0:46
- SH TOI/GP
- 0:27
- Pts/GP
- 0.38
- EV points
- 3
- Hits
- 4
- Blocks
- 8
- Takeaways
- 0
- Corsi % (SAT)
- 61.6 %
- Off. zone starts
- 56.4 %
Stats and photos: NHL (NHL.com)
2026-27 projection
Projected points
9between 3 and 15 (80% range)
- Goals
- 4
- Assists
- 5
- Games
- 29
So far: 3 pts in 8 games. The team has played 19 of 84 games. Projected pace: 0.27 pts per game.
The projection follows last season's pace. Tested on 2,265 player seasons (2022-23 to 2025-26): average miss of 9 points over 82 games; for players at 0.9 points per game and up, it ran 5 points high on average.
Trend
Declining
- Points per game: 0.25 in 23-24, 0.12 in 24-25
- PAL Rating: 69 → 50
Outlook, age included
↓ DecliningAge 27: prime years
This is only a projection. It knows nothing about injuries, trades or role changes; one player in five finishes outside the range.
Player ratings, 2024-25
All ratings →Fourteen ratings from 0 to 100 drawn from data, never by hand: 75 = established NHL player, 95+ = elite.
OV · OverallConfidence 77 %
79
Established NHL
- SK
- Skating
- 70
- Confidence 73 %
- ST
- Strength
- 81
- Confidence 81 %
- EN
- Endurance
- 68
- Confidence 75 %
- DU
- Durability
- 63
- Confidence 73 %
- CK
- Checking
- 69
- Confidence 81 %
- FG
- Fighting
- 68
- Confidence 54 %
- DI
- Discipline
- 91
- Confidence 81 %
- FO
- Faceoffs
- —
- PA
- Passing
- 76
- Confidence 77 %
- SC
- Scoring
- 76
- Confidence 77 %
- DF
- Defense
- 80
- Confidence 74 %
- PS
- Penalty shot
- 76
- Confidence 0 %
- EX
- Experience
- 64
- Confidence 100 %
Why these ratings?Hide details
SK — Skating70
- Top speed (35 %)35.1 · 72
- Bursts > 20 mph /60 (30 %)1.649 · 73
- Distance /60 (20 %)14.5 · 80
- Speed consistency (15 %)32.7 · 57
ST — Strength81
- Contact absorbed /60 (50 %)6.625 · 86
- Body mass (50 %)0.015 · 72
EN — Endurance68
- Ice time per game (45 %)17.9 · 70
- Total ice time (20 %)703 · 63
- Shift length (15 %)44.4 · 63
- Lowest recent ice time per game (15 %)16.7 · 71
- Special-teams time per game (5 %)1.925 · 69
DU — Durability63
- Share of games played (100 %)0.729 · 63
CK — Checking69
- Hits /60 (70 %)2.839 · 70
- Lowest seasonal rate (20 %)2.34 · 68
- Season volume (10 %)3.178 · 63
FG — Fighting68
- Fights per 82 games (100 %)0.721 · 68
DI — Discipline91
- Net penalty value /60 (50 %)0.002 · 91
- Penalties taken /60 (30 %)0.582 · 76
- Penalties drawn /60 (20 %)0.593 · 89
PA — Passing76
- Primary assists /60 (40 %)0.316 · 70
- Secondary assists /60 (20 %)0.403 · 74
- Offensive creation (RAPM) (20 %)0.063 · 81
- Power-play points /60 (10 %)4.173 · 72
- Assist consistency (10 %)0.198 · 68
SC — Scoring76
- Goals /60 (25 %)0.168 · 68
- Individual xG /60 (20 %)0.233 · 79
- Finishing (goals − xG per shot) (20 %)-0.299 · 59
- High-danger chances /60 (15 %)0.169 · 85
- xG per shot (10 %)0.036 · 85
- Shot attempts /60 (10 %)9.014 · 69
DF — Defense80
- RAPM defense /60 (35 %)0.117 · 85
- Relative xG against (20 %)-0.076 · 78
- On-ice xG against /60 (15 %)2.707 · 68
- Penalty kill /60 (10 %)0.043 · 80
- Takeaways − giveaways /60 (10 %)-1.556 · 77
- Shot attempts against /60 (5 %)58.5 · 76
- Blocked shots /60 (5 %)4.523 · 72
PS — Penalty shot76
- Shootouts (60 %)32.7 · 76
- Penalty shots (40 %)29.3 · 76
EX — Experience64
- Career regular-season games (65 %)79
- Career playoff games (25 %)21
- NHL seasons (10 %)71
OV — Overall79
- DF · Defense (30 %)80
- PA · Passing (22 %)76
- SK · Skating (12 %)70
- SC · Scoring (12 %)76
- EN · Endurance (9 %)68
- ST · Strength (6 %)81
- DI · Discipline (5 %)91
- CK · Checking (4 %)69
| Season | OV | SK | SC | DF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 79 | 70 | 76 | 80 |
| 2023-24 | 85 | 71 | 69 | 86 |
| 2022-23 | 86 | 68 | 77 | 89 |
The bars show confidence (sample size), not player quality. — : not enough data, not a zero. Engine version 1.0.
WAR and PAL ratings, 2024-25
How we rate →PAL Rating scores performance from 0 to 100 against players at the same position (50 = average player), starting from the player's strength, offensive or defensive. Value Rating compares that performance with what the player costs: 50 means paid what the play is worth.
WAR
0.6
wins above replacement
89 of 314
PAL Rating
50/ 100
Performance · Around average
118 of 253 at the position
Value Rating
53/ 100
Fair value
2.00 M$ · expected PAL 48
ProfileBalancedNeither end dominates
- Offense
- 54
- Defense
- 45
See full detailsHide details
- Offense
- 17
- Creation
- 79
- Shooting
- 63
- Possession
- 49
- Defense
- 40
- Discipline
- 99
- Power play
- 24
- Penalty kill
- 66
From 0 to 100; 50 is the average player at the same position, adjusted for ice time.
| Season | Team | WAR | PAL | Value | Cap hit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | UTA | 0.6 | 50 | 53 | 2.00 M$ |
| 2023-24 | ARI | 1.3 | 69 | 80 | 1.00 M$ |
| 2022-23 | ARI | 0.9 | 83 | 85 | 1.55 M$ |
Hockey IQ, 2024-25
Rankings and method →The quality of the player's decisions with and against the puck at 5-on-5, against regulars at the same position (50 = average). PAL measures output; IQ measures how the player plays.
Overall IQ
68/ 100
Average
better than 68% of defensemen, offense and defense combined
Offensive IQ
94/ 100
Elite
passing, shots, puck
Defensive IQ
20/ 100
Below average
takeaways, discipline, own zone
Overall IQ isn't an average of the two scores: it's the player's rank with offense and defense combined, 73 of 231 defensemen.
See full detailsHide details
Offense
- Playmaking passes
- 26
- Shot selection
- 93
- Penalties drawn
- 91
- Puck management
- 65
Defense
- Takeaways
- 20
- Discipline
- 33
- Safe zone exits
- 27
Percentiles: 80 means better than 80% of regulars at the same position. Play without the puck (positioning, coverage) isn't measured: the NHL doesn't publish that data.
| Season | Team | IQ | Off. | Def. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | UTA | 68 | 94 | 20 |
| 2023-24 | ARI | 74 | 66 | 71 |
| 2022-23 | ARI | 43 | 90 | 8 |
WAR, 2024-25
How it's calculated →Wins added to the team, compared with a replacement-level player called up from the AHL.
0.6
wins above replacement
0.2 to 1.0 — 90% interval
89 of 314 defensemen
+2.8 goals above replacement
Full leaderboard →See full detailsHide details
- EV offense
- +0.8
- EV defense
- +0.6
- Power play
- 0.0
- Penalty kill
- +0.1
- Shooting
- -0.7
- Penalties
- +0.5
- Average → replacement
- +1.5
In goals.
| Season | Team | GP | WAR | 90% interval | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | UTA | 43 | 0.6 | 0.2 to 1.0 | 89/314 |
| 2023-24 | ARI | 68 | 1.3 | 0.5 to 2.2 | 34/316 |
| 2022-23 | ARI | 78 | 0.9 | -0.1 to 1.8 | 56/334 |
Player tracking (NHL EDGE)
League EDGE leaderboards →Speed, shot power, distance covered, time by zone: measured by chips in the puck and shoulder pads. 90th percentile = better than 90% of players.
- Hardest shot
- 129.9 km/h16th percentileleague avg. 139.7 km/h
- Top skating speed
- 32.8 km/h17th percentileleague avg. 34.0 km/h
- Bursts over 20 mph, season
- 110th percentileleague avg. 8
- Offensive zone time
- 48.4 %99th percentileleague avg. 42.4 %
See full detailsHide details
- Total distance, season
- 27.8 km22nd percentileleague avg. 56.1 km
- Distance, single-game high
- 4.18 km25th percentileleague avg. 4.98 km
- Offensive zone at 5v5
- 48.6 %99th percentileleague avg. 42.8 %
- Neutral zone time
- 18.1 %51st percentileleague avg. 16.9 %
- Defensive zone time
- 33.4 %99th percentileleague avg. 40.8 %
Shooting
| Shots on goal | Goals | Shooting % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| All | 831st percentile | 287th percentile | 25.0 %100th percentile |
| High danger | 051st percentile | 084th percentile | 0.0 %0th percentile |
| Mid range | 251st percentile | 190th percentile | 50.0 %100th percentile |
| Long range | 651st percentile | 195th percentile | 16.7 %97th percentile |
Shots on goal by zone
2026-2027 regular season. Measured by puck and player tracking chips; the percentile ranks the player within the league.
Game log, 2026-27
NYI
NSH
WPG
CBJ
BOS
STL
EDM
VANJuuso Välimäki: frequently asked questions
How many goals does Juuso Välimäki have in 2026-27?
Juuso Välimäki has 2 goals and 3 points (1 assist) in 8 games in 2026-27.
How old is Juuso Välimäki?
Juuso Välimäki is 28 years old: he was born on October 6, 1998.
How tall is Juuso Välimäki, and how much does he weigh?
Juuso Välimäki is 6'2" (188 cm) and weighs 201 lb (91 kg).
Where is Juuso Välimäki from?
Finland: Juuso Välimäki was born in Tampere, Finland.
What team does Juuso Välimäki play for?
Juuso Välimäki plays for the Carolina Hurricanes in the NHL, at D, wearing number 8.
Is Juuso Välimäki injured?
No: Juuso Välimäki is not on the latest NHL injury report. This answer is updated throughout the season.
How good is Juuso Välimäki?
Juuso Välimäki produced 0.6 wins above replacement (WAR) in 2024-25, 89th of 314 players at his position in the NHL. His PAL rating is 50 out of 100: around average for his position.
How much does Juuso Välimäki make?
Juuso Välimäki earns $2.0M for the 2024-25 season. His Value Rating is 53 out of 100 (fair value): it measures the on-field return for that salary, compared with players at his position.
When does Juuso Välimäki's contract end?
Juuso Välimäki's contract runs through the 2026-27 season; he will then be an unrestricted free agent.
Is Juuso Välimäki overpaid?
Neither: he delivers about what his salary should buy. His Value rating is 53 out of 100 (fair value), where 50 is the output expected for his salary, compared with players at his position.
Is Juuso Välimäki a top-10 player at his position?
No: by WAR, he ranks 89th of 314 players at his position in the NHL in 2024-25. Our comparison tool puts him side by side with any other player.
Is Juuso Välimäki getting better?
No, he is slipping: his PAL rating went from 69 in 2023-24 to 50 in 2024-25 (out of 100, 50 = average player at his position).
How has Juuso Välimäki played lately?
Over his last 8 games, Juuso Välimäki has 3 points (2 goals, 1 assist).
What are Juuso Välimäki's career stats?
Over his NHL career, Juuso Välimäki has 279 games, 13 goals, 62 assists and 75 points. His best season: 2022-23, with 34 points in 78 games.
Where was Juuso Välimäki drafted?
Juuso Välimäki was drafted 16th overall (round 1) by Calgary Flames in 2017.
How does Juuso Välimäki perform in the playoffs?
In the playoffs, Juuso Välimäki has 2 games and 1 point in his career. His pace (0.50 points per game) is higher than his regular-season pace (0.27).
Is Juuso Välimäki a good fantasy pick?
Probably not, except in deep leagues: our projection has him at 9 points in 2026-27, or 0.31 points per game.
Is Juuso Välimäki related to anyone famous?
Yes: Sami Välimäki (cousin, Finnish golfer).
What is Juuso Välimäki's nationality?
Juuso Välimäki is Finnish. Internationally: Finland: silver medal at the 2015 IIHF World U18 Championships; gold medal at the 2016 IIHF World U18 Championships; named captain for Finland at the 2018 World Junior Championship (eliminated in quarterfinals).
What awards has Juuso Välimäki won?
WHL Western Conference Second All-Star Team (2016–17) ; WHL Western Conference Second All-Star Team (2017–18) ; Invitation to the Finnish Independence Day Reception (2016).
How many championships has Juuso Välimäki won?
2: IIHF World U18 Championship – gold with Finland (2016); IIHF World U18 Championship – silver with Finland (2015).
Where did Juuso Välimäki play before turning pro?
Tri-City Americans (WHL), 2015–2018.
How many points is Juuso Välimäki projected to score in 2026-27?
Our projection has him at 9 points in 29 games in 2026-27 (3 to 15 points, 80% interval), based on his recent seasons, age and role.
See also: his Carolina Hurricanes teammates
Full roster →
NHL.com ↗ · Stats and photos: NHL (NHL.com)