Americans’ Valimaki signs with Flames

Tri-City Americans blueliner Juuso Valimaki has officially joined the C of Red.

The product of Nokia, Finland, who was taken by the Calgary Flames with the 16th overall selection in the 2017 NHL Draft, inked a three-year entry-level contract with the organization, Friday afternoon.

Acquired by Tri-City in the first round (14th overall) in the 2015 CHL Import Draft, Valimaki piled up 61 points (19G, 42A) in 60 games for the Americans in his second WHL season, putting him seventh among WHL defensemen in scoring.

The total was almost double his points tally from his first WHL season in 2015-16, when the 6-foot-2, 200-pound import defenseman put up 32 points (7G, 25A) in 56 games for the Americans

.@juike4 signing his entry-level contract! pic.twitter.com/Y0nldctYIu

— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) July 21, 2017

The 18-year-old Finn’s efforts in 2016-17 were enough to earn him a Western Conference Second Team All-Star nod.

The @NHLFlames landed @juike4 with the 16th overall pick at the 2017 #NHLDraft. Hear what the @TCAmericans defenceman had to say. pic.twitter.com/bT1Ij1c7tz

— The WHL (@TheWHL) June 25, 2017

In addition to his time with the Americans, Valimaki has also represented Finland on the international stage on a number of occasions, including at the 2016-17 World Junior Championships in Montreal and Toronto.

The smooth-skating playmaker has also represented Finland at two separate IIHF World U18 Championships — once in 2014-15, where he helped them to a silver medal, and again in 2015-16 when he captained the team to a gold medal.