Arizona Coyotes defenseman Juuso Valimaki fined for slashing

Arizona Coyotes defenseman Juuso Valimaki has been fined $4,189.19, the maximum allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, for slashing Anaheim Ducks forward Max Jones, the NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced Wednesday.

Valimaki was assessed a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct for slashing Jones at the 3:20 mark of the second period of Tuesday’s 5–2 Coyotes loss to the Ducks at Mullett Arena. The 24-year-old defenseman finished the game with 6:30 of ice time, a -2 rating, and 15 minutes in penalties.

The money forfeited by Valimaki will go to the NHL Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

Valimaki signed a one-year, $1 million contract extension with the Coyotes in the hours leading up to Tuesday’s game against the Ducks. He currently makes $1.55 million against the Coyotes’ salary cap ceiling for the 2022–23 season.

Through 44 games with the Coyotes this season, Valimaki has recorded two goals and 12 points while averaging 14:47 per night. The Coyotes claimed Valimaki off waivers from the Calgary Flames on Oct. 9, 2022.

The Flames originally selected Valimaki in the first round (No. 16 overall) of the 2017 NHL Draft. The 6’2″, 205-pound left-handed defenseman made his NHL debut with the Flames in 2018–19 and ultimately spent parts of three seasons with the team. He missed the entire 2019–20 campaign while recovering from a torn ACL.

Valimaki and the Coyotes (15–28–5) will return to action on Jan. 26 when they host the St. Louis Blues (23–22–5) at Mullett Arena in Tempe, AZ.