The Boston Bruins are looking like they’re going to be down two of their normal top-six defensemen with Matt Grzelcyk out with another lower-body injury and rookie Jakub Zboril out with an upper-body injury.
Grzelcyk has been injured quite a bit so far this season, suffering several different lower-body injuries. We know that Connor Clifton will be playing in his spot alongside Brandon Carlo on the second defensive pairing.
However, Zboril’s spot alongside Kevan Miller on the third pairing is still a bit up in the air. Right now, the obvious choice to fill Zboril’s spot is veteran John Moore.
Although Moore is a veteran and is experience, I don’t think he’s the best option. I think the B’s have a better option in the AHL in a 22-year-old, 6-foot-1 blueliner.
The Boston Bruins should call up Urho Vaakanainen and give him a chance.
John Moore just played his first game of the season in Boston’s most recent game. He had been injured previously, but probably wouldn’t have seen much of the lineup even if he was healthy.
Moore was in the lineup over Clifton, who had been playing quite well in Grzelcyk’s spot. Putting Moore in the lineup was an obvious mistake from the start of the game.
While Moore is supposed to be an offensive-minded defenseman similar to Grizz but with more size, he doesn’t bring the offense that Grzelcyk does or the physicality and solid defensive play that Clifton brings. He just isn’t the ideal choice whether you want offense or defense at the blue line.
I wholeheartedly think that Urho Vaakanainen would bring more to the lineup than Moore. While Vaakanainen doesn’t have the experience that Moore does, he has shown that he can play solid defense and be a physical threat to the opposition.
In seven career NHL games, Vaakanainen has no points but is a +1 rating and eight hits. With Moore in the lineup, the Black and Gold gave up four goals to a New York Islanders team that usually struggles to score more than two goals.
Boston doesn’t need an offensive defenseman in the lineup — especially John Moore who doesn’t bring much offense — they need solid defensive play from their blueliners so they can get the puck to their skilled forwards, and I think Vaakanainen is someone that can do this.