The NY Rangers could be facing a rather surprising roster decision when training camp arrives later this fall.
That roster decision could lead to a once blue line mainstay on the outside looking in: Urho Vaakanainen.
That might seem implausible considering Vaakanainen is a perfectly capable NHL defenseman. But that's exactly what makes this situation somewhat complex. The Rangers have added more competition to their blue line, and suddenly there may not be enough room for everyone.
The NY Rangers brought in Marcus Pettersson and Sean Durzi, while players such as Matthew Robertson and Drew Fortescue are also competing for opportunities. Scott Morrow in particular is expected to challenge for a spot on the NHL roster.
That creates a numbers game.
Vaakanainen could ultimately be the unfortunate victim of it.
This isn't necessarily an indictment of his playing ability. It could simply be about the Rangers deciding that younger players need the opportunity to show what they can do. And that could leave Vaakanainen squeezed out of the lineup.
The problem for Vaakanainen is that he isn't exactly a stalwart for the NY Rangers
He's a reliable defensive option, but he isn't likely to provide the offensive upside of some of the Rangers' other options. He's also not the kind of physical presence that makes him indispensable in a depth role.
That makes him relatively easy to push down the depth chart. Petterson and Durzi have already done that.
Morrow, meanwhile, represents something the NY Rangers don't have nearly as much of with their veteran defensemen: Upside expectations.
If the Blueshirts believe Morrow can eventually become a legitimate top-four blueliner, giving him NHL minutes becomes much more valuable than continuing to give playing time to a 27-year-old depth player.
The same logic applies to Vincent Iorio. Yes, he's a good depth piece, but not quite the piece that would transform the NY Rangers' defense corps.
The Blueshirts don't need to know what Vaakanainen can become. They already have a pretty good idea.
They need to figure out what their younger defensemen can become. That's why Vaakanainen could be the odd man out despite being perfectly serviceable.
And there is another issue. If the Rangers decide they want to give one of their younger defensemen a permanent NHL opportunity, someone has to go. Vaakanainen is simply one of the easiest players to identify as the expendable piece.
It's harsh, but that's how roster construction works.
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Of course, there is another possibility. Vaakanainen could remain with the team.
The NY Rangers might decide that having a reliable seventh or eighth defenseman is more important than forcing a younger player into the lineup before he's ready. That could leave Vaakanainen on the roster, but his role would probably be significantly diminished. Instead of being counted on for regular minutes, he could become the insurance policy.
That's actually a pretty valuable role over an 82-game season. Injuries happen, players struggle, meaning that someone eventually needs to step into the lineup. Having a defenseman who already knows how to play at the NHL level gives the Rangers some protection against those problems.
And if Vaakanainen is willing to accept that role, keeping him around makes sense.
The question is whether the NY Rangers believe the roster spot is better used on a younger player. That's what makes this situation worth watching. Vaakanainen isn't necessarily being pushed out because he's bad. He could be pushed out because the blueshirts have decided that the future is more important than squeezing a few more minutes out of a proven depth defenseman.
And if that's the decision the organization makes, it would be one of the more surprising roster cuts of training camp.
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