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Rangers Waive Vaakanainen As Bruins Defense Looks Set
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- Rangers Waive Vaakanainen As Bruins Defense Looks Set
Urho Vaakanainen is gone from the New York Rangers, and anyone hoping he lands back in Boston needs to wake up. The former first-round pick was placed on waivers by the Rangers on Tuesday, a move that signals his time in the league is hanging by a thread. This isn't a trade for a veteran leader; it is a cleanup act. The 27-year-old defenseman simply did not make the cut, and his stats show why he never quite stuck.
A Long Road of Missed Chances
Vaakanainen's path has been rough since he was drafted 18th overall by the Bruins in 2017. He played 221 games in the NHL with just 46 points, a number that just doesn't cut it for a top-four guy. Per Causeway Crowd , his ice time dropped from 16:43 two years ago to 13:51 last season. That drop tells the whole story. Teams need defensemen who can log big minutes, not ones who sit on the bench.
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The Bruins traded him away back in March 2022 to get Hampus Lindholm, a move that made sense at the time. But Lindholm has been the steady hand on the blue line while Vaakanainen bounced around to Anaheim and then New York. He never found his groove. Now he sits in limbo, hoping another team takes a chance on a player who has been a bust for most of his career.
What the Numbers Say
The stats are hard to ignore for anyone who loves the game. In the past two seasons, Vaakanainen has recorded just two goals alongside 19 assists across 80 games. That is not the kind of production that wins championships. NHL.com reports that the Rangers have 43 players left in training camp and must reduce this total to 23. Vaakanainen is one of the names on the chopping block because he isn't adding enough value.
Other players are making their cases in different ways. Mikey Eyssimont, for example, is fighting for a roster spot and looks ready. "This season is the best I've felt, as far as my body feeling healthy, feeling explosive, feeling quick and powerful and healthy overall," Eyssimont said. That kind of energy is what coaches want, not the uncertainty of a player who has struggled to stay healthy or productive.
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No Reunion on the Horizon
Some fans might dream of seeing Vaakanainen back in the Black and Gold, but that is not going to happen. The Bruins have too many defensemen in camp right now to take a gamble on a waiver claim. Causeway Crowd noted that coach Marco Sturm has a full roster and no room for a reunion. The team is looking forward, not back at draft picks who didn't pan out.
The Rangers are set to play the Devils in their third preseason game, and they need to clear space for their new players. Vaakanainen's time has passed. The league moves fast, and if you aren't contributing, you get left behind. The Bruins made their move years ago, and now the rest of the world is catching up to the reality that he is not the answer.
