Boston Bruins: Top 5 players that will need impressive training camp to make 2021 opening night roster

4. Urho Vaakanainen will need an impressive training camp to make the Boston Bruins’ 2021 opening night roster.

With just seven games of NHL experience under his belt, Vaakanainen is surprising the more experienced prospect out of him and Zboril, despite being two years younger.

Vaakanainen was drafted by Boston in 2017 at 18th overall, and at just 21 years old could make the jump to the NHL full-time. He is known for his shutdown defense and isn’t a flashy defenseman by any means.

The 6-foot-1 D-man prides himself in his stay-at-home style of defense and doesn’t often jump in on the rush or take part in any offensive play. Instead, he’s much more concerned with what’s going on in his own zone and shutting down his opposition.

Vaakanainen shuts down his opposition with physical play and cutting off their shooting lanes and passing lanes. In five NHL games last season, Vaakanainen had eight hits and blocked three shots while having a plus/minus (+/-) of +2.

Because of his safe stay-at-home shutdown defense, Vaakanainen is the safest of the three choices to fill that last spot on the left side of Boston’s defense.

However, he’s going to have to prove that this style is good enough for the NHL and that it’ll benefit the team rather than hurt them by not being aggressive and unable to control and drive the play.