Former Bruins Urho Vaakanainen

[mikelvl]

What has his game looked like?

It’s been 3 years since he got a hit from Borowiecki's elbow (time flies). If I remember correctly his game looked promising before that hit. What do you others think did that hit significantly affect his game? I think at least something happened because of that elbow. Or is it just an easy reason to think about it?
Especially now you have to wonder if this guy would play in the Boston's top 4 - without that nasty situation. At least it was expected and looked promising.

I know this is useless but this came to my mind today..

I'm not downplaying a head injury, but I think his issues are more than that. I'll leave it to those who have seen him play in Providence. I would have to believe that the brass are pretty disappointed that yet another first round pick can't crack the NHL lineup on a regular basis.

 

[DominicT]

Someone asked me about Urho in my mailbag.

A couple of thoughts

WEDNESDAY MAILBAG NOVEMBER 17 2021

 

[Dr Hook]

Someone asked me about Urho in my mailbag.

A couple of thoughts

WEDNESDAY MAILBAG NOVEMBER 17 2021

Dom, if you aren't yet aware, Bruce had Kevin Dean go upstairs for a game. Fluto talks about it here:

Middling Bruins send a clear signal with their latest roster and coaching moves: It's time for results

 

[arider1990]

Someone asked me about Urho in my mailbag.

A couple of thoughts

WEDNESDAY MAILBAG NOVEMBER 17 2021

I'm not sure if it's just me but it looks like you didn't answer one of the questions.

 

[Over the volcano]

Lars Jonsson turns 40 in a couple months

 

[McGarnagle]

Lars Jonsson turns 40 in a couple months

Good God, I'm getting old

 

[McGarnagle]

Someone asked me about Urho in my mailbag.

A couple of thoughts

WEDNESDAY MAILBAG NOVEMBER 17 2021

The answer to the question where you talk about Senyshyn and JFK kind of touches on something I've always thought, which is that the Bruins have been on some mission to turn every forward they draft into Bergeron and spend so much time preaching "two-way hockey" that by the time these kids get to the NHL they haven't had their offensive game properly developed at a pro level and they were not defensively great to begin with, so you just get bland two-way centers like JFK who aren't good enough to cut it either of those two ways. I kind of cringe whenever Studnicka comes up and shows warning signs of that same pattern of taking no risks and providing nothing creative.

If you had to assign blame for the lack of quality forwards produced from 2014-15 onwards, how much of it would you put on drafting and how much would you put on development?

 

[Colt.45Orr]

I'm not sure if it's just me but it looks like you didn't answer one of the questions.

I thought there were some great answers in there, you just need the ability to infer from text, I guess.

 

[inactive user]

I thought there were some great answers in there, you just need the ability to infer from text, I guess.

Pretty sure this is what @arider1990 was referring to.

Question – My question is regarding the Bruins defense pairings – I think Cassidy is making a mistake by deviating from Grzelcyk-McAvoy, Reilly-Carlo, Forbort-Clifton. I get that they may not feel completely comfortable with Grzelcyk on the top pair, but he has at least shown himself capable of doing that job. (I shortened this because it was just too long).
Answer –

 

[DominicT]

I'm not sure if it's just me but it looks like you didn't answer one of the questions.

It's on purpose.

It was in be d man piece the day before

 

[arider1990]

It's on purpose.

It was in be d man piece the day before

Ok that makes sense. I wasn't sure if the England internet connection struck again or not.

 

[Caper Bruins fan]

Dom, if you aren't yet aware, Bruce had Kevin Dean go upstairs for a game. Fluto talks about it here:

Middling Bruins send a clear signal with their latest roster and coaching moves: It's time for results

Is there any way to read that without subscribing to the Athletic?

 

[Dr Hook]

Is there any way to read that without subscribing to the Athletic?

Not the whole thing, but here is the excerpt I was talking about:

After conversations with his staff, Cassidy concluded that Dean should be in the press box against New Jersey and Montreal. Assistant Joe Sacco, who usually monitors the forwards, managed the defensemen during the games. First-year assistant Chris Kelly, who usually spends the first two periods in the press box, filled Sacco’s spot.

The point of the exercise was for Dean to watch from up top and think about his in-game tutoring. Cassidy noted that all of the defensemen are under 30. As such, they may need more on-the-fly counsel instead of video review after the game or the next day. Dean will be back on the bench for the Bruins’ next game, Saturday against Philadelphia.

“With Kevin, it’s like, ‘OK, go up and watch. We need this to translate in-game,'” Cassidy said. “‘Not only do you have to find your matchups and manage your minutes for your D pairs. But you’re going to have to do a little more teaching and blend that in with your matchups. We may lose the odd matchups here and there because you’re doing a little more instruction.’ But I think that’s what this D corps requires on a nightly basis.”

 

[rocketdan9]

Not the whole thing, but here is the excerpt I was talking about:

After conversations with his staff, Cassidy concluded that Dean should be in the press box against New Jersey and Montreal. Assistant Joe Sacco, who usually monitors the forwards, managed the defensemen during the games. First-year assistant Chris Kelly, who usually spends the first two periods in the press box, filled Sacco’s spot.

The point of the exercise was for Dean to watch from up top and think about his in-game tutoring. Cassidy noted that all of the defensemen are under 30. As such, they may need more on-the-fly counsel instead of video review after the game or the next day. Dean will be back on the bench for the Bruins’ next game, Saturday against Philadelphia.

“With Kevin, it’s like, ‘OK, go up and watch. We need this to translate in-game,'” Cassidy said. “‘Not only do you have to find your matchups and manage your minutes for your D pairs. But you’re going to have to do a little more teaching and blend that in with your matchups. We may lose the odd matchups here and there because you’re doing a little more instruction.’ But I think that’s what this D corps requires on a nightly basis.”

At least Cassidy is fair

He won't only place players/rookies in the doghouse. But also his coaching staff

"think about what you did"

 

[4ORRBRUIN]

Not the whole thing, but here is the excerpt I was talking about:

After conversations with his staff, Cassidy concluded that Dean should be in the press box against New Jersey and Montreal. Assistant Joe Sacco, who usually monitors the forwards, managed the defensemen during the games. First-year assistant Chris Kelly, who usually spends the first two periods in the press box, filled Sacco’s spot.

The point of the exercise was for Dean to watch from up top and think about his in-game tutoring. Cassidy noted that all of the defensemen are under 30. As such, they may need more on-the-fly counsel instead of video review after the game or the next day. Dean will be back on the bench for the Bruins’ next game, Saturday against Philadelphia.

“With Kevin, it’s like, ‘OK, go up and watch. We need this to translate in-game,'” Cassidy said. “‘Not only do you have to find your matchups and manage your minutes for your D pairs. But you’re going to have to do a little more teaching and blend that in with your matchups. We may lose the odd matchups here and there because you’re doing a little more instruction.’ But I think that’s what this D corps requires on a nightly basis.”

You are in trouble when you are healthy scratching coaches, This had to be a joke right?

 

[mikelvl]

Lars Jonsson turns 40 in a couple months

How old Evgeni Ryabchikov? Did they ever find out if he is a real person?

 

[mikelvl]

At least Cassidy is fair

He won't only place players/rookies in the doghouse. But also his coaching staff

"think about what you did"

I've never heard of a coach getting benched publically. That's got to be a tough pill to swallow for him.

 

[Dr Hook]

You are in trouble when you are healthy scratching coaches, This had to be a joke right?

I didn't really take it that way- Bruce was just asking Dean to get a different look at things and realizing that they as a group need a different approach to coaching the D. It's not like he sent him home for the night.

 

[Dr Hook]

I've never heard of a coach getting benched publically. That's got to be a tough pill to swallow for him.

He didn't really get benched, though, he just swapped places with Chris Kelly to get a bird's eye view of the defense. It didn't read to me like Bruce was chucking him under the bus, but realizing they have guys that need a different type of coaching approach to get the most out of them. I imagine Dean was sending down instructions or observations.

 

[BlackFrancis]

He didn't really get benched, though, he just swapped places with Chris Kelly to get a bird's eye view of the defense. It didn't read to me like Bruce was chucking him under the bus, but realizing they have guys that need a different type of coaching approach to get the most out of them. I imagine Dean was sending down instructions or observations.

That was what I thought as well, but why not just have him watch tape after the game, like he's probably already doing?

Unless they don't record their own games and are reliant on broadcast footage.

 

[The National]

Vaak doesn’t look super promising in Prov, at least so far this year. He still makes a decent amount of head scratching decisions, especially defensively and with bad penalties. He’s got lots of skill he just lacks hockey IQ, and I don’t think it has anything to do with the concussion he got 3 years ago.

He sort of has a Zboril feel for me, but just less further along. I lost hope in him personally.

 

[DominicT]

That was what I thought as well, but why not just have him watch tape after the game, like he's probably already doing?

Unless they don't record their own games and are reliant on broadcast footage.

Video is not the same as watching live. Not even close.

 

[Dr Hook]

That was what I thought as well, but why not just have him watch tape after the game, like he's probably already doing?

Unless they don't record their own games and are reliant on broadcast footage.

I do wonder if they have a top down view recorded like they would see from the press box.

 

[The National]

He looked better tonight then he has all year in Prov, not sure if it’s a fluke or just playing up to opportunity.

I guess time will tell, but good to see since he’s been basically written off until recently.

 

[UncleRico]

He looked better tonight then he has all year in Prov, not sure if it’s a fluke or just playing up to opportunity.

I guess time will tell, but good to see since he’s been basically written off until recently.

I haven’t caught any games yet this year, but there has been a fair amount of chatter that he’s really picked his game up over the last 6 or so weeks. I need to make it a point to get to a couple games this year.