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'One of the scariest things I've seen': Coyotes GM describes initial reaction to Juuso Valimaki's facial injury
The Arizona Coyotes are under scrutiny as news broke of an investigation by the NHL and NHL Players’ Association. This is looking into a protocol breach that left Juuso Valimaki without immediate care in a Dallas hospital after a severe facial injury. The incident occurred last month when the defenseman took a 95-mile-an-hour slapshot to the mouth, necessitating facial surgery.
Coyotes' General Manager Bill Armstrong recently opened up about the immediate aftermath of Juuso Valimaki's injury, shedding light on the unsettling moments and the subsequent handling of the situation.
In an interview with PHNX Sports, Armstrong expressed:
“First of all, it's one of the scariest things I've seen. It was a 95 mile an hour slapshot straight to his upper teeth. It just so happened I kind of knew his wife was at the game and the first thing I thought was about her, and I mean to witness that firsthand.
"The player that was Hakanpaa who shot it and he was disheveled too. It just was a straight slapshot to the mouth, moving at 95 miles an hour."
Armstrong went on to highlight Juuso Valimaki's dedication to the team, describing him as someone who cares deeply about his training and his role within the organization:
“If you know Juuso Valimaki, he is somebody on our team that probably cares the most, the way he trains, the way he operates around the team. And so, it's just what can we do for him at that moment, is he gonna be ok, what's gonna be the next step.”
Amid the chaos, Armstrong immediately sought information about Valimaki's condition, even as the game continued. The severity of the situation became apparent when the trainer informed Armstrong that Valimaki had left the ice in an ambulance. The defenseman received 55 stitches and despite needing immediate surgery, faced delays at the hospital due to an influx of critical trauma patients.
GM Bill Armstrong on how Coyotes handled Juuso Valimaki's treatment
Bill Armstrong conveyed the challenges faced during this time, explaining how the Coyotes organization handled the situation. A liaison stayed with Juuso Valimaki in the emergency room, keeping in constant contact with the team's trainers and doctors.
“From our standpoint, he got into the emergency room, so we had a liaison basically who stayed with him along with his wife and made sure that we got what was the update and what was going on and from our standpoint, we tried to do everything we could.
"We flew his wife home, obviously after the surgery with him, along with a liaison to take care of them and who was in constant contact with our trainers and our doctors back in Arizona, but we don't travel with a dentist and we don't travel with a doctor that's provided by the other club.”
While an NHL investigation is underway, Armstrong's transparency provides insight into the Coyotes' perspective on the incident.
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