2026 Rangers Season Previews: Urho Vaakanainen

Urho Vaakanainen is ... fine, I guess. But, with the additions on defense, does he have a spot on the roster?

Previous Performance

Vaakanainen opened the 2025-26 season on the New York Rangers third pair with Braden Schneider, but was quickly ousted from the lineup by Matthew Robertson. He would go on to play in 35 games for the Rangers last season, recording six points—all assists—while averaging about 14 minutes per game.

Vaakanainen is a former 18th overall pick (Boston Bruins) who has never lived up to his draft status. Including last year, he has played in 221 National Hockey League games for three franchises (Bruins, Anaheim Ducks, Rangers) while recording just three goals and 46 points.

Expectations

The statistics above are what they are. Vaakanainen turns 28 in January, and his development is done. He is what he is. That's not good for him. For the Rangers, it's fine.

Confused? Let me 'splain.

• Urho Vaakanainen is not a good top-six defenseman.
• Urho Vaakanainen is a perfectly cromulent seventh defenseman.

These are very different roles that have very different metrics for evaluation. In your seventh defenseman you want a player whose development you don't care about, who you don't mind seeing as a healthy scratch night after night after night, and who can serve as a warm body during practice and maybe draw into the lineup once in a while when someone needs a night off. That's a role Urho Vaakanainen fills perfectly well and, if he's on the roster, it's the role I expect him to fill. The question is whether or not he will be on the roster at all.

Prediction

NHL: Urho will not play in any NHL games this season—for the Rangers
AHL: 60 GP | 4 G | 20 A | 25 PTS

The Rangers made significant additions to their defensive group in Marcus Pettersson, Alberts Smits, and Sean Durzi.

None of this is good for Urho Vaakanainen.

If you assume that the first two pairs are:

Vladislav Gavrikov - Adam Fox
Marcus Pettersson - Sean Durzi

Then that leaves Alberts Smits, Matthew Robertson, and Drew Fortescue competing for the last spot next to Braden Schneider. If Matthew Robertson is the choice, then maybe there's a spot for Urho Vaakanainen as the seventh defenseman. But, I doubt it.

At the time of this writing, Scott Morrow and Vincent Iorio are both in the organization (however, unsigned) and would require waivers to be assigned to the Hartford Wolf Pack. It's unlikely that either would clear. That would force the Rangers to carry Morrow and Iorio as seventh and eighth defensemen, and would squeeze out Urho Vaakanainen. Vaakanainen is in the final year of a two year contract paying him $1.55 million per year. Unlike Morrow or Iorio, he would easily clear waivers and head to Hartford.

Conclusion

A lot can happen between now and the start of the season. Morrow and/or Iorio could be traded (or just leave the organization and go overseas). Players could suffer injuries in camp.

As things stand now though, I just don't see a place for Urho Vaakanainen on the Rangers roster come opening night.