Even with the addition of winger Craig Smith in free agency this offseason, many have expected the Bruins to make another addition of note. With the free agent market slowing to a crawl, it seems as if GM Don Sweeney is looking at trying to trade for that piece now. To that end, Boston Hockey Now’s Joe Haggerty reports (subscription link) that the team is trying to move defenseman Urho Vaakanainen.
The 21-year-old was the 17th overall pick back in 2017 but hasn’t seen much action in the NHL since then, getting into just two games with Boston in 2018-19 and five last season where he averaged nearly 17 minutes a night. Vaakanainen has spent the majority of his time in North America at the AHL level with Providence where he posted five goals and nine assists in 54 games last year. The point total isn’t particularly high but as more of a stay-at-home defender, he’s not expected to put up flashy numbers.
The Bruins certainly have a hole on the left side of their back end following the departure of Torey Krug to St. Louis in free agency while long-time veteran Zdeno Chara is still on the open market. At this point, no additions have been made on the blueline and as a result, Vaakanainen is someone that could be a candidate to break camp with Boston.
But for a team with win-now aspirations, having a relatively unproven youngster in the lineup (whether it’s Vaakanainen, Jakub Zboril, or someone else entirely) carries some risk. As a result, Vaakanainen may be more valuable to the Bruins as a piece in a trade for an impact defenseman than as a prospect that they hope could one day become a regular in their lineup.
One thing that Sweeney has going for him that most teams don’t is cap space. While winger Jake DeBrusk remains unsigned, they currently have a little over $6.6MM in cap room, per CapFriendly, which is more than enough to get him signed and still have room to add on the back end. It appears that Vaakanainen could be used to try to help land that piece.
Well, Brian, that doesn’t sound like moves to try to make room for Hoffman, eh? As if Big Z is leaning toward not coming back, maybe? If the latter is the case, which I hope it isn’t, being a fan of the Stick-Wielding Giraffe, I’d like to see one last year from him, purely based on selfishness.
It’s getting harder to tell which Boston GM/president is worse Don and Cam can’t sigh scorers for the life of the Danny just plain old sux and Bloom traded one of the best players in baseball for a load of crap and Bill would rather piss of his fan base than admit he is not always right and knows best but and can’t draft for sh it or sign players we need not more special teams players
Yeah it’s been pretty rough go of it for us Boston fans last 20 years
So where supposed to live off the past and not have a great future that’s a new one let me know how that goes for you
He is suggesting you have some perspective
@case7187 I wouldn’t call Alex Verdugo crap.
As a Bruins fan, I really don’t like this at all. The Bruins are thin on the left side as it is & now you’re going to trade your best young d prospect for an average left-handed NHL d-man? I’d rather give Vaakanainen a run then acquire a middle of the pack defender.
Ya it’s because Don would rather pay a injured Miller a million bucks instead of putting in younger and more talented players that the biggest problem with they’d rather go get bottom of the barrel players instead of playing prospects that’s y a lot of them head overseas to play
B’s fans whine about a team that got to Game 7 of the Cup and then won a President’s Trophy in the past two seasons.
Glad to know that Pens fans aren’t the only insipid ingrates out there.
As a Bruins fan who grew up in the 80’s/90’s I am very grateful for a competitive team each year. Every fan base has people that aren’t happy unless they make all the right moves or win the cup every year. But yeah we got a few like that
So we’re not supposed to want are teams to win the cup we should just be happy to see them make it all the way to game 7 of the SC and be happy about that
That has to be the stupidest comment ever all ever fan player and want the cup not just a good season and a shot at the cup wow
No joke everyone is Boston wants every team to win today and win it all. Anything less is a fireable offense punished by shooting the management into the sun. While I’m not thrilled by Boston shopping Urho, it’s also Joe Haggerty reporting it so it’s most likely untrue. Guy is a clown. However, if they are, most likely it’s to get a young LHD in return.
absolutely correct… Haggs has been going down hill in the reporting department..If you click on the link he only says “source”. never mentions if its a GM, a scout, a coach, his wife. nothing. I don’t trust the guy.
I agree a 100% about Hagg’s they guys a maroon
Shouldn’t all fans want their teams to win every yr especially when a lot of their core players are on their final legs isn’t that we watch sports to see are teams win yr in and yr out
Of course we want our teams to be competitive and win but there has to be proper expectations. You can assume that just because the Bruins are from Boston, they should automatically be a dynasty.
You sound like a idiot no one said they have to be a dynasty I’m saying they need to go all out because their window is closing fast
the only idiot here is you