LD Urho Vaakanainen (2017, 18th, BOS; traded to ANA)

[Quethas]

As a surprising turn of event, Vaakanainen has made one-year contract with SaiPa. There were rumours about him making new contract with JYP before (and even before that rumours about moving to Fölunda) but he decided otherwise.

This is a really good move for him. He should be able to get a lot more time on ice in SaiPa (maybe even in first pair). Vaakanainen has also mutual history with SaiPa's new head coach Tero Lehterä from the last two seasons he spent with Blues.

 

[NotProkofievian]

Please tell me that SaiPa has a Saimaannorppa mascot.

 

[JJTT]

Good move. Lehterä loves him so he should get much bigger role with PP/PK time.

 

[Luddowich]

As a surprising turn of event, Vaakanainen has made one-year contract with SaiPa. There were rumours about him making new contract with JYP before (and even before that rumours about moving to Fölunda) but he decided otherwise.

This is a really good move for him. He should be able to get a lot more time on ice in SaiPa (maybe even in first pair). Vaakanainen has also mutual history with SaiPa's new head coach Tero Lehterä from the last two seasons he spent with Blues.

Dahlin-Vaakanainen though
Think staying in Finland will boost his development with more ice team and a bigger role and staying in his home country. Very mature move from his part.

 

[1OApick]

Great, now I have to buy season ticket. Vaakanainen have to work with his offence and skating otherwise great late 1-rounder

 

[SoupyFIN]

Good move. Lehterä loves him so he should get much bigger role with PP/PK time.

Yeah, JYP sheltered him to the point where it was hampering his development. Very unlikely that he would've got the same chance there, that he's now getting with SaiPa.

 

[BusQuets]

Getting some "steal of the draft" vibes from Vaakanainen. Have been dropping in the mock lists the whole year it seems.

He's playing some really solid playoff hockey in Liiga atm. Is not scoring a lot of point which is probably why he's dropping but he's doing the most important job well which is defending. Reminds me of Jonas Brodin.

He was also one of the few bright spots in the Finnish wjc squad. Really interesting where he will end up. I think someone's going to get really solid defenseman in the 2nd round.

Surprisingly all the way in 13th overall in McKeen's Hockey rankings.

 

[Loffer]

This coach.Yikes. Ain't he just another guy so full of himself and his "competence" that it is a joke on the bench and beyond?!

These besserwissers should stay in pre-, intermission and post-game studios and leave the real coaching to those who can handle human individuals and groups of such with developed interaction skills. Well, just saying.

SaiPa will fold next season if it is possible to fold more they have done recently, again.

For Vaakanainen this might be a good move though, he will have his hands full and a coach who sees him as the next Lidstrom or something.

 

[Hockeyisl1fe]

For Vaakanainen this might be a good move though, he will have his hands full and a coach who sees him as the next Lidstrom or something.

That was like 5 years ago. He said that Vaakanainen is the best dman prospect he has ever seen from Finland. He still developed to be a likely first-rounder though... count, for fun, how many 1st round dmen Finland has produced in this century.

 

[Lempo]

Please tell me that SaiPa has a Saimaannorppa mascot.

 

[NotProkofievian]

Missed opportunity.

 

[spintheblackcircle]

Kinda of a Vlasic-vibe to him?

 

[TT1]

Kinda of a Vlasic-vibe to him?

Hmmm.. i'd say Markus Phillips has more of a Vlasic vibe to him. Vaakanainen is a 2 way dman but he plays a very safe game.

Hes more of a defensive player who relies on his stickwork and hes not overly physical. Can't really think of a comparable..

Maybe like a weaker defensive version of Tanev w/ more offensive upside?

 

[spintheblackcircle]

Hmmm.. i'd say Markus Phillips has more of a Vlasic vibe to him. Vaakanainen is a 2 way dman but he plays a very safe game.

Hes more of a defensive player who relies on his stickwork and hes not overly physical. Can't really think of a comparable..

That sounds like Vlasic.

 

[JJTT]

That sounds like Vlasic.

Vlasic is one of the best pure defensive players in the league, while Vaakanainen is very solid defensive player for his age, it's pretty hard to say if he will be a premier shutdown defenseman at the NHL level like Vlasic.

Somebody like Alec Martinez might be a more realistic comparision for Vaakanainen.

 

[Juxtaposer]

Hmmm.. i'd say Markus Phillips has more of a Vlasic vibe to him. Vaakanainen is a 2 way dman but he plays a very safe game.

Hes more of a defensive player who relies on his stickwork and hes not overly physical. Can't really think of a comparable..

Maybe like a weaker defensive version of Tanev w/ more offensive upside?

I've never seen Vaakanainen play, but what you just described right there is Vlasic (outside the "weaker defensive version of Tanev", obviously)

Vlasic is one of the best pure defensive players in the league, while Vaakanainen is very solid defensive player for his age, it's pretty hard to say if he will be a premier shutdown defenseman at the NHL level like Vlasic.

Somebody like Alec Martinez might be a more realistic comparision for Vaakanainen.

I don't think Spin is saying that he has Vlasic's upside, just that his style is like Vlasic.

 

[spintheblackcircle]

Yeap, not a physical player, but always in the right spot, smarter than most everyone out there. Totally reliable, won't score you 10-15 goals a year, but will be on the #1PK and on the ice at the end of the game up 1 goal. That's his upside to me.

 

[mazmin]

I'm very interested to see who is selected first between him and Valimaki. Most have Valimaki going ahead of Vaakanainen, but that's probably due to stat watching and not actual scouting.

 

[NarcoPolo]

Hmmm.. i'd say Markus Phillips has more of a Vlasic vibe to him. Vaakanainen is a 2 way dman but he plays a very safe game.

Hes more of a defensive player who relies on his stickwork and hes not overly physical. Can't really think of a comparable..

Maybe like a weaker defensive version of Tanev w/ more offensive upside?

Phillips is the opposite of Vlasic from what I've seen. He's nothing to write home about defensively and hes always thinking offense.

 

[TT1]

I've never seen Vaakanainen play, but what you just described right there is Vlasic (outside the "weaker defensive version of Tanev", obviously)



I don't think Spin is saying that he has Vlasic's upside, just that his style is like Vlasic.

Stylistically he looks way more like Tanev. Just by the way they move around and his stickwork. Vaakanainen isn't a pure shutdown guy tho (like Tanev is), rather he's someone who doesn't take too many risks and plays a safe/conservative game.

Also the poster said "Vlasic-vibe".. so it's a bit hard to know what he's exactly referring to.

Phillips is the opposite of Vlasic from what I've seen. He's nothing to write home about defensively and hes always thinking offense.

Phillips's strengths are his mobility, d-game and IQ.. the question is how much of his offensive game can he transfer over to the NHL.

 

[Harry Kakalovich]

I'm interested in this prospect for Montreal. Not sure he will be there at that point in the first but I do think there might be some good value defensemen at the 25 pick and I'm kind of hoping Montreal take a dman even though most Hab fans are rooting for a center.

 

[Get North]

I think he's more of a Weber type of defenceman. He's different than Weber because he's not as mean, not the same shot. But overall, will stay back in the play, can get a good first pass out of the zone. His number one priority is taking care of the defensive zone. Probably a better skater than Weber though.

 

[JeromeHP]

After watching him live in Montreal at the WJC for 6 games, i was thinking he was more of a defensive d-man but knew i wanted to see more out of him to get a better read on him. I knew because Finland was a disaster at the tournament there was possibly more to Vaakanainen. I was really please with him at the U-18, using his feet more and making more plays offensively out there. It was unanimous in our scout meeting for our final rankings that he was a big riser. Looking for to see where he goes in the draft.

 

[Patrick Division]

Wrong thread

 

[Jetsetter]

I'd take him for the Jets now at 13. Sounds like a real high quality d-man.