Urho Vaakanainen
It’s fair to say that Urho Vaakanainen is ready to take the next step, but he could actually find it challenging to step into the role that is available.
The smooth-skating Finn looks more likely to eventually be a number-three, if not number-two defenseman; starting as a number-six might actually be detrimental to him, especially when he can spend another term dominating as a number-one guy in the American Hockey League.
Like some many of his countrymen, he plays an incredibly smart transition game and is more than comfortable moving the puck. He adapted incredibly well to North American ice in his first season with the Providence Bruins and also earned a two-game spell in the NHL.
Debuting in the NHL in his first year in the United States would’ve been unexpected but now he needs to step up to another level at training camp and try to force his way into the top four spots.
You could make a strong argument to limit Boston Bruins captain, Zdeno Chara‘s ice-time and that’d open up space albeit a re-shuffle of the defensive pairings would be in order. Or maybe, you actually see value in partnering him with Chara as a third pairing that can handle minutes akin to a first or second pair.
Vaakanainen may well have the inside track on winning a roster spot this summer; hopefully he takes the arrival of Alex Petrovic on a PTO as a challenge and not as a sign of the team offering rewards to those that haven’t worked hard for the organisation.
All three of these guys deserve the chance; whether they deserve it more or less than Alex Petrovic will be determined when we see how they perform at camp.
If they shine and earn a roster spot, you can argue it’s because of Petrovic’s presence, likewise if they crack and flop under the pressure. Either way, it’s really up to the individual to seize their chance, whether they’re 21 or 27 years old, whether they have prior NHL experience or not.