Bruins fans should look back on Urho Vaakanainen‘s second season in Providence as a turning point if he lives up to his potential at the National Hockey League level.
Yes, his offensive numbers (four goals and nine assists in 45 games) aren’t anything to write home about. But those who have watched the 21-year-old this year will tell you that he is slowly but surely morphing into a decent shutdown defenseman.
Vaakananinen’s willingness to block shots and engage physically — in corner battles and puck possession fights — has sparked the P-Bruins to allowing the second-fewest goals in the AHL (138).