The Anaheim Ducks head into the 2024 offseason with seven RFAs in need of new contracts. Pat Verbeek has an interesting history with RFAs in his tenure as Ducks GM. How will Urho Vaakanainen fare this summer?
The Anaheim Ducks head into the 2024 offseason with seven RFAs in need of new contracts. Pat Verbeek has an interesting history with RFAs in his tenure as Ducks GM. How will Urho Vaakanainen fare this summer?
Urho Vaakanainen (25) played his first entirely healthy season in the NHL in 2023-24. He was able to crack the Ducks' lineup 68 times, significantly eclipsing his previous career high of 29 games played in a season.
Vaakanainen was the Ducks nominee for the 2024 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, given to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance and dedication to ice hockey.
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Vaakanainen's two-year contract carrying an AAV of $850k expired at the end of the 2023-24 season and he's now a restricted free agent with arbitration rights. If the Ducks intend to keep his signing rights, they must extend a $945k qualifying offer before July 1. If they elect not to, he will become an unrestricted free agent who can sign with any team that offers him a contract.
Heading into the summer of 2024, the Ducks have seven RFAs whose futures need to be decided upon before July 1.
Vaakanainen (18th overall in 2017) was drafted by the Boston Bruins out of JYP of Liiga, Finland's top professional league. He was traded to the Anaheim Ducks along with John Moore, a 2022 first-round pick (Nathan Gaucher), a 2023 second-round pick (Damian Clara), and a 2024 second-round pick as a piece in the deal that sent Hampus Lindholm and Kodie Curran to the Bruins at the 2022 trade deadline.
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Vaakanianen was never destined to become a top point-producer at the NHL level, but his 6-foot-2 frame and defensively polished game paved the way toward him playing against grown men at a young age.
Vaakanainen only managed to play in 187 games between the AHL and NHL during the five seasons prior to 2023-24. The lack of consistent games seemingly put a dent in his development during his early years (age 20-24) as a professional hockey player in North America.
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He averaged 17:28 TOI in 2023-24, mostly at 5v5. He played 133 minutes on the penalty kill, enough for fifth on the Ducks among blueliners.
“Staying healthy and getting to play is a big thing,” Vaakanainen told The Hockey News’ Derek Lee when discussing his 2023-24 campaign. “Just getting the reps and staying consistent. I feel like I’m getting better every day,”
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Vaakanainen's most consistent partner in the 2023-24 season was Radko Gudas. The duo surprisingly made up one the of league's best shutdown pairs, ranking sixth among NHL defensive pairs in expected goals per 60 minutes (xG/60) with a minimum of 400 minutes played.
While Vaakanainen makes simple, effective plays when moving the puck, he won't be quarterbacking power plays or driving offense anytime soon. He can retrieve pucks and fend off forechecks before sending an outlet pass to a forward or reverse to his defensive partner.
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Defensively is where Vaakanainen took a major step in his development this season. He was strong when engaging puck carriers and rarely was caught out of position or not shadowing his assignment. He displayed a textbook gap against rush attacks and actively broke up plays using his stick when called upon.
The Ducks employ several NHL-caliber left-shot defensemen; Cam Fowler, Olen Zellweger, Pavel Mintyukov, Jackson LaCombe, and Urho Vaakanainen. They also have several on the horizon with Konnor Smith, Tyson Hinds, and Rodwin Dionicio. Vaakanianen may just be the odd man out in that group.
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He has the skill and acumen to provide quality minutes as an NHL bottom pair defensive defenseman. Time will tell if that opportunity will be with the Ducks.
For the ability to retain his rights, Ducks GM Pat Verbeek must extend Vaakanainen a $945k qualifying offer before July 1. That may just be too rich for Verbeek's liking and Verbeek hasn't hesitated to forgo a players signing rights if he deems the QO too expensive.