{"id":437498,"date":"2024-02-14T13:30:20","date_gmt":"2024-02-14T18:30:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/?p=437498"},"modified":"2024-02-14T13:25:30","modified_gmt":"2024-02-14T18:25:30","slug":"tampa-bay-lightning-trade-deadline-ducks-left-shot-defender","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2024\/02\/14\/tampa-bay-lightning-trade-deadline-ducks-left-shot-defender\/","title":{"rendered":"Tampa Bay Lightning Trade Deadline: Ducks Left-Shot Defender"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Tampa Bay Lightning<\/a> trade deadline will be interesting to watch this season. Over the last several seasons, they\u2019ve been active with deals. It started with Blake Coleman<\/a> and Barclay Goodrow<\/a>. More recently, it has been Tanner Jeannot<\/a> and Michael Eyssimont<\/a>. This season, there is a question of what the Lightning should do; buy or sell? Here at Last Word, Kyle Pereira and Jack Pallotta will start a series where they look at some potential trades.\u00a0 Let\u2019s say they buy, who do they get? What do they give up? Today, we look at defenceman Urho Vaakanainen<\/a> of the Anaheim Ducks.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Disclaimer: The players featured in these articles aren\u2019t always linked to the Lightning but have been made available in some capacity this season. These pieces are observing whether Tampa should target them and what the cost would be if they did.\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Tampa Bay Lightning Trade Deadline: Urho Vaakanainen<\/a><\/b><\/h2>\n

25-year-old defenceman Urho Vaakanainen<\/a> is an interesting defender to consider when looking at Lightning trade candidates. For one, it is important to point out that it seems likely that the Ducks will re-sign the young defender. That, and he has had injury issues in his career, making this season his first with 30 or more games in the NHL (he\u2019s played 43). Meanwhile, since turning pro, he has played a combined 32, 59, 22, 52, 24 and 43 games in each of the last six seasons. However, he is a left-shot defender, something the Lightning need with Mikhail Sergachev<\/a> done for the season. Plus, he has a very low salary, at $850,000, making him very affordable.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As mentioned previously, Vaakanainen has played 43 games this season, all at the NHL level. Playing now for the Ducks, he has scored nine points this year. Prior to joining the Ducks in the 2021-22 season he had been playing for the Boston Bruins who drafted him 18th overall in the 2017 NHL draft. In his career, spanning six years, Vaakanainen has scored 19 points in 111 games. Not known as a scorer, what else does Vaakanainen bring to the table?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Vaakanainen Scouting Report<\/b><\/h3>\n

The Lightning defence core isn\u2019t exactly fast. Victor Hedman<\/a> is a big body, who for years was an enigma with his size and skating combo. But that hasn\u2019t been the case for a couple seasons now. He\u2019s significantly slower, or the game has simply gotten much faster. Nick Perbix<\/a>, Darren Raddysh<\/a>, and Calvin de Haan<\/a> are decent skaters, but don\u2019t particularly jump off the page as great skaters. Emil Martinsen Lilleberg<\/a> and Maxwell Crozier<\/a>, the two rookies, are solid skaters. Crozier especially is a strong skater. But Julien BriseBois has notoriously replaced rookies or less experienced players once the season came closer to game 82. Then, there\u2019s Erik Cernak<\/a>, who plays a heavier game, but isn\u2019t a bad skater. Overall, their defence is largely made up of average or above average skaters. Vaakanainen could help that department.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Vaakanainen is a really good skater. Adding speed to the back-end would certainly help, especially against top competition. Too many times this season, Hedman has fallen victim to chip-and-chases past him, leading to scoring chances. In fact, in the January 27th game against New Jersey, there was a prime example leading to a goal against (below). Adding more speed to gel with the size of the back-end could be supremely helpful, especially since Mikhail Sergachev<\/a> would normally be the one to do so.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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I'm working on a Urho Vaakanainen piece about if he'd be a fit for Tampa. As far as I know he isn't linked yet. But he provides better skating on the back end, something the Lightning lack.<\/p>\n

Putting him in for faster forwards could prevent plays like this against Hedman #GoBolts<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/NWmsRtBVdM<\/a><\/p>\n

— Kyle Pereira (@pereira_report) February 13, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n