Prospect Info: 18th Overall (Round 1) - Urho Vaakanainen (D)

[DitClapper]

The guys on Sportsnet really liked the pick.

 

[ashnathan]

Too early to tell, I can tell you I had eyes for other players but this draft is a crap shoot, plenty of reaches today. Im fine with it, thought they would take Oettinger and now they've lost him out West which is fine. Other teams had terrible days, lets see how this kid progresses.

 

[GloryDaze4877]

Still just potential, no matter the raving. Just saying dont say Sweeney is Christ because of his picks just yet. I am just not drinking koolaid that everything Sweeney had done is magic. Met him a couple of times and he has been arrogant every time. Maybe that's good, maybe it isn't. I reserve judgement until I see the body of work. I can say his trades and free agent pickups haven't been all that great and that's a fact, which is why I said he needs to hit a lot on his picks.

That's weird because I have met Sweeney a couple of times while he was scouting at games and he seemed very nice, not arrogant at all??

Maybe it was the vibes you were giving off? Lol

 

[LouJersey]

Still just potential, no matter the raving. Just saying dont say Sweeney is Christ because of his picks just yet. I am just not drinking koolaid that everything Sweeney had done is magic. Met him a couple of times and he has been arrogant every time. Maybe that's good, maybe it isn't. I reserve judgement until I see the body of work. I can say his trades and free agent pickups haven't been all that great and that's a fact, which is why I said he needs to hit a lot on his picks.

He already has a future first pair and future second pair defensemen playing in the NHL from his first two drafts. That's a fantastic job.

 

[missingchicklet]

He's not the pick I would have made.

I spent an hour listening to Kirk, skimmed through the Redline report, and read a couple websites.

They spent what amounts to thousands of man hours evaluating the varying players, and probably had people spend at least 100 man hours watching him play.

So I'm guessing they know a bit more about it than I do.

That's where I am with the pick. I was hoping they would take a chance on one of the available scorers such as Kostin. Sweeney and company know what they are doing in evaluating players in the draft so I am fine with the pick and hope he pans out. Such a crap shoot when this year's draft supposedly lacks a lot of high-end talent.

 

[Gator Mike]

UV apparently doesn't agree with the "no offense" scouting reports:

 

[s3antana5757]

They've got some really nice things to say about him in the draft prospects thread. Ristolainen, Lindstrom(early), OEL, Vlasic. one with Shea Weber. Seems like he has more offensive upside than he's shown from a numbers standpoint, but even if that never comes, still going to be really good defensively. Could be McAvoy's future partner.

Would like to see him the AHL next year. He's been playing against men and guys much older. Wouldn't be too much of a change. Even if he struggles for a year, wouldn't be the worst thing. Can someone confirm that he can come over?


http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1569347

 

[Fenway]

This was a very weak draft class especially in North America. This is when you have to rely on your European scouts and 6 of the 31 picks including the Bruins came from Finland.

I'm just happy they didn't have Charlie try to announce his name

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

In 7 years, it will be consensus that the Bruins took the best defenseman in this draft.

He's the next Alex Pietrangelo.

Vaakanainen probably won't ever be highly scoring oriented dman but he has all talent to be very good two way dman.

Three years ago Vaakanainen was MVP in 2014 pohjola camp.
And he was highly touted Finnish defenceman this years draft but he lost his position to Miro Heiskanen during this past season.

I wouldn't be surprised if Bruins former European Scout Jukka Holtari is recommend Donny to draft Vaakanainen.
Holtari knows Urho pretty well he's JYP's ( Urho's liiga team this past season) sports-manager so there's for sure some contact with Holtari and Vaakanainen.

 

[GloryDaze4877]

Urho Vaakanainen Highlight Reel ...

Don't know this kid from a hole in the wall, but the first thing that jumps out at me is the skating. Really smooth, calm, but quick and it looked to me like he turns either way equally well forward and backward. His transitions were really slick.


Is this the part where I cry and say we could have had Reaves instead of this kid?...

 

[Salem13]

Keep the number kid

 

[donitsi]

FYI Vaakanainen translates to "Scale woman".

Urho=Urhea= Brave Vaaka=Horizontal or Scale Nainen=Woman

 

[Aaron Vickers]

My apologies if it's already been posted, but our take on Vaakanainen at Future Considerations:

An intelligent, two-way defender…reads the play really well, has his head up all the time and makes quick decisions with the puck…great at turning the puck up ice with awareness of the play around him… moves the puck with easy plays and shows a solid first pass…possesses an accurate wrist shot from the blueline…is composed and does not panic with the puck when pressured…very little risk to his game and he does all the little things right…a great, smooth and balanced skater, plus he shows excellent speed when getting back to defend after joining the rush…backward skating and edge work are both at a high level…doesn’t play overly aggressively, but boxes out his man with some physicality at times and keeps a good gap…uses his stick actively to close off lanes…complete defender who has some top-four NHL upside.

https://futureconsiderations.ca/player/Urho-Vaakanainen/

 

[LouJersey]

My apologies if it's already been posted, but our take on Vaakanainen at Future Considerations:



https://futureconsiderations.ca/player/Urho-Vaakanainen/

"Some" top 4 upside doesn't exactly sound like 18th overall to me, but then again our 29th pick last year was pegged as a 4th line center.

 

[Pia8988]

Don't hate the pick. Have to think some of the D eventually get moved out though, but good D can get back good returns.

 

[toasterjam]

They've got some really nice

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1569347

this is a pretty awesome read, getting to hear about his progress over years.

Lots of things to like here

"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."

 

[s3antana5757]

Vaakanainen probably won't ever be highly scoring oriented dman but he has all talent to be very good two way dman.

Three years ago Vaakanainen was MVP in 2014 pohjola camp.
And he was highly touted Finnish defenceman this years draft but he lost his position to Miro Heiskanen during this past season.

I wouldn't be surprised if Bruins former European Scout Jukka Holtari is recommend Donny to draft Vaakanainen.
Holtari knows Urho pretty well he's JYP's ( Urho's liiga team this past season) sports-manager so there's for sure some contact with Holtari and Vaakanainen.

Can you provide some more commentary or scouting notes on him? I certainly didn't know anything about him. Would love to hear anything you can provide.

 

[BruinDust]

Nothing wrong with this pick. Team is set on RD long-term with Carlo-McAvoy. Add him to a solid pool of under 25 left-shot D-men

Morrow
Zboril
Gryz
O'Gara
Lauzon
Lindgren
Johansson
Sherman
Vaakananien

They won't all make it but you have to think that a couple out of these 9 players will make it. The Brodin comparable is pretty good.

Kid has been playing against men in Finland since he was 16, speaks volumes IMO.

Welcome to Boston Urho Vaakananien!

 

[member 96824]

I trust Redline more than I trust the FO....

But I hope they are wrong and this kid is a first round talent

 

[patty59]

I don't know who this kid is at all and never seen him play, but if Sweeney has been good at one thing it's drafting, so I'm sure he's a player.

I'm still holding out hope he goes and gets some immediate help tomorrow but not sure he can make that happen.

Also I want them to take Stuart Skinner tomorrow.

 

[CDJ]

I have 100% faith in Sweeney and the scouting staff when it comes to drafting

 

[WhalerTurnedBruin55]

http://www.dobberprospects.com/14904-2/

"Safest European pick"
"At worst a 5-6 defenseman"

NHL comparable: Roman Josi

Could live with a Josi clone at best case scenario.

Sweeney has to hit on at least half of these picks. Optimistic, but skeptical.

 

[bruinmann77]

I have to trust the pick by DS at this point and just now like to see what he does next.

 

[SharksAttack]

I think this was a good pick. Liked the way he played in Liiga against men.

 

[Gator Mike]

Sweeney has to hit on at least half of these picks.

What picks?

And why does he have to hit on half of them?