Overview
- The Hurricanes announced the recall of defenseman Juuso Välimäki on Monday, October 5, 2026, after reassigning Charles-Alexis Legault and leaving the NHL roster with six healthy defensemen.
- Välimäki was traded to Carolina in early January for future considerations and has spent the season with the AHL Chicago Wolves since clearing the final roster cut at training camp.
- He finished last season strongly for Chicago, posting six goals and 20 points in 24 AHL games, a performance that helped prompt the NHL recall.
- Välimäki’s recent history includes a torn ACL that ended his 2024–25 campaign and roughly 271 NHL games across earlier stints with Calgary and Arizona, giving him veteran experience despite recent injuries.
- The Hurricanes may use Välimäki as emergency depth or insert him into the lineup as soon as the Montreal game, and his play will affect Carolina’s short-term blue-line rotation and competition for a regular roster spot.